Honorees of
The Root 100 2015 after receiving their awards in New York City on Nov. 12, 2015
Derrick Davis for The Root
We are looking for the exciting, innovative, creative, passionate leaders in the African-American community who have caught your attention in the past year.
In a few months, we will announce The Root 100 for 2016 and celebrate the 25- to 45-year-olds who exemplify excellence in the fields of social justice, politics, entertainment, business, the arts, science and sports. For the next month, the public has the opportunity to submit nominations for those it believes deserve this coveted honor.
There will be many well-known names on the list: political figures, entertainers and sports figures. But each year, The Root 100 also seeks out those whose accomplishments may have gone unseen on a national level. Our honorees are ranked according to a scoring system that measures reach and substance. Last year, The Root 100 was topped by the prolific television trailblazer Shonda Rhimes. Other names on our 2015 list included leading activists in the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as robotics engineer Ayanna Howard, artist Kehinde Wiley and theology professor Yolanda Pierce.
The Root staff will spend the next few weeks collecting nominations, researching the fields and running all the names through the stringent criteria we use to determine the rankings.
You, the members of the public, have until June 20 to contribute to this process. Submit the names of those you believe are making a difference and leading us to a brighter future. Just fill out The Root 100 2016 nomination form below (required fields are noted with an asterisk).