“I think so much of my life had me growing up under extreme poverty and really challenging conditions, with having the police in my neighborhood and seeing the impact of over-incarceration. Having a father love up on me and remind of who I was, and my strength against those conditions, really shaped why I'm an organizer today.”

American progressive activist, artist, and writer

Patrisse Cullors is an American progressive activist, artist, and writer. She is best known as a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter movement and for helping bring the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag into wider use in 2013. She has written and spoken widely about the movement and the issues around it. Her public work is closely tied to activism, art, and writing, with a focus on Black lives and racial justice.