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2011 The Root 100 List

The 100 most influential African Americans in 2011.

How were they ranked/scored?
91
  • Influence: 52.9
  • Reach: 10.6
  • Substance: 5.0
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Will Smith

  • Actor who is working on a new rap album and at least two movies: 'Men in Black III' and 'One Thousand A.E.'
  • Job: Actor, producer and rapper
  • Sector: Entertainment/Media
  • Location: Los Angeles
  • Age: 43
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
92
  • Influence: 52.5
  • Reach: 6.3
  • Substance: 8.3
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Derek Douglas

  • White House adviser who works to create affordable-housing programs and end homelessness.
  • Job: Urban affairs special assistant, White House
  • Sector: Government/Politics
  • Location: Washington, D.C.
  • Age: Not sure
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
93
  • Influence: 52.2
  • Reach: 5.9
  • Substance: 8.8
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • James H. Shelton III

  • Former education entrepreneur who focuses on innovation, including teacher quality, school choice and learning technology programs.
  • Job: Assistant deputy secretary, U.S. Department of Education
  • Sector: Government/Politics
  • Location: Washington, D.C.
  • Age: 44
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
94
  • Influence: 51.6
  • Reach: 9.4
  • Substance: 5.5
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0
95
  • Influence: 50.9
  • Reach: 6.0
  • Substance: 8.5
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Angela Rye

  • Lawyer who is executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus.
  • Job: Executive director, Congressional Black Caucus
  • Sector: Government/Politics
  • Twitter: @angela_rye
  • Location: Washington, D.C.
  • Age: 31
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
96
  • Influence: 50.8
  • Reach: 7.3
  • Substance: 7
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0
97
  • Influence: 49.7
  • Reach: 6.5
  • Substance: 7.7
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Cornell Belcher

  • Democratic strategist who is a pollster for President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election team.
  • Job: Democratic strategist and pollster, Obama re-election team
  • Sector: Government/Politics
  • Location: Washington, D.C.
  • Age: 41
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
98
  • Influence: 49.2
  • Reach: 6.6
  • Substance: 7.4
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Maya Rupert

  • Policy director who leads effort to get the White House to drop support of the Defense of Marriage Act.
  • Job: Federal policy director, National Center for Lesbian Rights
  • Sector: Government/Politics
  • Twitter: @MayaRupert
  • Location: Washington, D.C.
  • Age: 30
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
99
  • Influence: 48.9
  • Reach: 5.8
  • Substance: 8.5
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Michael Strautmanis

  • Deputy assistant to President Barack Obama and counselor for strategic engagement to White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett.
  • Job: Deputy assistant, White House
  • Sector: Government/Politics
  • Location: Washington, D.C.
  • Age: Not sure
  • READ THE FULL PROFILE
100
  • Influence: 48.4
  • Reach: 8.1
  • Substance: 6.0
  • Media Mentions: 0
  • Internet Mentions: 0
  • Twitter Followers: 0

  • Dean Garfield

  • CEO who participated in a congressional trade briefing on the impact of free trade agreements with Panama, South Korea and Colombia on the high-tech industry.
  • Job: CEO and president, Information Technology Industry Council
  • Sector: Business
  • Twitter: @ITI_TechTweets
  • Location: Not sure
  • Age: 42
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