#MeToo founder is writing a memoir

Long before the New York Times released their bombshell expose on Harvey Weinstein, one woman coined the words that would spark a revolution both on and offline.

Though not initially credited with its founding, activist Tarana Burke launched the Me Too campaign in 2007 for her non-profit Just Be Inc., which helps survivors of everything from sexual harassment to assault. Her upcoming memoir Where the Light Enters: The Founding of the ‘Me Too.’ Movement (slated for an early 2019 release) will explore what this unprecedented moment means for the millions of women she inspired to speak out.

In a statement, Burke explained that the memoir serves as an exploration of "what ‘survival’ really looks like by taking the reader through my ordinary, extraordinary journey from victim to survivor to thriver; while providing an understanding of why something like the ‘me too.’ movement was not just necessary for my community but for the world.”

But Burke also plans on examining the underlying issues that the #MeToo movement brings to light that go far beyond this moment: “The book will also help readers understand the often overlooked historical connections of the role sexual violence plays in communities of color, specifically Black communities, even today, while exploring ways the same communities have been both complicit and resilient."

Staying true to the initial vision of her organization, though, Burke wrote that, "More than anything, this memoir will provide survivors across the spectrum of sexual abuse a roadmap for healing that helps them understand that the ‘me too.’ movement is more about triumph than trauma and that our wounds, though they may never fully heal, can also be the key to our survival.”