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00:00:00All right we love a good family reunion everybody's seeing each other everybody's saying hello
00:00:15we do have to start our program so we ask that you kindly take your seats
00:00:21the program is about to begin
00:00:30Oh
00:01:00oh
00:01:19it's the hardest room to sit down yeah
00:01:21all right
00:01:25please kindly take your seats the program is about to begin
00:01:40my cup i don't know if they ever gonna sit down
00:01:46i'm gonna say that
00:01:51um
00:02:18right there
00:02:21How's the red carpet for you guys?
00:02:51How's the red carpet for you guys?
00:03:07How's the red carpet for you guys?
00:03:23How's the red carpet for you guys?
00:03:41Hi.
00:03:42Hi, how are you?
00:03:44This is a beautiful .
00:04:11Hi.
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00:04:27Hi.
00:04:28Hi.
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00:04:35Hi.
00:04:36Hi.
00:04:38Hi, have you?
00:05:11Ladies and gentlemen, can you all help me out a little bit here and maybe take your
00:05:27seats? Once you do, our wonderful program can begin that we have worked so hard to bring
00:05:37you guys. Please kindly take your-
00:05:43Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
00:06:10How's it going? I can't get people to sit down to save my gosh, darling. This is the-
00:06:26We did do that. We did do that. We did do that.
00:06:30We did do that.
00:06:34What's going on, brother?
00:06:38How are you? Good? Good?
00:06:42We did do that. We did do that. We did do that. We did do that. We did do that. We're trying to make it a problem here.
00:07:00You're out, right?
00:07:02I have my question for you.
00:07:08Wow, look at this, beautiful, oh my gosh, you look gorgeous.
00:07:27Wow.
00:07:42Yeah, well that's what we have to do.
00:07:44Please welcome your host, entrepreneur, actor, and producer, Boris Kojo.
00:07:50Woo!
00:07:57All right.
00:08:01Everybody sit down.
00:08:05Have you ever tried to tell a black woman to sit down?
00:08:10Try 6,000.
00:08:16Wow, look at this beauty everywhere.
00:08:22Okay.
00:08:25All right.
00:08:27You get to see each other during lunch, during intermission.
00:08:33You get to take your selfie.
00:08:35Wow, look at y'all.
00:08:39This is an amazing room full of beauty.
00:08:49Look at all your ladies and Lorenz Tate.
00:08:53This is too much beauty for one room.
00:08:57All the ladies and Lorenz.
00:09:01Friends.
00:09:05Wow, okay.
00:09:07Lena, who are you looking for?
00:09:09Your table.
00:09:11Anybody know where Lena's table is?
00:09:13There it is.
00:09:17Oh, Lord.
00:09:21That, okay.
00:09:23Yeah, that way.
00:09:25Yeah, just follow Tiana.
00:09:27There we go.
00:09:29There.
00:09:30Okay.
00:09:31We got it.
00:09:33Wow, God is good.
00:09:35Although I gotta be careful.
00:09:37You know, when you say that, a lot of people say, don't put your God on me.
00:09:47Well, I'm putting God all over this room.
00:09:49So you know.
00:09:53All right.
00:09:54Are you guys ready to be celebrated here today?
00:09:58Because that's what Essence has done for the past 53 years.
00:10:04Celebrated.
00:10:05That's right.
00:10:06Give it up.
00:10:0753 years.
00:10:10Celebrated black women and made sure that their diverse spectrum of beauty is fully realized.
00:10:18recognized, represented, and respected across the globe.
00:10:25That's why both my wife and daughter feel celebrated when they see themselves in these pages.
00:10:33I gotta tell you, I'm extremely honored to be here today as your host for the 2023 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards,
00:10:43because my connection with Essence is a very personal one.
00:10:47In, wow, 1995.
00:10:52That's right.
00:10:53That's right.
00:10:54Woo!
00:10:551995.
00:10:56What a year.
00:10:57Fresh off the boat from Germany.
00:11:00I was a student at VCU in Richmond.
00:11:02And I was asked to do a photo shoot.
00:11:04My first ever photo shoot for Essence magazine.
00:11:10And it ended up being the best selling cover in the history of the magazine.
00:11:15There it is.
00:11:20Sophie, where are you?
00:11:22My daughter Sophie's here.
00:11:23She doesn't believe that I used to have hair.
00:11:25See that right there?
00:11:28See the hairline?
00:11:30That's right.
00:11:31Wow.
00:11:32So, now you guys know what I mean when I say that this is truly a full circle moment for me to be here as your host today.
00:11:46For 16 years in a row Essence has gathered this beautiful, esteemed, accomplished crowd to honor some very special black women who are shifting the global narrative of the black experience through their incredible work in film and television.
00:12:03And, you know, I do know a little bit about amazing black women because I'm married to one.
00:12:14She's in New York right now.
00:12:15She couldn't be here.
00:12:16And I also raised one who is right there looking at me.
00:12:21Critical.
00:12:22Judgmental.
00:12:24And, oh, I want to also shout out my beautiful sisters at the same table.
00:12:32Nadia and Lara.
00:12:34And my niece, Benny, who are here from Germany today.
00:12:37So, if you want to see some black Germans right there at table one across from Ryan and Daniel.
00:12:46Ryan, please, you know, make sure she doesn't act up.
00:12:51Appreciate it.
00:12:52Black women are the heartbeat of Hollywood.
00:12:55Authentically bearing their souls as master storytellers both in front and behind the camera.
00:13:01And shattering every glass ceiling along the way without apology.
00:13:06Today is my pleasure to help celebrate visionary Gina Prince-Bythewood.
00:13:12Yes.
00:13:13Risen Star, Dominique Thorne.
00:13:29Groundbreaker, Danielle Dedwiler.
00:13:31If I had an Oscar, I would give it to you right now.
00:13:38Game changer, Tara Duncan.
00:13:42And the incomparable Cheryl Lee Ralph.
00:13:49Their contributions to the arts have allowed us to be able to see ourselves
00:13:56and see our stories brought to life on screen in ways
00:14:01that continue to broaden the scope of present and future possibilities.
00:14:07They define purpose. They defy the status quo.
00:14:12And they deliver every time.
00:14:16Speaking of radiant black women whose presence illuminates any and every room they enter,
00:14:21here to get things started and say a few words,
00:14:24is a woman whose bold, disruptive, unwavering leadership
00:14:28is carrying the Essence brand into a new era.
