Black Girls Rock Celebrants 2017
The Black Girls Rock 2017 season took place on Tuesday, August 22nd, 2017 with Taraji P. Henson as the host of the show. It is the seventh season of the show since its inception on 2011. BLACK GIRLS ROCK! celebrates the brilliance and beauty of Black women. It is a NAACP Image Award- Winning special that salutes leaders in business, entertainment, philanthropy and more.
The awardees for the night included:
- Issa Rae who was awarded the “Star Power Celebrant Award.” Issa Rae is a writer and actress. She created the popular HBO series “Insecure” with Larry Wilmore. The series is based partially on her popular YouTube show “‘Awkward Black Girl” which has gained millions of views over the years.
- Representative Maxine Waters who was awarded the “Social Humanitarian Celebrant Award.” She is known to be unapologetic and a no-nonsense person who will fight as long as it takes to do what is right and get positive results. Her career began in the 1960s, and she represents California’s 43rd Congressional District. She has raised money for HIV/AIDS causes and created ways for the advancement of all people.
- Roberta Flack received the “Living Legend Celebrant Award.” She is a musical artist who has created timeless hits throughout her career. She sings, soul, pop and jazz music.
- Solange Knowles was awarded the “Rockstar Celebrant Award.” She is a Black Girl with many talents from singing to dancing to acting- just to name a few. She released a critically acclaimed 2016 album called “A Seat At The Table,” was well received by the public and people were able to get a better taste of her “rockstar” abilities. This was a well-deserved award.
- Yara Shahidi was awarded the “Young, Gifted and Black Celebrant Award.” Shahidi has been an actress all her life, but she is most known to play Zoey on ABC’s Black-ish. She recently received a spin-off show that will follow Zoey’s college years called “Grown-ish,” and will air on Freeform.
- Natalie and Derrica Wilson were awarded the “Community Change Agent Celebrant Award.” They founded the Black and Missing Foundation Inc, (BAMF) in 2008 to help find missing minorities, Since its inception, over 128 missing people of color have been located through their foundation. They work with the police and the media to change the way how minorities are reported in the press.
- Suzanne Shank received the “Shot Caller Celebrant Award.” Shank is the most successful African- American woman on Wall Street and the founder of Shank & Co., L.L.C. Her firm has transacted over $2.5 trillion in municipal and corporate bonds. She is her own boss and a rock star to aspiring businesswomen.
You can watch their full speeches on the BET website.
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Twitter: @BLACKGIRLSROCK
