The Root has unveiled this year's list of the 100 most influential African Americans under 45 years of age. They reflect the richness and variety of leadership in the African-American community.
This is the third year that The Root 100 has compiled a list of the most influential African Americans between the ages of 25 and 45, but the first time they have actually ranked them.
This year the number of mentions in the media, Internet search results, etc. are taken into account. Some metrics are injected into the process of selecting the 100 stars in order to better capture the level of influence and reach of these honorees. A measure of substance, based on the judgment of editors, is introduced to help come up with an overall influence score.
The result is a cornucopia of black talent that reaches deep into the community. The following are the top 20 of them.