00:14:31She is a tough innovator.
00:14:33She's a cultural architect.
00:14:35She's a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a friend.
00:14:39Please welcome president and CEO of Essence Ventures,
00:14:41Caroline Wadsworth.
00:14:43I want to thank you for joining us today.
00:14:45I want to thank you for joining us today.
00:14:47Please welcome president and CEO of Essence Ventures, Caroline Wanga.
00:15:17To my brother Boris, if Germany want to do black people, I mean, we'll take that.
00:15:29But to my brother Boris, who is, of course, our host today,
00:15:34but more importantly, part of the revolution when you ain't looking.
00:15:40It's an honor to have you.
00:15:43When you were asked, there was no hesitation.
00:15:46And what you do in your daily life
00:15:49to make sure that the black woman understands what she is yet stand next to her
00:15:55is something that's taken for granted.
00:15:58So I'm thanking you publicly on behalf of us all.
00:16:01How does it go in German?
00:16:06Is that I love you?
00:16:07Is that it?
00:16:08Does it close?
00:16:09No?
00:16:10Eighth grade.
00:16:11Failed.
00:16:12Okay.
00:16:13With that,
00:16:16while Essence Ventures has many parts to it,
00:16:19including Essence Communications, Afropunk, Beautycon,
00:16:23and Essence Studios,
00:16:26today the Essence brand represents five decades,
00:16:31and five more.
00:16:34And as a part of what we are doing in this moment is defining
00:16:39and empowering the black woman to operate as CEO of home, of culture, of community.
00:16:47Not of black home, black culture, and black community.
00:16:53The CEO of black everything and home culture and community.
00:17:00So if we position her that way,
00:17:03then that means that the woman who sits at the helm of the second largest city in these here, United States,
00:17:15is the CEO of 3.9 million people who ain't all black.
00:17:21And she's also the first woman, black woman, to be the mayor of the city of Los Angeles.
00:17:36So if you would be so kind as to welcome the CEO of the city of Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass.
00:18:08Thank you so much.
00:18:10It is such an honor to be here.
00:18:12Thank you for that kind introduction.
00:18:14And let me just say that it is breathtaking to look around this room and see all of these beautiful, powerful black women.
00:18:26Give yourselves a round of applause.
00:18:31And let me just say for the younger women who are here, I'm just not sure if 20, 25 years ago this room would have looked like this.
00:18:41Or the women who would have been here would have had the positions, the power, the accomplishments, and the careers of the women that are in this room today.
00:18:54So it is an incredible honor that I have to be with you.
00:18:58And I do want to give a special shout out to one woman who is very special to me, who I haven't known that long, but came into my life during my campaign and made sure I kept it together.
00:19:11Where is Vanessa Anderson?
00:19:14Publicist Vanessa Anderson.
00:19:17There's always, where is she?
00:19:21I don't know where is she.
00:19:22Oh, there she is, waving in the back.
00:19:25Because, you know, one thing that I love about black women is that we're there for each other.
00:19:34We are.
00:19:35And sometimes we criticize ourselves, we cut each other down.
00:19:38But for the most part, we are there for each other.
00:19:42And that's who Vanessa has been and so many other people in our lives.
00:19:47Because we don't get where we are by ourselves.
00:19:50We get where we are because of everybody that's here.
00:19:54So I just want to thank you so much.
00:19:57And I'm about 88 days into being mayor.
00:20:01I had three weeks to go from being a member of Congress to being mayor of the city.
00:20:09But you know what drove me to do this is the crisis in our city.
00:20:14And the fact that when you drove here, all the tents you drove past, I do want you to know that 34% of the people in those tents look like you.
00:20:2534%.
00:20:26And we're only 8% of the population of LA.
00:20:30So that's why I declared it a state of emergency.
00:20:33But I want you to hear the good news because there is this stereotype that people don't want to leave these tents.
00:20:39People are leaving these tents en masse.
00:20:41We just need to have enough motel rooms for them.
00:20:44They are not hesitating.
00:20:46So let me just conclude by saying you have such a critical role to play.
00:20:55In the entertainment industry, you shape culture.
00:20:59You change the way people think.
00:21:02You open people's minds.
00:21:04And I would love to come back at another point in time and say, you know what?
00:21:08We need everybody in this city to join arms because everyone can make a contribution to rescuing our people so that we don't have to wake up tomorrow and know that three to four people that look like you died in those tents.
00:21:25I'm excited with what I know we can accomplish and I just want to congratulate the honorees and all of the incredible talent that is in this room because I know from being in Congress where I traveled the world that the talent that is in this room impacts the entire world.
00:21:46Thank you so much.
00:21:47It is an honor to be here with you today.
00:21:55There's something I often say, which is this thing that we're trying to do as a black community and as black women is an all in full contact participatory endeavor.
00:22:12Everybody plays a role, not the same role, but the role their best position to impact and the choice not to play a role plays a role.
00:22:22So in honor of Mayor Bass, pick your role.
00:22:27She's not the only historic person joining us today.
00:22:31And I'm probably going to forget some people, but there's a couple I'm going to call out.
00:22:36The first of those is the first black, queer, immigrant woman to be the voice of the most powerful man in the world.
00:22:47White House Press Secretary Corinne Jean-Pierre is with us tonight.
00:22:50Pick your role.
00:22:57And then there's another history maker that tried really hard to join us today, but was unable to.
00:23:08So she sent a message that I'm going to read on her behalf and will be displayed on the screen.
00:23:15Yes, I have my phone because paper is vintage.
00:23:20Mom.
00:23:22Do we have it be.
00:23:27Put it up on the screen.
00:23:30March 9th, 2023, from the office of the vice president of the United States.
00:23:37I am honored to extend my greetings and congratulations to the honorees, leaders and distinguished guests of the 16th annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, California.
00:23:54For over a decade, Essence has honored and uplifted groundbreaking black women who have transformed the film and television industry.
00:24:05Today, we honor a group of artists who have inspired millions of people across our nation and around the world.
00:24:15Through your voice and your vision, you have given us joy, strength and hope.
00:24:24You have brought to life the stories that, for far too long, have gone untold.
00:24:30And you have blazed a trail, not only as artists, but as role models that will guide generations to come.
