Hannah Drake

Hannah Drake is a blogger, podcast host, activist, public speaker, poet, author of 11 books. She serves as the Chief Creative Officer at IDEAS xLab and co-lead artist of the (Un)Known Project, which seeks to discover the hidden names and stories of Black people who were enslaved in Kentucky and beyond.She writes commentary on politics, feminism, and race, and her writing has been featured online at Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, The Bitter Southerner, The Lily, Harper’s Bazaar, and Revolt TV. Her work has been recognized by Colin Kaepernick, Ava DuVernay, and The New York Times.

In 2022 Hannah was recognized by Today’s Woman Magazine as the Most Admired Woman in the Arts. She serves on several boards and advisory committees. Hannah was recently honored as a Kentucky Colonel, the highest title of honor bestowed by the Kentucky Governor, recognizing an individual’s noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to the community, state, and nation. Hannah holds a BA in Communications from the University of Colorado and in 2022 Simmons College of Kentucky granted Hannah an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities to honor her lifelong pursuit of justice. Hannah’s message is thought-provoking and, at times, challenging; however, Hannah believes that it is in uncomfortable spaces that change can take place. “My sole purpose in writing and speaking is not that I entertain you. I am trying to shake a nation.”