When it comes to due recognition, who wouldn’t want to get their bouquet of roses on the platform of TIME‘s 100 Most Influential People list? For TIME’s 2017 roster, we’re happy to report that so many of our faves made it into one of five categories—Pioneers, Leaders, Artists, Titans and Icons—the diversity satisfactory list.
From Viola Davis, who confidently graced the cover in a brazen red lip, to Get Out‘s Jordan Peele to basketball great LeBron James, the list called on other greats of our time to gush good words about each honoree.
“Ava’s point of view is fresh, it’s inspiring, it’s original, it makes people’s heads turn. But she also embraces other people’s perspectives,” Venus Williams said about esteemed filmmaker Ava Duvernay. “When we worked together, Ava was able to integrate herself into my life and see things through my eyes. It takes a very special person to do something like that.”
Comedian and honoree Leslie Jones had this to say of pint-sized icon, Simone Biles: “That girl was born to do what she does. And she is the best at it. Not the best black gymnast, not the best black-girl gymnast. The best gymnast. It really is inspiring. It’s like she’s sending a message to everyone who’s watching: No matter what you’re going through in life or what your circumstances are, you still can be No. 1. You’ve just got to work hard.”
At a glance, here are some of this year’s honorees:
Pioneers: Chance The Rapper and Jordan Peele
Artists: Colson Whitehead, Alicia Keys, Donald Glover, Leslie Jones, Ava Duvernay, Barry Jenkins, Kerry James Marshall and John Legend
Titans: LeBron James and Bernard J. Tyson
Icons: Viola Davis, Simone Biles, Ashley Graham, John Lewis, Colin Kaepernick and RuPaul
Check out the full list on TIME.
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