NEHEMIAH FRANK
As a descendant of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s historic Greenwood Community, dubbed the Black Wall Street, Nehemiah Frank is right at home as the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Black Wall Street Times. He launched the online newspaper to cover news and social justice issues relevant to the Black residents of Tulsa and the rest of Oklahoma. Frank’s endeavor was met with backlash because he didn’t have a journalism degree, but the editor was transparent about those challenges during a Ted Talk on finding excellence against all odds. Ultimately Frank defied his naysayers and brought stories of Black people to a wider audience. His stories have also been featured in TIME, Education Post and various other publications. Now this is speaking truth to power. —K.M.