00:24:41My favorite line in this letter is, so on behalf of our nation, on behalf of our nation, thank you for your incredible contributions.
00:24:57Congratulations again, the first black female vice president, Kamala Harris.
00:25:09Quite a while ago, there was something that a lot of people heard from Sister Pearl Cleege, and it was called We Speak Your Names.
00:25:20And it went, because we are free women, born of free women, who are born of free women, back as far as time begins, we celebrate your freedom.
00:25:33Because we are wise women.
00:25:35Because we are wise women, born of wise women, who are born of wise women, we celebrate your wisdom.
00:25:45Because we are strong women, because we are strong women, born of strong women, who are born of strong women, we celebrate your strength.
00:25:57Because we are magical women, born of magical women, who are born of magical women.
00:26:07We celebrate your magic.
00:26:08My sisters, we are gathered here to speak your names.
00:26:14We are here because you are, we are here because we are your daughters, as surely as if you had conceived us, nurtured us, and carried us in your wombs, and then sent us out into the world to make our mark.
00:26:29To see what we see, be what we be, but better, truer, deeper, because of the shining example of your own incandescent lives.
00:26:40We are here to speak your names because we have enough sense to know that we did not spring full-blown from the forehead of Zeus, or arrive on the scene like Topsy, our sister once removed, who somehow just growed.
00:26:57We know that we are walking in footprints made deep by the confident strides of women who parted the air before them like the forces of nature that you are.
00:27:10We are here to speak your names because you taught us that the search is always for the truth, and that when people show us who they are, we should believe them.
00:27:22We are here because you taught us that sister speak can continue to be our native tongue, no matter how many languages we learn, as we move about as citizens of the world, and of the ever-evolving universe.
00:27:35We are here to speak your names because of the way you made for us, because of the prayers you prayed for us, because we are the ones you conjured up, hoping we would have strength enough and discipline enough and talent enough and nerve enough to step into the light when it turned in our direction and just smile a while.
00:27:54We are here to speak your name.
00:27:55We are the ones you hoped would make you proud because of all of your hard work, makes all of yours part of something better, truer, deeper.
00:28:09Something that lights the way ahead, like a lamp unto our feet, as steady as the unforgettable beat of our collective heart.
00:28:18We speak your name, Dominique Thorne.
00:28:22We speak your name, Tara Duncan.
00:28:26We speak your name, Danielle Deadweiler.
00:28:31We speak your name.
00:28:32We speak your name, Gina Prince.
00:28:36We speak your name, Shirley Ralph.
00:28:41And then for the brothers, we speak your name, Ryan Krugler and Daniel Kalua.
00:28:48We speak your name.
00:28:50We speak your name.
00:28:52And for our sisters that are presenting, we speak your name, Yara Shahadi.
00:28:58We speak your name, Chinnawe Chukwe.
00:29:02We speak your name, Viola Davis.
00:29:05We speak your name, Lisa Ann Walter.
00:29:09We also speak the names of those that chose to go on this impact journey with us.
00:29:14And so, we call out, not our sponsors, but our partners in purpose, who also make sure that the revolution is financed.
00:29:23Shout out to Emmett Dennis.
00:29:34So, for the financiers of the revolution, we call Coca-Cola Zero.
00:29:42They over there.
00:29:46We call the Onyx Collective.
00:29:51We call Amazon Prime.
00:29:55We call Netflix.
00:29:58We call Smart Water.
00:30:01And as a point of personal privilege, I call John.
00:30:06I call Henry.
00:30:08I call Gabby.
00:30:11I call Pam.
00:30:12They know who they are.
00:30:14Y'all took the bet when nobody else would take the bet.
00:30:16And because of your bet, everybody's betting.
00:30:18And I'm not taking that for granted.
00:30:20So, in addition to my family, my mother, Dr. Pamela Wonga, is here.
00:30:28My brother, James Wonga.
00:30:29My sister, Kate McDonald.
00:30:30My niece, Ayo.
00:30:32My nephew, Xavier.
00:30:33We call them the Mukwangas.
00:30:37Thank you for being witness and protection for the purpose journey.
00:30:41I stand here because you stand.
00:30:44I'm just Caroline Aumakola Wonga because of you.
00:30:50And then on behalf of the chairman, Rich Lou Dennis, the entire-
00:30:55Where you at, Rich?
00:30:57The most optimistic person I've ever met in my life.
00:31:04But my partner in mission, money, and mischief, the board of directors, the ecosystem of Sundial
00:31:14our company, brand of companies, and the phenomenal, phenomenal movement makers that are the team
00:31:22that make up Essence Ventures and specifically Essence Communications.
00:31:27We welcome you to this room because of what we are, what we do, what we can be, and what we can do.
00:31:39Enjoy the program.
00:31:44All right, thank you, Caroline and Mayor Bass for that warm welcome.
00:31:58And just like that, we're two hours behind.
00:32:05Don't blame me.
00:32:10All right.
00:32:13Okay.
00:32:14Here to present our first honoree award of the afternoon are two Hollywood titans who
00:32:21continue to make us all proud each and every time they step in front of or behind a camera.
00:32:27One is a brilliant director, producer, screenwriter whose storytelling elevates global black culture
00:32:34on film in ways we never could have imagined.
00:32:37The other is an Academy Award-winning actor whose star only shines brighter with each new role he brings to life.
00:32:45Please welcome Ryan Coogler and Daniel Kalua.
00:32:49I'll try this prompter out.
00:33:02Oh, can y'all back that up?
00:33:03Oh, we.
00:33:04Here we go.
00:33:05Thank you, Boris.
00:33:06When you think about an event like this and talk about the future of black women in Hollywood, there's so much to say about a young woman like Dominique Thorne.
00:33:20I couldn't agree more, Ryan.
00:33:21I couldn't agree more.
00:33:22That sounded so scripted.
00:33:23I like my life.
00:33:24I've got more sauce than that, I promise you.
00:33:25When I worked with Dominique and Judas and the Black Messiah, it was her confidence and her steel that pulled my eye towards her.
00:33:41Her natural ability of showing complex death and using her skill to show all that is happening inside with a simple line or a simple look.
00:33:50How an artist makes me feel is important to me, but I also notice how they make me act on that feeling.
00:33:56Dominique makes me want to ask more questions.
00:33:58She makes me want to know more.
00:33:59She makes me want to lean in.
