Identifying a problem is easy, changing it is an entire different story. This year has been one of the most mentally, physically and spiritually challenging time periods in recent history. Still, it touched the Black community in a different way.

For African Americans, the pandemic exacerbated long-standing issues that have plagued our neighborhoods and communities, ranging from financial and health care inequities to social injustice and violence. Thankfully, more and more people are saying more than, “nah”.

The push for change continues, and the faces are familiar. There are countless mothers, daughters, sisters and girlfriends who are harnessing their skills and talents to create a shift in the oppressive cultural norms and standards we deal with daily. Some people will call them way makers. Others may refer to them as leaders. We call them change agents.

In truth, the dynamos are all of those things and much more, and that’s why we’ve selected these doers to be MadameNoire’s 2020 Women to Know.