This Year’s Honorees Will Be Celebrated Under The Theme “The Stories We Shape,” Produced In Partnership With Emmy-Winning Jesse Collins Entertainment.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As EBONY marks more than 80 years as the definitive voice of the Black American experience, the iconic media company today unveiled its 2026 Power 100 list, recognizing the leaders, visionaries, and changemakers shaping culture across business, entertainment, sports, media, music, STEM and community leadership. This year’s list underscores EBONY’s continued commitment: honoring Black excellence not as legacy alone, but as present-day leadership with measurable influence.
See the full list: View all 2026 EBONY Power 100 honorees now at EBONY.com/Power100.
This year’s honorees will be celebrated at the 2026 EBONY Power 100 Gala on Monday, Nov. 9, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, produced in partnership with Emmy-winning Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE), the production company behind the BET Awards, the Emmy Awards, and the Super Bowl Halftime Show. The private, invitation-only ceremony begins with a 5 p.m. red carpet and cocktail hour, followed by the 7:30 p.m. awards ceremony, and a 10:30 p.m. post-reception.
“The Power 100 has always documented the people moving our culture forward, and this year’s class demonstrates the extraordinary breadth of that influence. ‘The Stories We Shape’ is about ensuring Black people remain at the center of telling our stories and defining our collective future,” said Eden Bridgeman, CEO of EBONY.
The 2026 theme, “The Stories We Shape,” centers narrative ownership, honoring the people shaping culture, driving economic impact, and expanding representation in real time. Among this year’s categories is the Junior Bridgeman Business Vanguard, named in honor of the late Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman, founder of EBONY’s parent company and father of EBONY CEO Eden Bridgeman.
This year’s class includes:
Artists in Residence: Visionaries reshaping the cultural landscape through groundbreaking artistic expression
- Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, Grammy-winning Artists, Producers, and Cultural Entrepreneurs
- Debbie Allen, Actress, Choreographer and Director
- Colson Whitehead, Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning Novelist
- Charm La’Donna, Choreographer and Creative Director
- Rashid Johnson, Contemporary Visual Artist
Junior Bridgeman Business Vanguard: Executives and entrepreneurs redefining what’s possible in business
- Latriece Watkins, President and CEO, Sam’s Club U.S.
- Byron Allen, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, Allen Media Group
- Stacy Brown-Philpot, Founder and Managing Partner, Cherryrock Capital
- Tope Awotona, Founder and CEO, Calendly
Community Crusaders: Champions driving social change and community empowerment
- Common, Rapper, Actor, and Activist
- Brent Leggs, President and CEO, National Trust for Historic Preservation
- Artis Stevens, President and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
- Rev. Shavon Arline-Bradley, President and CEO, National Council of Negro Women
- Vic Mensa, Rapper and Activist
Entertainment Powerhouses: Cultural catalysts defining the future of media and entertainment
- Channing Dungey, Chairman, Warner Bros. Television Group
- Questlove, Musician, Filmmaker and Author
- Keke Palmer, Actress, Producer and Media Personality
- Gina Prince-Bythewood, Director and Screenwriter
- Pearlena Igbokwe, Chairman, Television Studios, NBC Entertainment & Peacock Scripted
Generation Next: Rising stars breaking barriers and setting new standards
- Victor Wembanyama, NBA Player, San Antonio Spurs
- Quenlin Blackwell, Digital Creator and Actress
- Nia Sioux, Dancer, Actress and Author
- Jazlyn Guerra (“Jazzy’s World TV”), Journalist and Content Creator
- Sean “The Science Kid” Atitogbe, STEM Content Creator
Influential Creators: Digital pioneers shaping conversations and building communities
- iShowSpeed, Livestreamer and YouTuber
- Marques Brownlee, Technology Reviewer and YouTuber
- Wisdom Kaye, Model and Fashion Content Creator
- Grace Wales Bonner, Fashion Designer
- Michael Seibel, Partner Emeritus, Y Combinator
Leaders in Sports: Athletes and executives transforming the world of sports
- Naomi Osaka, Professional Tennis Player
- Nneka Ogwumike, WNBA Player and President, WNBA Players Association
- Renee Montgomery, Broadcaster and Former WNBA Champion
- Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks
- Elana Meyers Taylor, Olympic Bobsledder
Media Mavens: Thought leaders revolutionizing how stories are told and shared
- Sheinelle Jones, Co-anchor, TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle
- Symone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels, Co-hosts, MS NOW’s Clock It with Symone & Eugene
- Rachel Lindsay and Van Lathan, Co-hosts, Higher Learning Podcast
- Jason Lee, Founder and CEO, Hollywood Unlocked
- Josh Johnson, Comedian and Writer
Music Innovators: Artists and executives pushing musical boundaries
- Jay-Z, Entrepreneur and Founder, Roc Nation
- Megan Thee Stallion, Grammy-winning Rapper
- T.I., Rapper and Entrepreneur
- Larry Jackson, CEO and Co-Founder, Gamma
- Sherrese Clarke, Founder and CEO, HarbourView Equity Partners
STEM Trailblazers: Pioneers advancing technology and scientific innovation
- Morgan DeBaun, Founder and CEO, Blavity Inc. and AfroTech
- Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Senior Fellow in Governance Studies and Director of the Center for Technology Innovation, Brookings Institution
- Jasmine Crowe-Houston, Founder and CEO, Goodr
- Dr. Ayanna Howard, President, Spelman College
- Dr. James Manyika, Senior Vice President, Google and Alphabet
The complete list of 2026 EBONY Power 100 honorees is available at EBONY.com/Power100. Follow EBONY on social media for additional Power 100 updates: @EBONYMagazine on Instagram, @ebony_magazine on TikTok, and @EBONY on X and Facebook.
About EBONY
For more than 80 years, EBONY has served as a leading voice of the Black American experience and a global authority on Black culture. Through its commitment to storytelling, cultural coverage, entertainment, lifestyle, commerce, and community, EBONY continues to illuminate the Black perspective and celebrate the people, ideas, and movements shaping the past, present, and future of the Black experience. EBONY Media Group is a division of 1145 Holdings, LLC.
About Jesse Collins Entertainment
Founded in 2012, Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full-service, Emmy-winning production company behind many of television’s most memorable moments, including the Emmy Awards, the BET Awards, the Soul Train Awards, and multiple Super Bowl Halftime Shows. Emmy Award winner Jesse Collins is Founder and CEO; Emmy winner Dionne Harmon is President.
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