00:34:01And off screen, her openness and humility shines through.
00:34:05The minute I met her, I knew she was only going to rise and rise.
00:34:08Yeah, because of her talent, but mostly because of the integrity of her character.
00:34:13Brave enough to say I don't know, and courageous enough to listen to her own voice inside.
00:34:21I couldn't agree more, Daniel.
00:34:23Thank you, Ryan.
00:34:26When I first met Dominique, it was 2016, and we were cast on our film Black Panther.
00:34:31And she was young.
00:34:35I think she was still in school at Cornell, and she blew us away.
00:34:39She got very far in the process, even to a chemistry read with the great Chadwick Boseman.
00:34:44But it ended up not working out.
00:34:45We went in a different direction, and I was crushed that I wouldn't get to work with her on that project.
00:34:49But she was so good and so young, I thought that maybe one day our paths would cross again.
00:34:54It didn't have to wait long.
00:34:56Our company Proximity produced a film called Judas and the Black Messiah.
00:35:01And our incredible director, Shaka King, said,
00:35:04Hey, I got this tape for this woman, for this part of Julie Herman.
00:35:07I really want to cast her.
00:35:08And I said, All right, let's take a look at the link.
00:35:10And she was supposed to be this kind of bruiser.
00:35:12She was a muscle for that chapter of the Panthers.
00:35:14And I opened up the link, and boom, there's Dominique.
00:35:17I was so excited.
00:35:18Ended up having to get a chance to work with her on that.
00:35:21And later on, Black Panther Wakanda forever, when she brought the character Riri Williams to life.
00:35:26And it's been amazing.
00:35:27She's incredible to work with.
00:35:28I know she's going to have an incredible impact on the industry and on the world.
00:35:31I'm so proud of her.
00:35:32And let's take a look at some of our careers so far.
00:35:45Where did my journey as a black woman in Hollywood begin?
00:35:49I think my journey begins on the streets of Brooklyn Heights with my mom.
00:35:56She was a babysitter in that neighborhood.
00:35:58And she would always tell me, pay attention to the stark contrast between where we are and where you live.
00:36:03But that this is a possibility for you too.
00:36:06Any dream that is being realized now is a product of her opening my mind up in that way.
00:36:13In love with acting since she was a small child, Dominique attended Manhattan's prestigious professional performing arts school.
00:36:20After graduation, she entered Cornell University, where she excelled in student productions.
00:36:28It was while at Cornell that Dominique got her big break, making her feature film debut in director Barry Jenkins' film If Beale Street Could Talk.
00:36:37I was just so convicted by the fact that this was James Baldwin's words.
00:36:45This would be the first film adaptation of what is truly a love story.
00:36:52He's strong.
00:36:53We'll be alright.
00:36:55But we gotta get him out of there.
00:36:58If he'd done his reading and his studying when he should have, he wouldn't be in there in the first place.
00:37:02But despite her silver screen shine, Dominique began having second thoughts about acting in Hollywood altogether.
00:37:10I'm feeling like I need to be self-sufficient as a college graduate.
00:37:13Postponing acting and set to take a 9 to 5 gig in Chicago, one conversation changed everything for the budding star.
00:37:21A professor in the performing and media arts department, he had directed my first play, Cornell.
00:37:29He asked me if I wasn't deferring my dreams for some supposed responsibility.
00:37:38Who am I truly responsible to is kind of what the question was.
00:37:43So it felt like a true leap of faith to say no to a job, to move back home and just take the risk of auditioning until I get a yes.
00:37:53But prayerfully, that yes came not too far after graduation and that was Judas.
00:38:03In this gripping car scene, Dominique brings an intensity to her character, Black Panther Judy Harmon.
00:38:09Who's all that shit about a badge?
00:38:11Badge?
00:38:12Badge?
00:38:13You say you hot-wired this yourself.
00:38:16Do it again.
00:38:17Okay, look, look, uh, I ain't got no goddamn tools on me right now to do it right this second.
00:38:22Comrade, reach in my boot.
00:38:24With Dominique's star on the rise and Hollywood taking notice, came the opportunity of a lifetime.
00:38:38How brilliant of an opportunity it could be to have representation in this way, to present the truth of a young black female experience in this setting, at this scale, with these resources.
00:39:00But I think the prevailing feeling for me was to trust and believe that anywhere I am is because I'm meant to or equipped to be there.
00:39:10You can come to Wakanda, conscious or unconscious.
00:39:15You need to be conscious of the way that you look.
00:39:18Walking around here with that ash on your head.
00:39:22Oh, it's funny.
00:39:23No, it's not.
00:39:24Mm-hmm.
00:39:25I told you.
00:39:26You look good.
00:39:27Hello, hello.
00:39:28So, welcome to the MCU.
00:39:30From her dynamic debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dominique will soon soar again in the MCU.
00:39:37This time in a Marvel series, Riri becomes Ironheart.
00:39:41What can you tell us about Ironheart? What to expect?
00:39:43It's really just taking several steps deeper into this young mind that we've only just begun to know.
00:39:50Looking towards her future, Dominique sees bright days ahead.
00:39:54Who is Dominique Thorne in the future?
00:39:56I'd say homegirl is grounded.
00:39:58Duh.
00:39:59She is truly rooted in all that she is.
00:40:02Confident in what she has to offer.
00:40:04That allows for a whole fountain of love and creativity to pour out in a genuine way.
00:40:13We are extremely proud to present the 2023 Essence Black Women in Hollywood Award.
00:40:30Cliffhanger.
00:40:31To Miss Dominique Thorne.
00:40:32Cliffhanger.
00:40:33To Miss Dominique Thorne.
00:40:34To Miss Dominique Thorne.
00:40:35To Miss Dominique Thorne.
00:40:36Cliffhanger.
00:40:37Cliffhanger.
00:40:38Hi man, I've gotta break you down my life out of here.
00:40:39He won.
00:40:42Cliffhanger.
00:40:44Cliffhanger.
00:40:46Cliffhanger.
00:40:59Cliffhanger.
00:41:00Cliffhanger.
00:41:02Damn, that's heavy. Whoa. Oh man. Dear God, from the moment I decided to own the power
00:41:19that lives in a commitment to joy, to peace, you and I became best friends.
