by Jeroslyn JoVonn
January 8, 2025
The annual checklist highlights younger Black leaders who’ve achieved exceptional success and pushed impactful change of their group and the tradition
BLACK ENTERPRISE is coming into 2025 sturdy by unveiling its annual checklist of 40 Underneath 40 honorees.
Introduced on Tuesday, Jan. 7, this 12 months’s 40 Underneath 40 honorees uphold BE’s custom of recognizing Black trailblazers who’ve reached extraordinary milestones in various fields and set new requirements of excellence all earlier than turning 40.
The checklist celebrates change-makers in expertise and STEM, enterprise and finance, artistic arts and leisure, media, trend and wonder, politics and social influence, and sports activities for his or her ingenuity, perseverance, and skill to set tendencies. As well as, for the primary time, the checklist contains 5 company leaders making an influence whereas rising the ranks in Fortune 500 firms.
“These extraordinary leaders usually are not solely shaping the long run, they’re driving innovation throughout industries and fostering significant change right this moment,” says Selena Hill, BE‘s Director of Multiplatform Content material.
“At BLACK ENTERPRISE, we’re proud to rejoice these honorees for his or her groundbreaking achievements, barrier-breaking efforts, and record-setting accomplishments,” Hill says. “Their tales embody the ability of ardour and function coming collectively, inspiring us all to dream greater and try larger.”
Honorees have been chosen by an inclusive inner choice course of primarily based on the achievements and influence they made in 2024. BE additionally accepted self-submissions, an method that displays the publication’s dedication to celebrating and amplifying the various voices and visionaries within the Black group creating lasting change as entrepreneurs, activists, athletes, entertainers, tech leaders, and company change brokers.
Right here’s the total checklist of BLACK ENTERPRISE 40 Underneath 40 under:
CREATIVE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Kendrick Lamar – Rapper and Songwriter
Kai Cenat – On-line Streamer and Influencer
Courtney L. Department – Co-Founder, The Micheaux Movie Competition
Victoria Monet – Singer and Songwriter
Sable Elyse Smith – Interdisciplinary artist, author, and educator
FASHION AND BEAUTY
Aris Singleton – CEO, Thank God Its Pure (tgin)
Anifa Mvuemba – Founder, Hanifa
James M. Jeter – Inventive Director, Ralph Lauren
Ugo Mozie – Designer, Celeb Stylist, and Founder, Eleven Sixteen
Brandon Blackwood – Designer and Founder, Brandon Blackwood
SPORTS
Cori Dionne “Coco” Gauff – Tennis Participant
Sha’Carri Richardson – Olympian and Monitor & Area Star
Darrius Barnes – President of Crown Legacy FC MLS ProNext, Charlotte FC
Nigel Slyvester – Professional-BMX Athlete, Founder and CEO, Nigel Sylvester Basis and GO Model
Jaylen Brown – Boston Celtics Star and Entrepreneur
TECH & STEM
Justin E. Samuels – Founder and CEO, RenderATL
Tiffani J. Martin – Founder and CEO, VisioTech
Heman Bekele – 2024 TIME Child of the 12 months, America’s Prime Younger Scientist
Sherrell Dorsey – Award-Profitable Journalist, Host, Creator, and Investor
Jerelyn Rodriguez Williams – Founder and CEO, The Data Home
BUSINESS & FINANCE
Ashley M. Fox – Founder and CEO, EMPIFY
Larry Morrow – CEO, The Morrow Hospitality Group
Abdul Karim Abdullah and Ken Agyapong, Jr. – Co-founders, AfroFuture
Amira Rasool, Founder and CEO, The Folklore
Daniel Taylor, CEO and Co-Founder, Luggage
CORPORATE LEADERSHIP
Damola Adamolekun – CEO, Pink Lobster
Chardae F. Jenkins — Senior Supervisor, Publicity, Netflix
Nikki Forman – Head of Black Media Engagement, Amazon
Emily Graham – World Chief Fairness & Impression Officer, Omnicom Group
Chanel T. Rowe, Esq. – Enterprise Lawyer, Strategic Advisor, and Marketing consultant *
MEDIA
Shawn McKenzie – Founder, Non secular World
Zuri Corridor – Emmy Award-winning TV Host and Leisure Journalist
Phil Lewis – Deputy Editor, HuffPost
Monica McNutt – Basketball Analyst, ESPN and MSG Community
Abby Phillip – CNN Anchor, NewsNight with Abby Phillip
POLITICS AND SOCIAL IMPACT
Alexis D. Williams – Inventive Technologist; Founder, Softwear by Lex
Chelsea Miller – CEO, CPM World; Co-Founder, Freedom March NYC
Alencia Johnson – Creator, Political Strategist, and Cultural Commentator
Antjuan Seawright – Founder and CEO, Blueprint Technique, LLC; Democratic Political Strategist
M’Balu “Lu” Bangura – Chief of Fairness and Truthful Practices, Enoch Pratt Free Library
Study extra about every honoree by clicking under:
