Best Activist

GOLD WINNER

SILVER WINNER

BRONZE WINNER

El Jones is once again named the city’s best activist. Jones said she’s happy to be recognized by the community for the work she’s doing, but wonders about the category in which she’s won. “Best Musician means they made good music, but activism is collective,” she says. There are so many struggles post-COVID that Jones says it’s like trying to keep up with a waterfall. In 2020, there seemed like so much promise—it felt like people were taking back power—but two years down the line, not much has changed. It’s deflating that this award will be needed for years to come, even if competitive activism is a bit weird. Jones says the key to her activism is “90% listening and 10% not taking no for an answer,” and a little bit of radical empathy, treating others as she would want to be treated.