Tems, Toyin Ajayi & Abbey Wemimo make TIME 100 Next list

Grammy-winning artist and songwriter Tems has earned a spot on TIME Magazine’s 2023 TIME 100 Next list, joining a select group of people “who have achieved peak influence in their fields.”

This curated list by TIME Magazine spotlights 100 emerging leaders making waves in various fields such as business, entertainment, sports, politics, health, science, and activism around the globe.

“Tems is in a class all by herself because no other artist sounds like her,” wrote Mary J. Blige, an American singer-songwriter and actress, for the magazine. “That voice is so unique and original, so much so that it reminds me of the first time I heard Nina Simone.”

“They both sing with emotion and conviction, making you feel every word they sing. When Tems and I finally had a chance to meet last year at the Grammy Awards, we just exploded on each other, giving each other so much love. I know she will make it far because she’s a talented writer, singer, and producer—my only hope for her is that she becomes one of the biggest artists of her time. Talent is one thing, but how you treat people and treat yourself in this industry brings longevity, and I believe she will be around for a while because she’s a beautiful human being inside and out.”

Also featured on this list is Dr. Toyin Ajayi, the co-founder and CEO of Cityblock Health, a tech-driven healthcare provider committed to enhancing health outcomes for marginalised communities facing systemic challenges.

Kenneth C. Frazier, Chairman of Health Assurance Initiatives at General Catalyst (an investor in Cityblock Health), said, “Be seen. Be heard. Be healthy. As a young girl growing up in Nairobi during the AIDS epidemic, Toyin became attuned to how healthcare inequities affect certain groups based on racial, economic, and social characteristics. Years later, that recognition of how health care outcomes impact patients’ social and economic capacity catalyzed Toyin’s shift from full-time clinical practice in Boston to broader leadership.”

“Addressing social drivers of poor health and creating sustainable change for vulnerable communities has become her life’s work. No one is better suited than this dedicated family physician turned health care activist and entrepreneur to transform our broken health care system into one that understands and serves all patients, bringing new meaning to the phrase “The doctor will see you now.” Indeed!”

Abbey Wemimo and Samir Goel, founders and CEOs of Esusu, also made the list. “Ultimately, we want people to be able to have financial wellness and create wealth in their own communities,” Goel says in the Time write-up.

Other figures on the “Next” list include Tyler James Williams, Hailey Bieber, Ice Spice, Sarah Jakes Roberts, John Chweya, and Mercy Mutemi, among others.