00:41:27You began to order my steps so that ease and efficiency defined my actions and I
00:41:35realized that you have plans to prosper me and not to harm me. Plans to give me a
00:41:43hope and a future and in this moment as I sit in what feels like a blessing it
00:41:51seems the consequence of the actions of a younger me. So I call on you, oh God. I
00:41:58come to you when I pray, trusting that you will listen, take control of my life,
00:42:03dear God. Continue to order my steps and lead me only to where you would have me
00:42:07go. From this moment forward I renew my commitment. I only ask that you cleanse
00:42:12my heart. Refresh my spirit where it has grown weary, Lord. Steady and calm my mind.
00:42:20Fortify my mental attitude so that joy and peace are again my primary operational
00:42:26setting. Are in my spirit, on my tongue as readily and abundantly as you have
00:42:33intended so that I might from a healthy place be and become the person you intend
00:42:37for me to be. Amen. Hi. Good afternoon, my brothers and my sisters. It's taken some time
00:42:50for me to receive or really sink into what this honor means. In fact, I'm not wholly convinced
00:42:59that it has even now. I don't know. But what I'd like to share with you all are three things
00:43:05that I know for sure. One, I do know that 25 years has been beyond sufficient time to
00:43:13understand that this world is overly eager to forget, ignore, to overlook, to endanger,
00:43:20to misuse, misunderstand, and otherwise brutalize the black woman. Yet, in that same world, essence
00:43:30stands and has stood proud and immovable in its goal to amplify our truths, to protect, to honor
00:43:40our mystique, and to celebrate our successes. So to be seen and with this honored by essence feels like
00:43:48release. Love, the rich, all-encompassing, sweeping, sweet surrender type of love, the kind that you only
00:43:56get from a black woman. The kind of love and visibility that saves and allows us to endure
00:44:02the way that we always have. So from the depths of my spirit, I say thank you, essence, for amplifying
00:44:10my truth, honoring my mystique, and celebrating my successes.
00:44:18Two, I do know that my truth and my path would not be what they are were it not for my teachers,
00:44:26the wildly passionate individuals who share joy and purpose from a convicted place, who with intention,
00:44:34or not, pushed me to learn myself, ask questions of the world, to have the patience required to notice
00:44:42when an answer comes, and to always go deeper. These are the people who in all things center compassion.
00:44:49This begins with my mother who decided with my birth that I'd be great, who turned stress
00:45:02into nothing more than a syncopated rhythm to set the hustle to, who set the bar on goal setting and
00:45:09execution. This black woman was bred by individuals that claim glory and compassion, excellence and
00:45:18empathy as our just due. The inheritance promised by a father here on earth that made it clear I could
00:45:25do anything and a father above that swore and showed that he has plans to prosper us. So as I move through
00:45:34the processing of this gift, allow me to say thank you to my teachers, to my aunt, Missy, my grandmothers,
00:45:45Jenny, Desiree, and Mero, who gave me the grit and the grace to hold court with you all today.
00:45:51Allow me to say thank you to my teachers, Greg Parenti, Alyssa Ciccarello, Casey McClellan, Miss Allison
00:45:58Tallis, and Jen Shirley. I share this moment with my teachers because for a little girl in Brooklyn,
00:46:04with a whole lot of frustration and not a lot of peace, with generations worth of confusion and minimal
00:46:10clarity. It was your clarity. It was your calm, your hope for my joy and passion for the craft that opened
00:46:23my then nascent eyes to the mercy of what I was to find and the home I was to make in this field.
00:46:30But as I said before, I don't speak those names without challenging myself to go deeper or in this
00:46:35case higher. So I can't stand before you much longer without honoring the black men and women
00:46:42who I've had the privilege to learn from, who through no coincidence, I'm sure, have played the
00:46:48most instrumental roles in my shaping as an artist beginning with my very first teacher, Mr. Raphael
00:46:55Peacock, who from our meeting challenged me to see myself as capable of all things. Kevin Carroll,
00:47:01the first person to lock me in the ring with myself, to teach me to honor the experience through work.
00:47:09Godfrey Simmons, for inviting me back into my own hopes for my life. And to Daniel Kaluuya,
00:47:17whose words have a supernatural power, whose words prepared me before I knew what preparation entailed,
00:47:26and whose presence is the most grounding and most effortless class on excellence.
00:47:34In these 12 years of acting and eight years of auditioning, I've grown quite familiar with hearing
00:47:41no, but I've heard yes three times. And each one has reminded me of what we all know, and that's three.
00:47:51That the beauty of our resilience as a people was never limited to our emergence from hardship.
00:47:58Greatness lives in our ability to try. Barry Jenkins, Shaka King, and now the most laudable,
00:48:13Ryan Coogler, I thank you for allowing me to try. Before I was your student, I was your supporter.
00:48:25Now, I say thank you for trusting me with the craft and championing me to go further and deeper into my own.
00:48:33So, you all have opened the door to a world that I only saw in my dreams. And now that I am here,
00:48:43I intend to take great care, to continue to learn it, to ask more questions of it,
00:48:50and to grow it as best I know how. Thank you.
00:49:06Let's give it up one more time for Dominique Thorne.
00:49:29What an impressive young black woman. You know, I had a joke for you all about what I was doing at
00:49:39her age, but I got the side eye for my daughter. She keeps reminding me, Daddy, you're not a comedian.
00:49:48Just read the prompter. I just want to know, Soph,
00:49:52why are you embarrassed of me? I mean, I wiped you behind for years and now you're embarrassed of me?
00:50:07All right. Here to introduce our second honoree of the afternoon, please welcome actress, executive
00:50:15producer, producer, and Harvard University graduate, the ever so talented Miss Yara Shahidi.
00:50:33I am 5'5". Thank you for that lovely introduction. Ooh, can I just say this is one of my favorite rooms to
00:50:40be in, and I know I'm not alone when I say that. Essence has been so warm and so welcoming, and so I am honored to sit on this stage,
00:50:51and I thought it was only right to introduce this next honoree with a quote from another
00:50:56incredible black woman and multi-hyphenate. Eartha Kitt once said,
00:51:00my recipe for life is not being afraid of myself, afraid of what I think or of my opinions.
