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Aubrey Plaza, Naomi Campbell and More Bring Their A-Game to the ‘CNN Heroes’ Red Carpet

The annual event honors leaders in the activism and nonprofit spheres.

Ananya Panchal

Aubrey Plaza.

Aubrey Plaza.

Kelly Ripa and Anderson Cooper hosted the 16th annual CNN Heroes event at the American Museum of Natural History on Dec. 11, and Aubrey Plaza and Naomi Campbell presented awards at the star-studded affair.

Nelly Cheboi won the 2022 Hero of the Year award after being selected by online voters from a list of 10 professionals. Cheboi’s nonprofit, TechLit Africa, is working on providing thousands of students across Kenya with access to computer labs. The 29-year-old will receive a $100,000 prize to continue and expand her mission.

“The world is your oyster when you are educated,” Cheboi said in her acceptance speech alongside her mother.

She received a full ride to Augustana College in Illinois in 2012 and landed a software engineering position upon graduation in 2016. Cheboi quit her job three years later to dedicate her time, passion and efforts to giving back to her home country.

“When I discovered computer science, I just fell in love with it. I knew that this is something that I wanted to do as my career, and also bring it to my community,” she told CNN. “I feel so accomplished seeing kids that are 7 years old touch-typing, knowing that I just learned how to touch-type less than five years ago.”

Tons of celebrities showed up to honor leaders in activism and nonprofit work at the event. Here’s a recap of some of the best looks of the night.

Aubrey Plaza in Thom Browne

Aubrey Plaza attends the 16th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute event.

Naomi Campbell in Alexander McQueen

Naomi Campbell attends the 16th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute event.

Zoey Deutch in a floral mini dress

Zoey Deutch attends the 16th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute event.

Kelly Ripa in Saloni

Kelly Ripa attends the 16th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. 

Sofia Carson in Bill Blass

Sofia Carson attends the 16th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. 

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit, where she covers fashion, beauty, pop culture and the internet’s favorite personalities and trends. She joined the brand in 2022 after roles at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. Panchal loves to write about fashion in all its forms—from standout runway moments and evolving street style to the best accessories to elevate each season’s wardrobe (she rarely goes anywhere without a stack of jewelry and a coffee in hand). A self-proclaimed beauty fanatic, she’s always on the hunt for must-have products and loves breaking down viral trends. Her favorite series at the moment is spotlighting female founders and the stories behind the brands they’ve built—especially those shaping the future of fashion, wellness and tech. She is based between New York City and San Francisco and, when she’s not writing, can be found rewatching One Tree Hill, playing sudoku, trying new restaurants or ranking her favorite Disney Channel Original Movies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism with a minor in criminal justice from Boston University.

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