5 Wisconsin connections to ‘Time’ list of 100 Most Influential People
There are several Wisconsin connections to ‘Time’s’ list of the 100 Most Influential People of the year, including Megan Twohey, who worked at the Journal Sentinel, Oprah Winfrey, J.J. Watt, fashion designer Virgil Abloh and neuropathologist Ann McKee.
Twohey, who now works for the New York Times, shared the honor with fellow Times journalist Jodi Kantor and Ronan Farrow of The New Yorker for their work in bringing filmmaker Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment to light and launching the #MeToo movement. They were listed in the “icons” category.
Twohey, Kantor and Farrow were also recognized this week with a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Twohey was a reporter at the Journal Sentinel for four years. She worked in the Racine bureau before moving to the downtown Milwaukee office.
Actress Ashley Judd wrote about the journalists in the tribute. She said, “Their devotion to capturing with precision and depth details spanning three decades of Harvey’s gross entitlement to female bodies ignited the Reckoning.”
Oprah Winfrey made this year’s list again in the “titans” category. This is her 10th time on the list. She and President Barack Obama are tied for the most appearances. She lived on Milwaukee’s north side with her mother. Comedian Tiffany Haddish wrote about the TV mogul.
Virgil Abloh made headlines in March when he was named the first black man to be head designer at Louis Vuitton. He is one of two people of color to lead major fashion brands in the industry right now. Abloh is from Illinois, but he went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He graduated with a degree in civil engineering in 2003.
Abloh is listed in the “icons” category. Japanese artist Takashi Murakami wrote about him.
Ann McKee made the list in the “pioneers” category for her research in chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated concussions. She’s from Appleton and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Another University of Wisconsin graduate wrote about her for the Time list. Chris Borland played for the Badgers and was named Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year and second-team AllAmerican in 2013. He was drafted to the San Francisco 49ers and played for one season. He decided to quit because of concerns over head injuries.
Borland said of McKee, “Dr. Ann McKee was traveling when I visited Boston University to have my brain examined. Walking around between appointments, I glanced in her office. A University of Wisconsin helmet gave me pause. The cardinal W of our mutual alma mater reminded me of cherished times there. The pockmarked plastic reminded me of football’s consequences.”
Pewaukee native J.J. Watt also made the list in the “leaders” category, along with the likes of President Donald Trump and Prince Harry. The Houston Titans defensive player earned accolades this year for his work off the football field. He spearheaded a fundraising effort that raised $37 million in disaster relief for Houston and surrounding areas following Hurricane Harvey in August 2017.