00:51:06An absolute creative force, this executive's embrace of her community, keen entertainment
00:51:12sensibilities, and fearless opinions have helped shape the future of TV and set precedent for all
00:51:18the ways the black experience can show up in media for nearly a decade. And can I just take a second to
00:51:23say how inspired I am by this individual? Let me, let me spell out, this is going to be a real quick,
00:51:29quick like glimpse of her resume. This does not do her justice, but let me take a second to say how
00:51:34integral she's been in the success of so many of our favorite shows. From bringing us Amazon's very
00:51:40first drama series, Bosch, to launching Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It at Netflix, Narcos, the list goes
00:51:45on and on, to being a creative producer at Hulu. Again, a quick scan of her resume. So when she joined
00:51:53us at Freeform, it was truly a gift, and she helped us launch season five and six of Grown-ish. But can I say,
00:51:59we felt even luckier when she decided to make her mark as president of Onyx Collective.
00:52:08And, you know, she has already come out strong with Summer of Soul, the 1619 Project, getting our
00:52:16fave Kerry Washington back on our screens weekly with Unprisoned. And her effortless sense of style and
00:52:23discernment is both clear in her impeccable fashion and the impeccable shows that she gets on air.
00:52:29For me, her presence serves as a constant affirmation that there is indeed a seat for
00:52:34us at the table, but there is even more space when we make the table ourselves.
00:52:39As president of Onyx, she's carrying the baton further by doing the work to make sure that talented
00:52:44creators of color have the opportunity to tell our stories through our lens for the world to see.
00:52:50She ensures that our humanity, the many ways we carve paths through the world for ourselves and thrive,
00:52:55are on full display. And she fearlessly helms a new reality by not just changing how our television
00:53:01screens look, but by changing infrastructure, leading an inclusive team of incredible executives
00:53:07who advocate for black creators and creators from our global community. She is creating the blueprint and
00:53:12proof of the magic that can happen when the people behind the camera look like the world around us.
00:53:17And she does this while creating incredible content that keeps us coming back for more. The truth is,
00:53:23with executives like Tara Duncan in the room, we can tune in every day and continue to see shows that
00:53:29serve as a constant reminder that we define us. And most importantly, that there's power in our
00:53:34presence, value in our stories, and the world benefits when we sit in our purpose. I'm so lucky to
00:53:40count her as both a boss and a mentor. So here's a look at the work of Onyx Collective president, Tara Duncan.
00:53:49Tara Duncan is a force to be reckoned with within Hollywood, blazing trails while opening doors for creators of color.
00:54:05My journey as a black woman in Hollywood begins my senior year of high school. I met a woman named Sandra
00:54:13Dorsey Rice, who worked for the Emma L. Bowen Foundation, which placed kids who are interested in
00:54:19media in careers. I started off as an intern at ABC daytime my first day of college, and that's really
00:54:27what put me on the path. I was always really interested in film and TV. Determined to find her place in
00:54:33Hollywood, after graduating from college at Loyola Marymount, Tara landed a coveted job at George Clooney and
00:54:40Steven Soderbergh's production company, Section 8, known for such film treasures as Good Night and Good
00:54:46Luck, Ocean's Eleven, and the Oscar-winning film, Siriana. On her showbiz rise, Tara later became a
00:54:54director of development at AMC, before jumping into the streaming world, producing the pilot for Amazon's
00:55:01first ever drama series, Bosch. A champion of compelling stories, Tara would seize another streaming
00:55:08opportunity, this time as senior creative executive Netflix, where she oversaw such groundbreaking hit
00:55:15shows as Orange is the New Black and Narcos. I think the opportunities that streaming has created is
00:55:21really because there was just more of a global perspective and more of a demand for content for
00:55:26audiences of color. Tara also launched projects with some of the hottest names in Hollywood, continuing on
00:55:33streaming quests with her eye for fresh talent and must-see content. Dear white people. Guys, you know
00:55:39what this is? This is racism. Yeah, I thought President Obama fixed all that. Honey. In 2020, Tara struck an
00:55:47overall deal at Hulu. There, she curated a killer slate of projects, including setting up an adaptation of
00:55:54Zakia Dalila Harris's best-selling novel, The Other Black Girl. It was also in 2020 that Disney named her
00:56:01president of its Gen Z and Millennial cable network, Freeform. I think Disney is such a formidable
00:56:07brand that has creativity and storytelling at the center of it. And what I loved about going to Freeform
00:56:13is it's a brand that really speaks to young people and is focused on young adult stories. With Tara at the
00:56:19top, Freeform rolled out diverse, impactful programs that resonated with the network's younger audiences.
00:56:26Perhaps nothing speaks more to Tara's creative juice than the 2021 debut of Freeform's hit show,
00:56:33Cruel Summer. The teen drama thriller anthology became the network's most watched series ever. Tara
00:56:41has been a force beyond younger audiences. Her first year at Disney, she led the launch of Hulu's
00:56:47Onyx Collective, which focuses on creators of color and underrepresented voices. With projects like the
00:56:54brand's phenomenal debut, Summer of Soul. We wanted progress.
00:57:03We are black people and we should be proud of this. And we want our people, we want our people
00:57:10lifting ourselves. The results have been nothing short of big. Summer of Soul, when the revolution
00:57:20cannot be televised. I'm so happy right now. I could cry. Thank you. Under Tara, Onyx Collective
00:57:29continues to build its premium slate of programming.
00:57:38I feel like it's a gift. Hair Tales is a show that I'm so immensely proud of. It really speaks to the
00:57:44ethos of Onyx Collective because we really want to have content that really is reflective of black women,
00:57:52our experience and feels like it's speaking directly to that audience. The same thing with 1619.
00:57:58Nicole Hannah-Jones is such a force. And so for us to be able to give it, you know, new life as a
00:58:03docu-series just really amplified what we're trying to do at Onyx. With Tara in charge, Onyx has built a
00:58:09stellar roster of talent, striking deals with some of the most prolific names in the business. Tara
00:58:16Duncan is proving that our stories matter and will be told. When asked about her big dreams of the
00:58:22future as she focuses on taking Onyx to the top, this powerhouse black women in Hollywood said,
00:58:27My big dream is this right now. I, I, I'm living it. It's kind of crazy that it's all happening.
00:58:33It's about damn time.
00:58:39Please welcome 2023 Essence Black Woman in Hollywood Award honoree, Tara Duncan.
00:59:09Thank you so much for this incredible honor. I'm just, I have to take in this room. Um, thank you Yara.
