Just like the previous ones, Black Girls Rock celebrated the best of Black Women in entertainment, arts and social justice. Shonda Rimes, Rihanna, Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza and Patrice Cullors (the founders of Black Lives Matter), Danai Gurira (star of the Walking Dead), actress Amandla Stenberg and the iconic Gladys Knight were all honored at this year’s star-studded event. The annual event created by Beverly Bond, has become a rite of passage for celebrating Black Women’s achievements. These are just a few of my favorite moments from the awards show:
1.Rihanna’s Acceptance Speech
Bad Gal RiRi showed up as only she can, the pop star sported a full-length fur coat, with shorts and heels. Her outfit was the talk of a lot of fashion critics but I personally loved it. As usual, I loved her individuality and the way she expresses herself. Rihanna said that it was the first award she has gotten “just for being black” but she also credited her success to being herself. Her message definitely was received well in a room that was dominated by Black Women. One quote from her speech that I loved was when she said “All girls rock, but black girls are just on another level”.
2.Hilary Clinton
The Presidential Candidate is definitely trying to earn your vote. She came to BGR to introduce the founder Beverly Bond. Just like Michelle Obama did at last year’s show she affirmed that black girls do indeed rock. Her appearance alone earned her a standing ovation by the predominantly black female crowd and she also said that she has also been impacted by a few amazing Black women (some may not know this but Clinton has a few African American Women on her team that hold leadership positions).
3.Marsha Ambrosius, Corrine Bailey and Imani Uzuri
This dynamic super group put on a performance of Earth Wind and Fires “I Write A Song For You” and the song was also a highlight of several performances by Brandy, Andra Day and the ever so lovely Jazmine Sullivan. We cannot ignore Gladys Knight who performed a medley of some of her biggest hits, but it was the trifecta that really stood out. I think they all need to exchange contact information and work on some beautiful music together.
4.The Phenomenal Tracee Ellis Ross
This is the third year that Ross has hosted the show, but this time she went solo because co-host Regina King had a conflict with her schedule and could not attend. Not that we are complaining, because she certainly held her own. Tracee opened up the show with a medley of various musical performances from different eras, including a tribute to her fabulous mother Diana Ross. Ross pulled off the performances with her usual humor and she has now earned herself a spot in the Hall of Fame of BET Show Openers.
5.Black Girls Rock The Future
Every year Black Girls Rock acknowledges the achievements of young women who are working their way to being game changers in the future. 11 year old Marley Dias was recognized for being the founder of #1000blackgirlbooks. Marley said one of her reasons for creating her franchise was because she just wanted to see herself in the books that she was reading. Actresses Yara Shahidi and Masai Martin were also recognized as well as young women business owners and fashion designers. The Black girls of the future who are rocking are always a highlight of the show.
Overall, this years show was even more fulfilling than last years. It was the perfect embodiment of little girls who rocked, entrepreneurs who rocked, and entertainers who rocked. It truly showcased our talents and let the world know that we are something to be admired. We are talented, smart, fierce and that we once again, ROCK.
