National Geographic is launching a new initiative that celebrates people who have made a positive and forward-looking impact on the world and its people. Dubbed National Geographic 33, the initiative will see the publication honoring 33 changemakers through the release of videos and pH๏τos honoring their contributions. The full list of honorees will be released today, and will include Hollywood stars, climate activists, and innovators across other sectors of the arts and sciences.

ScreenRant is excited to debut looks at digital covers for National Geographic 33. Featuring Academy Award winner and Wicked: For Good star Michelle Yeoh and Black-ish and Grown-ish star Yara Shahidi, the covers highlight the actors themselves and briefly touches on the accomplishments that led them to be included. In Yeoh’s case, the actor and UNDP Goodwill Ambᴀssador was chosen for her work spotlighting women in disaster zones, including Turkey and Syria. Shahidi has publicly explored the psychology of optimism, espeically with her podcast “The Optimist Project”. Check out the covers, below, and head to the National Geographic 33 site to learn more about the other honorees.

Why National Geographic 33 Is A Fitting New Initiative

PH๏τos of Michelle Yeoh by Joyce Ng. PH๏τos of Yara Shahidi by Micaiah Carter. All for National Geographic.

The National Geographic 33 label harkens back to the very beginning of the iconic publication. National Geographic was started in 1888 by 33 American men who believed there was a lack of knowledge about the world around them–not to mention a lack of its dissemination. Since then, National Geographic Explorers have been committed to that goal. National Geographic 33 aims to highlight a more diverse group of changemakers and social advocates, which, while not disregarding the work of its founders, reflects how far the organization has come.

The inclusion of actors like Michelle Yeoh and Yara Shahidi in National Geographic 33 is also a natural extension of Nat Geo’s approach to getting more people engaged in the natural world. Nat Geo has been enlisting actors to help tell its stories for years–Awkwafina, for example, has narrated two seasons of A Real Bug’s Life. On top of that, Yeoh and Shahidi have done real work highlighting others’ voices, which is something actors are in a unique position to achieve.

National Geographic’s content in general has also grown to explore a diverse array of perspectives and stories. Recent examples include Queens, a docuseries about the matriarchs of the animal kingdom, and Erased: WW2’s Heroes of Color, which was narrated by Idris Elba. As National Geographic releases new projects in 2025, it will surely continue to ensure that its original mission of increasing knowledge about the world will recognize just how much knowledge there is to be had in nature and within every part of our society.