00:59:36And thank you Essence. I am much more comfortable behind the scenes. Um, so to receive this recognition
00:59:46was truly very surprising and just beyond affirming coming from a brand like Essence, which is
00:59:53so special and meaningful to me. I grew up in a home where my mom braided my hair and she braided my
01:00:01sister's hair and she braided her friend's hair and her coworkers hair and truly women all over the
01:00:09community came to our home to have their hair braided. And I don't have to explain to this room
01:00:15the, the, the sanctity and how sacred that time is. So in our house, we had a braid room and it was a
01:00:24room where women from all over the community would come and share their stories and they would come
01:00:30and flip through the stacks of my mom's Essence magazines and Essence would set the tone for the
01:00:36conversation. Essence was the one that would tell us what's hot, who's in, who to, who, who, how to manage
01:00:45your body, your mind, and your man. Essence was, Essence was the truth. And I remember the Susan L. Taylor
01:00:57in your spirit column. And I remember that image of her just looking sun-kissed with her cornrows
01:01:06outstretched across the page. And I just remember she looked so regal. She was a goddess. She was
01:01:14sophisticated. She was beautiful. And seeing a black woman with that much confidence really set the
01:01:20tone and example for how I want to carry myself. And I actually thought about this a few years ago
01:01:28when I was named the president of Freeform. If you look at the photos from that announcement, I'm
01:01:34wearing those signature cornrows. And when I sent the articles to my mom, I said, this is my Susan L. Taylor
01:01:42moment. It's a true story. So receiving this honor is truly a full circle moment to me. And I'm really
01:01:54the most grateful to be able to acknowledge so many of you in this room. I know so many of you personally,
01:02:02and you have played such a role in getting me to this place. This is a room that is unlike any other,
01:02:10this room of black women and the people who love us is a place where we can be real, a place where we
01:02:18can be honest and a place where we can tell the truth. And the truth is these jobs behind the scenes
01:02:27are hard.
01:02:40And I say that as the daughter of a teacher and the daughter of a domestic worker. I know what a real
01:02:48job is and this is real work. And there have been moments where I have doubted my own abilities
01:02:56and I've doubted if the work that I'm doing is even enough. But without fail in those moments,
01:03:03I'll get a text from Perlena, just checking in. Or there'll be a news break about Channing Dungy,
01:03:11who has climbed to new heights. Or I'll see the work of my fellow honorees, Danielle, Dominique, Cheryl V. Ralph,
01:03:24Gina Prince-Bythewood.
01:03:27And I feel brave. I feel bold and I feel a part of a sisterhood that is changing the world.
01:03:34I want to thank all of you. And I want to thank my colleagues at Disney. I want to thank my friends
01:03:40who were brave enough to become my coworkers and come build Onyx Collective. And I want to thank
01:03:47Dana Walden for being my champion and for staying ambitious for me and always on my behalf.
01:03:57And I want to acknowledge my family who's here today and they don't usually get to see me at work.
01:04:04So I want them to know it's just like this all the time.
01:04:06So I want to acknowledge my parents, Arnett, Kathy, and my sister, Chassan.
01:04:19But I also want to acknowledge my grandmothers who are not here with us anymore, but Icy Mae and Dora Lee.
01:04:26All of this is for the unconditional love that you showed me to be reflected black into the world.
01:04:31Thank you so much.
01:04:36All right. I'm going to get back to the script in a second, but I got a question for Tara when
01:04:56she's done posing. So it was my birthday yesterday. I turned 50.
01:05:01And yes, 5-0. Not everybody can be 35 forever, Lorenz Tate.
01:05:15So some of the questions I've been getting online especially is, so what do you do? 50? Wow.
01:05:24What's the secret? And there's really two. Number one, you guys heard of FOMO, right?
01:05:31You know what FOMO is? The fear of missing out? Well, at 50, my motto is JOMO, which is the joy of missing out.
01:05:41I'm sure everybody can relate. There's nothing better than the freedom you feel when you're beyond
01:05:50other people's opinions.
01:05:54Amazing. I just don't care anymore what people think, what they say.
01:05:58I'm 50. I earned every single year. I raised two kids. One of them is here. JOMO, right?
01:06:07And then secondly, I've been cold plunging. Anybody cold plunging? Right? It's amazing.
01:06:13You wake up in the morning. It gets my energy right. Improves. No, no, no. Hold on. Hold on.
01:06:17This is not a fair representation of what this does, because it's supposed to reduce stress.
01:06:22It's not supposed to. I don't know what. Oh, Lord. Yeah, this is not.
01:06:31Yeah, no, no. This is the wrong. This is the wrong footage. Anyway.
01:06:35Whereas Tara, I was thinking, Tara, I was thinking this could be an interesting show.
01:06:39You know, a bunch of black people, freezing cold water. You know where I'm getting at, right?
01:06:47All right. Are there any Nigerians in the house? Oh, wow. Okay. Okay.
01:07:03Okay, calm down.
01:07:09Our next presenter. I'm waiting for the prompter.
01:07:17Well, here to... No, you went too far now. Come back.
01:07:23A little more. Yeah, there we go. Well, here to introduce our next honoree is a Nigerian-American
01:07:28film director who is the mastermind behind noteworthy, award-winning films like the 2019's
01:07:35Clemency and 2022's Till. Yes.
01:07:44Please welcome to the stage, Chinonye Chukwu.
01:07:47Hello, everybody. Danielle Deadwiler.
01:08:05Danielle Deadwiler is not only an actor, a formally trained poet,
01:08:19a filmmaker, and a visual artist. Danielle Deadwiler is a vessel.
01:08:26She brings a calling upon her ancestors to whatever medium she engages in. She surrenders.
01:08:36She transcends. Before... Yeah, that's all right. We can take our time.
01:08:44Before I cast Danielle in Till, I watched all the work she had previously done as an actor on screen.
01:08:52Whether it was a brief guest role in a comedic sitcom or the starring role in a dramatic movie,
01:08:58Danielle so thoroughly and exquisitely found and lived in the humanities of each of the characters she played.
01:09:07No, she didn't play them. She embodied them.
01:09:14It was as if she was magnetic energy that drew us to the depth in her eyes,
01:09:20the complexities in her gestures, the nuanced subtext in her pauses.
01:09:27And then I worked with her on Till.
