The Stimulist's Seven to Watch

From music to politics to business check out these 7 people you need to watch.

Tania James Novelist - At the end of last month, this 27-year-old Indian-American author (who could pass for a supermodel) published Atlas of Unknowns. The praise has been unequivocal. The present-day darling of the literary world, Dominican-American Junot Diaz, calls Atlas “an astonishment of a debut,” raving, “I had trouble detaching myself from its pages.”

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Tania James Novelist - At the end of last month, this 27-year-old Indian-American author (who could pass for a supermodel) published Atlas of Unknowns. The praise has been unequivocal. The present-day darling of the literary world, Dominican-American Junot Diaz, calls Atlas “an astonishment of a debut,” raving, “I had trouble detaching myself from its pages.”

Ursula Burns Soon-to-Be Xerox CEO - Ursula Burns certainly won’t be confused with the Simpsons caricature of the typical CEO. When she takes the reins next month at Xerox, Burns will become the first African-American woman to head-up of a Fortune 500 company. And she definitely won’t be the last. Described as a “classic New Yorker,” Burns has been well groomed for the post. She has a master’s from Columbia and an engineer’s background, and has steadily moved up the ranks since joining the company as an intern 28 years ago.

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Ursula Burns Soon-to-Be Xerox CEO - Ursula Burns certainly won’t be confused with the Simpsons caricature of the typical CEO. When she takes the reins next month at Xerox, Burns will become the first African-American woman to head-up of a Fortune 500 company. And she definitely won’t be the last. Described as a “classic New Yorker,” Burns has been well groomed for the post. She has a master’s from Columbia and an engineer’s background, and has steadily moved up the ranks since joining the company as an intern 28 years ago.

Darienne Page White House Receptionist - Darienne Page, at just 27, is the President’s gatekeeper, managing everything from his box at the Kennedy Center to his afternoon schedule. Sound stressful? Page has handled far worse. Page followed family tradition and served in Iraq after attending high school in Maryland. Her job? Working as a paralegal in depositions at Abu Ghraib. Taking notes on visitors to the White House or handling concert ticket requests from VIPs must be cake by comparison.

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Darienne Page White House Receptionist - Darienne Page, at just 27, is the President’s gatekeeper, managing everything from his box at the Kennedy Center to his afternoon schedule. Sound stressful? Page has handled far worse. Page followed family tradition and served in Iraq after attending high school in Maryland. Her job? Working as a paralegal in depositions at Abu Ghraib. Taking notes on visitors to the White House or handling concert ticket requests from VIPs must be cake by comparison.

Marco Rubio Senate candidate from Florida </b - Rubio, 38, was elected to Florida House before his 30th birthday and named its speaker just a few years later. He created one of the decade’s catchiest political gimmicks (more on that in a second), is married to a former Miami Dolphins cheerleader, and is a leading Cuban-American voice in South Florida. Oh, and he’s about to take on Charlie Crist that many see as a fight for the soul of the Republican Party.

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Marco Rubio Senate candidate from Florida </b - Rubio, 38, was elected to Florida House before his 30th birthday and named its speaker just a few years later. He created one of the decade’s catchiest political gimmicks (more on that in a second), is married to a former Miami Dolphins cheerleader, and is a leading Cuban-American voice in South Florida. Oh, and he’s about to take on Charlie Crist that many see as a fight for the soul of the Republican Party.

Raekwon MC - Wu-Tang Clan MC Raekwon, 39, seemed destined for greatness from the get. On the second verse of the opening track of the Clan’s classic 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Rae goes all out: “I wait for one to act up / Now I got him backed up / Gun to his neck now — react, what? / And that’s one in the chamber / Wu-Tang banger / 36 styles of danger.” Raekwon’s verses stood out for their clarity of intent. Here was a man who knew crime and wanted to tell you all about it—in exacting detai

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Raekwon MC - Wu-Tang Clan MC Raekwon, 39, seemed destined for greatness from the get. On the second verse of the opening track of the Clan’s classic 1993 debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Rae goes all out: “I wait for one to act up / Now I got him backed up / Gun to his neck now — react, what? / And that’s one in the chamber / Wu-Tang banger / 36 styles of danger.” Raekwon’s verses stood out for their clarity of intent. Here was a man who knew crime and wanted to tell you all about it—in exacting detai

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Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins Working Class Activist - Deny working class Californians something they’re owed – health insurance, minimum wage, access to green space — and expect to hear from 32-year-old Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, the Robin Hood of Silicon Valley. In the ten years since she graduated from Cal State Northridge, she’s expanded access to health care for families across California, helped to raise the minimum wage twice — and just took over Green For All, a “clean energy economy” non-profit.

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Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins Working Class Activist - Deny working class Californians something they’re owed – health insurance, minimum wage, access to green space — and expect to hear from 32-year-old Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, the Robin Hood of Silicon Valley. In the ten years since she graduated from Cal State Northridge, she’s expanded access to health care for families across California, helped to raise the minimum wage twice — and just took over Green For All, a “clean energy economy” non-profit.

Padmasree Warrior CTO, Cisco - Warrior was on Obama’s short list to be America’s Chief Technology Officer. Add that to her 23-year career at Motorolla, where she did everything from manage the semiconductor division to lead a 26,000-engineer research and development group with a budget of $3.7 billion. Now she’s CTO for Cisco, where she’s been handed the simple task of figuring out how the world will communicate over the next few years and ensuring that her company is leading that push.

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Padmasree Warrior CTO, Cisco - Warrior was on Obama’s short list to be America’s Chief Technology Officer. Add that to her 23-year career at Motorolla, where she did everything from manage the semiconductor division to lead a 26,000-engineer research and development group with a budget of $3.7 billion. Now she’s CTO for Cisco, where she’s been handed the simple task of figuring out how the world will communicate over the next few years and ensuring that her company is leading that push.