Over the past five years, HuffPost has highlighted some of the most brilliant and talented minds in arts and entertainment with the profile series Culture Shifters. Many of these change-makers have succeeded in their industries beyond what we ever might have imagined.
Take Quinta Brunson, for example. When we profiled her in 2020, she was a cast member on “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” making us all laugh with her quick wit and ability to morph into several hilarious characters on the variety series. Fast-forward to today and she is the star and creator of Emmy-winning series “Abbott Elementary,” one of the most popular and beloved sitcoms of the last decade. Countless other talents we’ve profiled have seen their stars continue to rise in the past few years, including Oscar winners Cord Jefferson and Da’Vine Joy Randolph; community builders Naj Austin, Kay Rufai and Papi Juice; bestselling authors Drew Afualo and Alex Aster; and scene-stealing actors Kelvin Harrison Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Bowen Yang.
Our fifth installment of Culture Shifters includes artists, writers, performers and community leaders who are just as talented in their own right. Many of these visionaries have eschewed traditional routes to success — the viral internet star turned TV creator, the musical genius who defies genre, the language consultant who offered an honest and straightforward critique on one of Hollywood’s biggest films — and built communities of admirers in the process. Some of them have spoken out against the lack of representation and inclusion in their industries. And they all have impressed us with their incomparable talents and innovative approaches to creativity.
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HuffPost is proud to present our 2024 class of Culture Shifters. Scroll down for a quick look at the list and read more about their work within each profile.
Kara Young just made her Broadway debut a few years ago and has already charmed so many on the Great White Way. Young’s vibrant performance in “Purlie Victorious” earned her a Tony Award earlier this year, and her admirable work in her native Harlem, New York, is just as heartwarming.
Lucy Yu wanted to create the bookstore of her dreams — so she opened Yu & Me Books in Manhattan’s Chinatown and turned it into a literary haven, especially for Asian American authors and readers.
Reality TV and social media can indeed make a star — and Boman Martinez-Reid is the newest rising talent who’s proving that to be true. Known as @Bomanizer on social media, the actor-comedian has found ways to turn the most mundane situations into celebrity-making moments.
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Diarra Kilpatrick, who stars in the BET+ series “Diarra From Detroit,” created the kind of TV show that you must recommend to everyone you know. The dark comedy is hilarious and captivating, taking you on a wild ride within its first season. With Kilpatrick’s more-than-capable hands on the reins, the series is unlike anything else you’ve seen in recent years.
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When J. Alphonse Nicholson appears on the screen or the stage, audiences know he’s going to showcase a brilliant and multilayered portrayal of his character. In “P-Valley,” he plays LaMarques, aka Lil Murda, with a depth and rawness rarely seen on TV today.
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R.F. Kuang, the New York Times bestselling author, knows exactly how to skewer the publishing industry with her writing. The “Yellowface” novelist is using her voice to bring Asian and Asian American histories to life on the page and advocating for others to do the same.
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Cheyenne Roundtree’s work at Rolling Stone is investigative journalism at its finest. Her story on hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs’ history of violence was essential reading at a moment when so many journalists and media outlets missed the mark.
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Christopher Côté made headlines for speaking his truth about the Oscar-nominated film “Killers of the Flower Moon.” A year later, he stands by his words — while still looking for Hollywood to invest in nuanced storylines about Indigenous people onscreen — and is making sure his native language of the Osage people is not quickly forgotten.
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This genre-defying singer-songwriter is as talented as they come — and his voice contains an electricity that’s rarely found in music today. Known for performances as dynamic as his incredible sound, Durand Bernarr is the funky and soulful artist who should be a mandatory addition to everyone’s favorite playlist.
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Polly Irungu, Westside Boogie, Jordan E. Cooper, Erica Tremblay, Sean Bankhead, Madison Hammond
Ambar Lucid, Rhoyle Ivy King, Drew Afualo, Alex Aster, Nicco Annan, Ani Liu, Latashá
Bowen Yang, Joshua Kissi, Sydney Freeland, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Zenat Begum
Kelvin Harrison Jr., Bad Brown Aunties, Papi Juice, Jessica Marie Garcia
Senior Culture Editor
Erin E. Evans
Project Manager
Alexandra Niforos
Reporters
Marina Fang, Taryn Finley, Candice Frederick, Marilyn La Jeunesse, Soraya Nadia McDonald, Alexandra Niforos, Kelby Vera
Photographers
Rhiannon Adam, Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Shane Brown, Erik Carter, Mary Kang, Rania Matar, Tracy Nguyen, Tara Pixley, Lynsey Weatherspoon
Copy Editors
Shonitria Anthony, Sara Bondioli, Alexander Eichler, Layne Flower, Graph Massara, Dirce Toca, Bobbi Olson
Audience
Cambria Roth, Abby Williams
Head of Visuals
Christy Havranek
Photo Editors
Chris McGonigal, Damon Scheleur
Graphic Designer
Maddie Abuyuan
Art Directors
Benjamin Currie, Jianan Liu
Hair, Makeup and Styling
Adam Burrell for Opus Beauty, Melanesia Hunter, Starr Simpson, Shelby Swain for Opus Beauty, Oliver Vaughn