I was so proud, awed, and inspired by BET’s Black Girls Rock awards show last evening former model and Radio DJ Beverly Bond created Black Girls Rock in 2006 in hopes of promoting positive images of women of color. It was a cornucopia of beauty, talent, and fierceness in the truest sense. I felt proud to be an African American women, who supports and mentors young girls and women (of all races) and to do my part in my own life and was inspired to step it up. The honorees this year included incredible women like Venus Williams, award-winning tennis star; Marian Wright Edelman; American activist for children’s rights; Ameena Matthews, Chicago violence interrupter; Mara Brock Akil, Hollywood producer and TV show creator; Queen Latifah, Last but not least there was the special honoree of the night, the receiver of the Living Legend Award; Ms. Patti LaBelle. I was so proud of my friend Misty Copeland for being honored with the Young Gifted and Black award, she represented so well for Black women and ballet. I am sure that most of you know that she does a great deal of outreach both independently and through the Boys and Girls Club of America. She is always ready and willing (with a jammed packed schedule) to go out and talk to young people about what she does and encourage them to follow their dreams. She also had the honor of being the opening moment for Ms. Patti Labelle, who at 69 years of age is in as great of voice as she has ever been.
For more information on Black Girls Rock
Venus was so lovely, humble (as always) and authentic.
2. Marian Wright Edelman – Social Humanitarian Award for her advocacy for the right of kids as president of the Children Defense Fund. She’s a living legend whose work goes back to the Civil Rights Movement as a lawyer in Mississippi. Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients, MacArthur Genius Fellow, Yale Law School grad, and overall epic lady. YES MA’AM!!! Miss Edelman got on that stage and dropped so many gems that my hands couldn’t type them fast enough.
“I want every Black girl hearing my voice to know that YOU are special. Black women rock the cradle and whoever rocks the cradle rocks the future. Don’t let anybody else define you… God gave you your own DNA. Don’t EVER give up. Black women have NEVER given up. We have to reweave the fabric of family and community and we’re going to win because we’re NEVER going to give up!”
Marian-Wright-Edelman-BGR-2013
Shot Caller awardee Mara Brock Akil’s Speech was inspired!!!! She is the creator of the show, Girlfriends, The Game and being Mary Jane.
“When there IS an image that resembles us, oftentimes upon closer inspection, it’s not us…Black women, even if nobody else sees you, I SEE YOU…We are worth protecting and we are worth loving. When we dare to walk this world unapologetically…it’s how we put our own pictures up and validate ourselves.”
Mara-Brock-Akil-BGR-2013
4. Mara Brock Akil’s Speech – The Girlfriends introduced the lady responsible for the show as she received the “Showcaller” Award: Mara Brock Akil.
“When there IS an image that resembles us, oftentimes upon closer inspection, it’s not us…Black women, even if nobody else sees you, I SEE YOU…We are worth protecting and we are worth loving. When we dare to walk this world unapologetically…it’s how we put our own pictures up and validate ourselves.”
That is so very true!! She was so eloquent (I love it when writers speak) I was in tears, welled up over the truth of what she said and her body of work that combats that very thing….
6. Ameena Matthews was presented with the Community Activist Award for her anti-violence work in Chicago (Violence Interrupter). She was AMAZING, so powerful, an everyday woman who made a choice to jump in between Children and bullets!!
”Look at this gold tooth and this scarf and I’m talkin’ about Assalam alaikum. I’m so grateful to God to be here because I didn’t think I was gonna make it past 17. I realize today that I am Sojourner, and I am Harriet. I AM AMEENA MATTHEWS!”
Ameena-Matthews-BGR-2013
Of Course our Girl Misty Copland!!! Young Gifted and Black!!!
Misty-Copeland-Black-Girls-Rock-2013
check out our Chat With Misty there is some great info in there, and you learn a great deal about her both as a dancer and a woman
And of course the The Queen!
Queen-Latifah-Black-Girls-Rock-2013
And the creator of the organization herself, Beverly Bond
”We cannot be silent on things that matter because we are each a part of the village…We must continue to trail blaze, we must continue to break glass ceilings … we must lift as we climb.”
Beverly-Bond-Black-Girls-Rock-2013