An icon. A legend. A hottie. Hip-hop’s fiercest force as you've never heard her before.
BY ZANDRIA ROBINSON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KENNEDI CARTER

The vaccine pioneer protecting the world. The most powerful force in hip-hop. The TV detective campaigning for survivors in real life. The superheroes of democracy. The activists countering Asian American hate one meal at a time. And the poet who became the voice of a generation. Meet the class of 2021.
An icon. A legend. A hottie. Hip-hop’s fiercest force as you've never heard her before.
BY ZANDRIA ROBINSON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KENNEDI CARTER
How one woman’s lifelong scientific quest turned into the world’s great hope
BY MATTIE KAHN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LIA CLAY MILLER
“It is more than okay to be a woman and seek greatness.” Amanda Gorman meets her moment.
INTERVIEW BY TOMI ADEYEMI
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANIQWA JARVIS
As anti-Asian hate rose, two activists fought back—and put love back on the menu.
BY CRYSTAL HANA KIM
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHELLE WATT
How playing a TV detective led Mariska Hargitay to the IRL role of a lifetime
BY MARISA MELTZER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY VICTORIA WILL
The voting rights heroes making good trouble—and saving our democracy
INTERVIEW BY KERRY WASHINGTON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELISSA ALEXANDER
Special thanks to all who put together 2021’s Women of the Year.