Sudanese-American poet and activist Emi “Emtithal” Mahmoud has been named among the TIME100 Next: The World’s Most Influential Rising Stars for her powerful advocacy work.
The list, which features well-known celebrities and figures such as American singer-songwriter and actress Teyana Taylor, American singer and actress Becky G, and Canadian singer-songwriter and dancer Tate McRae, named Mahmoud under the “Advocates” category alongside other advocates from around the world. In a description of Mahmoud written by Cate Blanchett, the Australian Oscar-winning actor and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, she said:
“Those of us who know Emi Mahmoud can attest to her work’s unstoppable nature. In 2017, Emi created the first fully inclusive civilian peace talks in Sudan, lifting up the voices of women and displaced people. She then walked from El Fasher in North Darfur to Khartoum—over 1,000 km—to call for peace, capturing global attention and support. Today, she is a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and the founder of the aid campaign Taharuk, as well as a poet, author, and humanitarian. Through her advocacy, Emi brings to light the plight of more than 122 million forcibly displaced people in the world as well as victims of war, genocide, and gender-based violence. She speaks not only for her community as an Indigenous Darfuri woman, but also for all whose voices are marginalised by those in power. Amid the ongoing civil war in Sudan, there’s urgency to her work with the IDP Humanitarian Network to provide much-needed aid to people displaced by conflict in Darfur. Through it all, Emi’s relentless courage and clarity are both a reminder of the responsibility we all have to each other, and a force to be reckoned with. I am proud to call her a friend.”
Mahmoud won the 2015 Individual World Poetry Slam championship. In 2018, she became UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, and in this capacity, has traveled to refugee camps in Kenya, Greece and Jordan, drawing wider attention to the situation of refugees.
Also this year, Mahmoud was named among ‘8 Trailblazing Refugee Women to Watch,’ by Girlboss, a women’s platform with over 2 million followers. It was published on 8 March 2025, on the occasion of International Women’s Day. For more information, see https://thesudanist.com/sudan-news/girlboss-names-sudans-emi-mahmoud-and-south-sudans-mary-maker-among-8-trailblazing-refugee-women-to-watch/
TIME revealed the 2025 TIME100 Next list on 30 September 2025, recognising 100 emerging leaders from around the world who are shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership. On 30 Oct 2025, TIME will host the fifth-annual TIME100 Next event to celebrate the individuals spotlighted on the 2025 list. The event, which takes place in New York City, will feature a special musical performance by Tate McRae. The event will also feature the presentation of the TIME Earth Award to Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and inspiring remarks from members of this year’s list, including Jonathan Bailey, Nomzamo Mbatha, and more.
The 2025 TIME100 Next issue has three worldwide covers, each highlighting a member of the list:
To see the full TIME100 Next: The World’s Most Influential Rising Stars list, visit https://time.com/collections/time100-next-2025
