The #MeToo movement has created a sea change for victims of sexual harassment and assault.
But where did the words that inspired this movement come from?
What prompted Alyssa Milano to post the now viral#MeToo tweetthat spread like wildfire across social media?
Here’s what you should know about both her life and her incredible, important work.
Because of these experiences, Burke knows firsthand how important it is to find healing after these encounters.
And she has dedicated her life to helping women especially women of color rebound from them.
“Violence is violence.
And we are taught to downplay it, even think about it as child’s play.”
And her upbringing had an impact on her.
We didn’t have a ton of resources."
Life might not have been easy, but Burke cites influences that fostered her development.
And I read a lot when I was young.
Those were the things that helped change the trajectory of my life."
It was reading, especially, that taught her that healing was possible.
“So I had this ‘out’ that I saw the girls I worked with did not have.”
#MeToo isn’t new
The #MeToo movement didn’t start with Alyssa Milano’s tweet.
In an interview withYesmagazine, Burke talked about the origins of the movement.
She said, “My work started in support of Black and brown girls in the community in Alabama.
And it grew to be about supporting Black and brown women and girls across the country.
And beyond that it grew to be about supporting marginalized people in marginalized communities.”
The work she was doing differs from the focus of the social campaign.
But the actual me too Movement is about supporting sexual assault survivors.
So that’s where it’s different."
Heaven’s behavior was merely a symptom, as her mother’s boyfriend was sexually abusing her.
But when she tried to confide in Burke about the abuse, Burke found herself overwhelmed.
Burke immensely regrets that she couldn’t help Heaven in that moment.
Those words were “me too.”
Passionate advocacy
Burke has been hard at work for social justice for a long time.
Over the years she continued her work, and sharpened her focus along the way.
She toldElle, “I don’t want to position myself and say, ‘Hey, I did this.
Don’t take away, you know, give me credit.’
Additionally, people mostly black women pointed out that Milanohad appropriatedBurke’s slogan.
Fortunately, Milano moved quickly to fix the omission.
According to Burke, Milano “made every effort” to ensure people knew this was Burke’s work.
“But our work is inherently different,” she shared.
“Our goals are inherently different.”
I could never have envisioned something that would change the world.
I was trying to change my community.”
“Well this is just a start.
“I think now the work really begins.
Murray penned an article forBET, and in it noted, “This was Tarana’s moment.
She’s a very gracious woman and hasn’t so much as uttered any displeasure about the cover.
And probably won’t.
I worry about survivors coming on to social media and being bombarded with messages of ‘me too.'”
The campaign presents a very real challenge for survivors, and opens the door for potential re-triggering.
“Imagine your social media timeline is filled with sexual violence and you, too, are a survivor.
That is traumatizing,” Burke told Philadelphia newspaperThe Inquirer.
You have to give people something else besides the disclosure.”
In addition to being an activist and advocate, Burke has a special interest in fashion.
It’s accompanied by some gorgeous photos of her in carefully curated outfits with various New York City backdrops.
She hasn’t made updates on it since late 2016, but theaccompanying Instagram accounthas been updated more recently.
And slay she does.
Her Hollywood cred
Burke’s presence at the2018 Golden Globe Awardswasn’t her first brush with Hollywood.
“I’ve done a lot of work in arts and culture as well.
People know me from different worlds.
I was a consultant onSelma,” she said in an interview withElle.
The film credit is also listed on herLinkedIn profile.
That’s no surprise, given that Burke lived in Selma, Alabama for a time.
As of this writing,the book is scheduledfor an early 2019 release.
