Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi and Alicia Garza – who we recently interviewed – are clearly worth honoring for all of their work for social justice and the movement for black lives. Which is why Glamour has featured them on its list of 2016 Women of the Year.

Following George Zimmerman’s acquittal for killing Trayvon Martin, the trio coined the phrase “#blacklivesmatter” and it grew to become the massive movement that can be seen today.

The feature includes moments when all three women felt their concern over black lives being placed in danger and how they responded to that fear.

“From my youngest brother to immigrant women to black queer folks, those are the people who keep me going,” said Tometi. “When I think about their various acts of courage, it reminds me that I am not alone and that we can do even more and we deserve more, so we have to keep going.… We have built a sisterhood, a community. Friends and people who’d look out for you, who have your back, who inspire you but also challenge you. And you can rise together.”

“We gave tongue to something that we all knew was happening,” she says. “We were courageous enough to call it what it was. But more than that, to offer an alternative. An aspirational message: Black lives matter.”

Photo Credit: Glamour