B.A.F.F.L.E.D. Tops
Top 6 People to Watch in 2011
Since were over 1 month into the new year, let's take a look at some of the people we should keep an eye on over the remainder of 2011...
1. President Obama
After passing legislation to nationalize health care, along with substantive changes to consumer protections and a new START treaty with Russia, President Obama will continue to be in the spotlight. He will be in the final full year of his first term, and preparing to campaign for term 2! Let's see what else Mr. President has up his sleeve.
2. Representative Gabrielle Giffords
Sadly, Arizona U.S. Representative Giffords was one of many victims in a recent shooting spree in Tuscon. Although some victims lost their lives, Giffords has been making unprecedented progress in her recovery. The legislator quickly regained consciousness and has been transported to an advanced Texas medical facility. With this kind of strength, who knows what she'll be doing after a few months.3. Vanessa & Angela Simmons
These ladies continue to do big things. After getting formal training in their respective fields; Vanessa in acting at St. John's University, and Angela at NYC's Fashion Institute of Technology, the daughters of Rev. Run have blazed their own trails. The stars of MTV's Run's House and Daddy's Girls have successfully started their own shoe brand, Pastry. The collection quickly grew into accessories, dress shoes, and even workout videos on the rise. These ladies are not only a part of hip hop and fashion royalty, but spread their wealth, too. They are the official role models of Girl Scouts for America, and make giving a priority. They're doing amazing things together, but are threats of their own individually, too. Can't wait to see what they have up their sleeves this year!4. Julian Assange
The embattled founder of Wikileaks apparently still has a few cards up his sleeve. Assanage is purportedly in possession of damning information about a large American Banking institution (rumored to be Bank of America), slated to be released in early 2011. Not everything is rosy, however, as he is still facing an extradition trial in February related to alleged sex offences that occurred in Sweden and in an apparent feud with the New York Times, Assange is still a man to keep an eye on in 2011.5. Jack Dorsey
Jack is the creator of our beloved Twitter, and the upcoming Square, allowing credit card payments via mobile phone. Twitter debuted in 2006, and has since become a staple in our daily routines. The social network gives users the opportunity to give news, share pictures, feelings, and whereabouts, all in the space of 140 characters per tweet (20 characters for @and name). The SMS-based idea has evolved over the years, but started as a way to let others know what you're up to, straight from your phone. Jack recently said in an interview with Charlie Rose, "...we talked about this very simple idea of being able to report where I am and what I’m doing and go out in real-time over our phones and the web in 160 characters." He went on to say "It’s really complex to make something simple,". We're definitely glad he did. With Square on the horizon, we're excited about what Jack has up next...
6. Majora Carter
After all of the amazing work she has done revitalizing the South Bronx over the years, Miss Carter has been busy giving talks, receiving MacArthur Fellowships, doing podcasts, TED presentations and a host of other things. Currently, she is the head of the Majora Carter Group, a for-profit urban revitalization consulting group. She is always looking to create change at multiple levels and 2011will likely see some exciting developments coming our way from Miss Carter and her team. Anyone else...?