The astronomical rise of the #MeToo movement was one of the most stunning developments of 2017; it broke the silence that lingered in workplaces for decades and empowered women across the country to come together to speak their personal truths. As a result, #MeToo was recognized as the coveted Time Person of the Year [1], and now, The Times Square Alliance is granting the highest possible honor to the movement's founder, Tarana Burke: she'll be pressing the button that kicks off the countdown for Times Square's annual ball drop.

"I am delighted to be participating in this momentous occasion," Burke said in a press release about the event. "I think it's fitting to honor the Me Too movement as we close a historic year and set our intentions for 2018. With the new year comes new momentum to fuel this work and we won't stop anytime soon."

Last year's ball was released by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon [2], in honor of the work that the UN does on a daily basis and to signify unity and strength. Burke, who founded Just Be Inc. a little over a decade ago to support victims of sexual harassment and assault, initially created Me Too in order to provide victims with a safe haven to share their stories [3] and has been widely credited as the true founder of the movement we know today.

"We are very proud to highlight Tarana Burke and the important movement she began," said Jeff Straus, President of Countdown Entertainment, who hosts the annual event. "As the world joins together to welcome 2018, we are inspired as Tarana will lead our countdown and represent our commitment to continue to stand together and support each other in the upcoming year."