Wayne Prosecutor Kym Worthy On Essence Magazine Woke 100 List

DETROIT, MI — Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy is among 100 women honored in Essence magazine’s inaugural #Woke100 list, which honors black women activists, artists, politicians, organizers, journalists and creators who are working to achieve equality for people of color. In its May issue, the magazine cited Worthy’s work to clear a backlog of 11,341 forgotten rape kits.

So far, 750 serial rapists have been identified and 42 rape suspects have been identified as Worthy’s office and others slog through the backlog. The untested rape kits languished in a police warehouse until they were discovered in 2009, but it wasn’t until 2014 that the issue received widespread attention, mainly due to lack of funding.

The cost to process the rape kits was negotiated from about $1,500 to $490, but Worthy led private fund-raising efforts to raise the money needed to clear the backlog, including a partnership with the Joyful Heart Foundation, created by Mariska Hargitay, star of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

The special issue keys on the social media hashtag #Woke, or a heightened state of awareness of social justice issues. Each of the women featured talks about her role in the fight for black liberation and discusses why she feels participation is more urgent than ever.

The cover of the magazine features 12 women who are blazing trails for equal rights and inclusion for black people in America, including writer/producer Shonda Rhimes, veteran journalist Joy-Ann Reid, Women’s March co-chairs Tamika Mallory, Linda Sarsour and Carmen Perez. Also featured are Women’s March organizer Janaye Ingram, political commentator Angela Rye, Circle of Mothers founder Sybrina Fulton, author/blogger Luvvie Ajayi and social activist April Reign. #BlackLivesMatter cofounder Opal Tometi and educator/activist Brittany Packnett are also featured.

• See Also: Second Untested Rape Kit Backlog Found In Detroit

“Women can empower ourselves by embracing the intersections of our advocacy and educating ourselves on the issues impacting others,” Ingram said.

The full list of #Woke100 honorees is found on essence.com.

Wayne County (Detroit) Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy attends Joyful Heart Foundation's special announcement about up to $35 Million in funding to help eliminate rape kit backlog in cities nationalwide, at Manhattan District Attorney's Office on November 12, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images)