The 40 most influential people of the year

How race and identity are shaping politics, policy and power.

Mar 11, 2022 View in browser   By Rishika Dugyala, Brakkton Booker and Teresa Wiltz What up Recast fam! It's been a year. A whole year. Some of you were with us from the beginning, when we published our first edition calling out "business as usual" and traditional power structures in Washington. Some of you joined us more recently as we tackled everything from the repercussions of George Floyd's murder to the battle over voting to AAPI political activism to transgender rights. All of you have kept us pushing forward with our mandate to unpack how race and identity shape politics, policy and influence. It's a mandate that's become more pressing in an increasingly hyperpolarized Washington. If you've been reading The Recast, you know we've been exploring the new spheres of influence emerging. Showcasing new faces of power. And telling stories about how power within government, campaigning and activism is being redefined. So we thought: What better way to celebrate our our mission, our readers—and our anniversary— than by launching our inaugural Recast Power List? With the help of an internal newsroom committee and some loyal readers responding to our call out (thank you!), we identified 40 people and organizations that had a measurable impact on politics over 2021 — and who promise to continue that momentum in the years to come. We encourage you to look through the full interactive build here — and use #TheRecast40 as you post about it online. But of course, we'll give you a sneak peek below. The Politicians There are Republican and Democratic elected officials, both in Washington and across various cities. Mamadi Doumbouya for POLITICO J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo The Trailblazers There are people who broke barriers with their appointments, some taking over agencies with a history of harm. Illustration by Natalia Agatte The Activists There are advocates who forged sustained campaigns to sway elected officials or galvanize voters. Mamadi Doumbouya for POLITICO Illustration by Natalia Agatte The Athletes and Entertainers And there are those who advanced social causes or ticked off politicians with their artistic expression. Illustration by Natalia Agatte Love them or hate them, respect them or not, these individuals were undeniably crucial in driving conversations about race and politics. Scroll through the nominees at your leisure. Share them on your socials or in your group chats. And let us know: Whom did we get wrong? Whom did we miss? Don't hold back, we can handle it. We'll be on the lookout for who should appear on our Power List next year. All the best, The Recast Team P.S. We had some of our nominees come into our D.C.-area headquarters for a photoshoot and caught them on video. You can watch them talk about their goals for 2022. P.P.S. We also created a Spotify playlist with songs the nominees use to get pumped. Just in case you need a little pumping up yourself. P.P.P.S. Last one, we promise: We're holding a live event March 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET. Brakkton will be moderating a conversation with Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and tech activist Timnit Gebru — both of whom are featured on our Power List. Make sure to RSVP in advance.   Follow us on Twitter Brakkton Booker @brakktonbooker Rishika Dugyala @rishikadugyala Teresa Wiltz @teresawiltz   Follow us

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