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This is the eighth edition of "This week in black women," a weekly column dedicated to signal-boosting the black women who make the world spin.

This week, I'm shouting out some of Hollywood's best and brightest, a few new elected officials, a family you need to know about, and more. Remember these women! Pay these women! Follow these women! Let's do this.

[rebelmouse-image 19530650 dam="1" original_size="400x213" caption="GIF via Reserve Channel/YouTube." expand=1]GIF via Reserve Channel/YouTube.

"Taking care of business": Adrienne Nelson, Tamaya Dennard, and Nikuyah Walker

With the new year comes new elected officials. Here are three to celebrate this week:

1. Judge Adrienne Nelson was selected by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to serve on the Oregon Supreme Court. She's only the second woman of color to serve on the state's supreme court, and the first African-American to serve on an appellate court.

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2. In her campaign for Cincinnati City Council, Tamaya Dennard often shared the Shirley Chisholm quote, "If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair." After carrying around the chair for much of her successful campaign, Dennard brought the folding chair with her while she was sworn in. Yes, ma'am!

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3. The city council of Charlottesville, Virginia (yes, that Charlottesville) just selected Nikuyah Walker to be the city's next mayor. (The city has a council-manager style of government, where the city council picks the mayor instead of a traditional vote.) In this role, Walker, an Independent, will be in charge of Charlottesville's city council. She is the first black woman to hold the position.

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"Go off, sis!": Tiffany Haddish

The well-deserved rise of Tiffany Haddish continues in 2018. The comedic actress picked up the Best Supporting Actress honor at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards. Haddish delivered an honest, genuine, side-splittingly funny, 20-minute acceptance speech worth watching in its entirety, especially for gems like this.

"Stop holding your truth. Speak your truth. Be yourself! It's the healthiest way to be. Be who you are. Speak who you are. If don't nobody like it? Fuck it, there's 10 other people that do."

Here’s a (lousily shot) video of Tiffany Haddish’s epic, world-beating best supporting actress acceptance speech at tonight’s New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) Awards
Posted by Alison Willmore on Wednesday, January 3, 2018

"Who run the world?": the women of Essence magazine

After being bought by Richelieu Dennis from Time Inc., Essence, a lifestyle magazine for black women and popular music festival, is once-again black-owned. And the executive leadership team, which is entirely black women, will have an ownership stake in the new venture. Secure the bag, ladies.

Essence magazine's editor-in-chief Vanessa K. De Luca and president of Essence Communications Michelle Ebanks, seen here at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards. Photo by Earl Gibson III/Getty Images for Essence.

"Yessssssssssss": A TGIT crossover we can get behind

What's better than two popular primetime dramas led by black actresses and created under the umbrella company of a black woman? A CROSSOVER EVENT THAT BRINGS THEM TOGETHER! The worlds of "How to Get Away with Murder" and "Scandal" will collide in an evening of black girl magic. I am already salivating at the monologues alone. How lucky are we to be alive at the same time as Shonda Rhimes?

Viola Davis (L) and Kerry Washington at the 2015 Summer TCA Tour. Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images.

"We won't forget": the Myers-Mells Family

Shanta Myers, 36, her partner Brandi Mells, 22, and two of Myers' children, Shanise Myers, 5, and Jeremiah Myers, 11, were found brutally murdered in their basement apartment Dec. 27, in Troy, New York. Two men were arrested in connection with their deaths. The story barely made a ripple in the national news.

Maybe it was the holidays. Perhaps it was because the family was black or because they were a loving same-sex couple. Maybe a combination of the three. But here, we will celebrate their lives and follow the case as perpetrators are brought to justice.

Final thought: @paulaakpan

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All facts, 2018.

When he's not on the road, selling out theaters, or filming specials, comedian Dave Chappelle makes his home in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

It's a small, mostly white town outside Dayton where Chappelle grew up and went to school. You may recall he returned to Yellow Springs to invite residents to attend his outdoor concert in Brooklyn for "Dave Chappelle's Block Party." Now the comedian is raising his own kids there. It would be easy to say he's come full circle, but his heart never really left.

Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Bombay Sapphire Gin.

Like many residents, Chappelle was shocked by the events that took place in Yellow Springs on New Year's Eve.

Following the town's annual midnight ball drop, people usually clear out on their own. But just minutes into 2017, police drove cruisers through the crowd, sirens wailing. After an intense back-and-forth between partygoers and police, one reveler, David Carlson, who is black, was slammed to the ground by officers. Community members were immediately outraged by the officer's aggressive tactics. The chief of police resigned days later. And the tight-knit community is still reeling after the incident, which made national news.

Photo by iStock.

In the wake of the incident, Chappelle went to the village council meeting to make an impassioned push for progressive, community policing.

As Yellow Springs prepares to hire a new police chief, the village council held a public meeting March 6, 2017, to address community issues, including police behavior. Chappelle spoke to the council and shared fond memories of the police force he grew up with. But today, Chappelle feels like the officers don't know Yellow Springs or its residents.

"Now we're being policed by what feels like an alien force," he told the council.

Image via WKEFandWRGT/YouTube.

This wasn't a call for "the good old days" but instead a plea to build and restore trust from the ground up.

Chappelle pushed for progressive policing, which focuses on relationship building, particularly with law enforcement and communities of color. It's accomplished through better data collection, improved training, and a focus on recruiting and retaining officers that look like the communities they serve.

"I would beseech the council to look deeply and to look hard. Because ... this is a golden opportunity," Chappelle said. "Literally you could kill the game. I mean in this Trump era, there's an opportunity to show everybody that local politics reigns supreme."

GIF via WKEFandWRGT/YouTube.

When we get active at the local level, we can all improve our respective corners of the world.

Whether you're Dave Chappelle and you squeeze in a town hall meeting or two before your Netflix specials come out or you're Chance the Rapper announcing plans to donate $1 million to the public school system that made you and needs your help or you're a person reading this on your bus ride home, there's always something you can do to make an impact in your community. No celebrity status required. We can all build and shape the cities we want, but it starts with showing up.

Guests listen as Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois) speaks during a town hall meeting on March 6, 2017, in Chicago. Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

It may be attending or speaking at a city council meeting. It might be hosting a block party, cleaning up a local park, or making sure local schools have the resources they need. Perhaps it's voting for policies and referenda that will impact residents for generations to come. These seemingly small acts can make a big difference. And unlike politics at the national level, you'll likely see a greater and more immediate impact when you get involved at the local level.

local politics

This week in black women: Shonda Rhimes delivers, Tiffany Haddish slays, and more.

This is the eighth edition of "This week in black women," a weekly column dedicated to signal-boosting the black women who make the world spin.

"Taking care of business": Adrienne Nelson, Tamaya Dennard, and Nikuyah Walker

"Go off, sis!": Tiffany Haddish

"Who run the world?": the women of Essence magazine

"Yessssssssssss": A TGIT crossover we can get behind

"We won't forget": the Myers-Mells Family

Final thought: @paulaakpan

This important issue inspired Dave Chappelle to address his local city council.

When he's not on the road, selling out theaters, or filming specials, comedian Dave Chappelle makes his home in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

Like many residents, Chappelle was shocked by the events that took place in Yellow Springs on New Year's Eve.

In the wake of the incident, Chappelle went to the village council meeting to make an impassioned push for progressive, community policing.

This wasn't a call for "the good old days" but instead a plea to build and restore trust from the ground up.

When we get active at the local level, we can all improve our respective corners of the world.

Need some inspiration? Watch Chappelle's address to the Yellow Springs village council.

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