TThe world’s most influential leaders gathered to toast the annual TIME100 list in New York City on Thursday. While the night was a celebration, the day was also a time of sobering reflection for many, following the announcement that same morning that disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 conviction in New York had been overturned; The Weinstein case was a landmark case that helped accelerate the #MeToo movement.
For some participants, like media personality Don Lemon, the news was heavy but ultimately an opportunity for the country’s judicial system to live up to its values.
“I’m not a fan [of Weinstein]but I’ll tell you, it’s our justice system and if they found credible evidence that something happened to the judge or the judge during the trial, then just like any other citizen, he should be treated equally under the law.” , Lemon told TIME, later drawing a parallel between Weinstein’s right to a fair trial and Donald Trump’s current secret trial.
For others, like activist and astronaut Amanda Nguyen, who helped draft the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act after surviving her own assault, the overturned conviction was a disheartening reminder that there is still a lot of work to do when it comes to to end sexual violence. .
“We all know as survivors that the courts fail us,” Nguyen tells TIME. “I want everyone, especially survivors, to know that they are not alone, that we have struggled, that we believe in them and even when we have these setbacks, we know our truth. We will get through this.”
Kelley Robinson, 2024 TIME100 honoree and president of the Human Rights Coalition, said she was using the current moment as an affirmation of the power of community and a reminder that any movement often includes setbacks on the path to progress.
“I hope that any survivor watching right now looks up and knows that there is a community of people who have their back,” Robinson tells TIME. “There are people who are willing to fight for them and the way progress works is that sometimes we move forward and sometimes we are pushed back.”
Former TIME100 honoree Tarana Burke, founder of the #MeToo movement, agreed with Robinson’s belief that any movement toward a better future would encounter challenges, but that ultimately the power of it came from working together in numbers.
“This is a movement because we stand together and move forward together,” Burke tells TIME. “I think when people see hashtags go viral, they misunderstand what movements are – movements are made up of people. And the only thing the survivors movement has is a lot of people. What we have seen historically is that movements always present disappointments, so although I was disappointed with what I saw today, I don’t see this as a setback. That means we have more work to do.”
However, for TIME100 honoree and writer E. Jean Carroll, who won a historic victory last year when a jury found Trump liable for defamation and sexual assault for a case she brought against him for an alleged rape in the 90, the news was visceral. it’s worrying.
“This isn’t going to last,” Carroll told TIME. “But it’s a punch in the gut.”
The TIME100 Gala is TIME’s annual celebration of TIME’s TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people. The Gala brings together icons, leaders, changemakers and celebrities from all sectors and nations for a lively evening of meaningful dialogue and celebration. This year’s Gala features live performances by Dua Lipa and Fantasia Barrino, two honorees on the 2024 TIME100 list.
TIME is teaming up with ABC to bring viewers inside the exclusive TIME100 Gala with a special television event. TIME100: The most influential people in the worldProduced in partnership with P&G, it airs Sunday, May 12 at 10pm EDT on ABC, and the next day on Hulu, featuring host Taraji P. Henson and appearances from Patrick Mahomes, Maya Rudolph and more.
The TIME100 Gala was presented by Booking.com, Citi, Merck, Northern Data Group, Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whiskey and Verizon.
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