Danai Gurira

Ashley M. Lyle, CEO
Jan 31, 2019
1 min read

Updated: Jul 1, 2019

Today's #WonderWomanWednesday is none other than my ultimate girl crush, Danai Gurira. Whether she is swinging a samurai as badass Michonne on AMC's The Walking Dead or being the right hand WOMAN of Wakanda's King T'Challa in Black Panther, Danai Jekesai Gurira is always a scene-stealing force to be reckoned with. Known for her incredible strength and exceptional beauty, The Zimbabwean-American actress is also an accomplished, award-winning playwright, who said she will not rest until women of color can tell their stories to the masses. Born to a college librarian and chemistry professor, she attended NYU'S Tisch School of the Arts, where she received her MFA. She's won multiple theatre accolades, including an Obie, Helen Hayes and Ovation award. Her 2008 play Eclipsed (which starred Lupita N'yongo), graced the streets of Broadway, and told the story of the Liberian Civil War's captive women. Ms. Gurira founded the non-profit organization Almasi Arts, which is a Zimbabwean-American collective for the dramatic arts and the creator of Love Our Girls, a blog and non-profit dedicated to women's empowerment, protection and guidance to whatever they believe in in themselves. "I want to see women of African descent shine," Gurira says. "I want to see them [in roles] that are intense, that are full, that are complex—that allow them to exercise their chops. I want women of color who are preparing for auditions to stop asking, 'Where are the monologues? Where are my stories?'"

- Brittany Brown Turcotte, Honorary Member