01:09:32Now, I've spoken often about why I knew Danielle was perfect to portray the film's central heroine,
01:09:40Mamie Till Mobley. She can hold and command a frame without saying a word.
01:09:45She can tell an entire story with just her eyes.
01:09:50And her utter command of her craft as an actor is seen and felt in the most guttural and awe-inspiring way.
01:09:59All I gotta point to is the six-minute, 45-second long take she held in the film.
01:10:07A performance that had every single person on set utterly transfixed.
01:10:13No, that wasn't just a performance.
01:10:16That was a call upon the ancestors.
01:10:21But what I haven't spoken a lot about is who Danielle is as a person.
01:10:27For the last few years,
01:10:29I've had the honor of witnessing and experiencing an incredible human being
01:10:35who is so detached from ego and so abundantly full of humor and radical joy.
01:10:43Danielle Deadweiler is an artist.
01:10:48She is an auteur.
01:10:50She is a star in every sense of the word and has delivered one of the greatest performances in cinema history.
01:10:59She has expanded the possibilities of black female representation on screen and of cinematic storytelling in general.
01:11:15Danielle Deadweiler is my creative partner, my friend, my comrade.
01:11:23And it brings me deep joy to honor her in front of everyone today.
01:11:28And today, let's take a look at just how incredible Danielle Deadweiler is.
01:11:33I don't think I'm in Hollywood.
01:11:52My journey as an artist began in Atlanta, Georgia.
01:11:58And I have been reared and loved and my creativity has been fostered by black women
01:12:06and by black southerners and black artists of that region.
01:12:11From Kenny Leon's True Colors Theater Company to the Alliance Theater
01:12:17to rugged, you know, gallery spaces to straight up the street.
01:12:23It was at Kenny Leon's True Colors that the Spellman grad got her first big break,
01:12:28taking the stage in Ntozake Shange's classic For Colored Girls.
01:12:33Multiple times I've engaged with For Colored Girls.
01:12:36It's just a beautiful work that you can, it's one of those things you always return to Toni Morrison.
01:12:40You always can return to Ntozake Shange.
01:12:42TV roles eventually followed.
01:12:44There are plenty, plenty, plenty, plenty of good black women.
01:12:48But you don't see Brad Pitt trying to date Shonda Rhimes.
01:12:52With Danielle earning a star turn in Tyler Perry's soapy drama, The Have and Have Nots.
01:12:57Tyler enabled me to manifest a person that isn't always witnessed or valued in the world.
01:13:03Quila is somebody's girlfriend or ex-girlfriend or sister.
01:13:08And they always tell me that there's an intellectuality to everybody's life.
01:13:15And why does Quila not deserve to have that kind of expression?
01:13:22What goes around, come on back around.
01:13:26More powerful screen roles followed for Danielle, including critically acclaimed TV shows and films
01:13:32like Pea Valley and The Devil to Pay.
01:13:36Then in 2021, Danielle boomed onto the screen in the sizzling black western hit film, The Harder They Fall.
01:13:44You're in a pandemic, but James and everyone as much as possible just went into it with a joyful manner,
01:13:51a joyful intention.
01:13:53It's a pandemic, what you gonna do, you gonna be in the house?
01:13:56Let's go make a movie!
01:13:57And a movie they made.
01:13:59The Harder They Fall won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture.
01:14:04And Danielle was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress.
01:14:08The National Board of Review awarded the film the Best Ensemble Prize.
01:14:14In 2022, Danielle played opposite Zoe Saldana in the Netflix hit miniseries From Scratch,
01:14:21based on the memoir by Tembi Law.
01:14:24I knew this person in a way that I have three siblings.
01:14:28She's a teacher, I taught for two years, elementary school, and somebody who's seeking to
01:14:35have partnership in a certain way, have family in a certain way.
01:14:38I think we can all relate to that.
01:14:42But it was her role as Mammy Till, one of the most important figures in modern American history,
01:14:48that would truly have all eyes on Danielle.
01:14:50We were searching for months, Danielle sent in her tape, blew me away.
01:14:56Can they command and hold a screen? And Danielle checked all those boxes, times a hundred.
01:15:04I am an Atlantan. I am a child of these civil rights institutions that have been,
01:15:08you know, critical.
01:15:10In the freedoms that everybody in this country gets to receive.
01:15:13And Mammy is the progenitor of the civil rights movement in this way.
01:15:18You want to pay reverence. You want to honor where you come from.
01:15:22The lynching of my son has shown me that what happens to any of us,
01:15:27anywhere in the world, had better be the business of us all.
01:15:31Danielle's commanding performance has earned her praise and accolades from near and far.
01:15:37It is my great honor to present you with the Breakthrough Performance Award.
01:15:42Take us through the emotions of being nominated, being here tonight. How does it feel?
01:15:46It's deeply exciting.
01:15:47Danielle Detweiler.
01:15:49It's a beautiful thing to be receiving. The best piece of advice that I've talked
01:15:53about over and over again is the most valuable. Andrea Frye, she told me to elevate everything
01:15:57you do. Therefore, you're seeking the best part of yourself and sharing that with the people,
01:16:03whether it's family, strangers, all kinds of community. If you're in, if you're constantly seeking
01:16:09to do that, then you will be giving your best self.
01:16:23Please join me in celebrating and honoring the great Danielle Detweiler!
01:16:37I'm going to set it down.
01:16:59Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much. Thank you, Essence.
01:17:05Thank you, Chinoya Chukwu. Say her name right, y'all. Chinoya Chukwu.
01:17:15Thank you to the beautiful Table 10, which comprises of people who have been
01:17:21helping to curate and construct this beginning of a career that I've had.
01:17:25I've had Paradigm, my beautiful team, Mary, Brad, Chris, the glorious Vicki Thomas.
01:17:34Y'all don't know. I got mad love for her.
01:17:39And my beautiful people at Shelter. What up, Rachel?
01:17:46I am from Atlanta, as I've said multiple times over.
01:17:48Yeah. And, you know, I don't live here. I haven't lived here.
01:17:56And coming from a space, from the southern space, where sometimes actors aren't necessarily
01:18:01lauded or supported in a certain kind of way, which we've talked about thoroughly
01:18:05in various forms of media, you don't know how to navigate these spaces, right?
01:18:11Right? Me and my homie Gail. What up, me? We've talked about needing a kind of support system.
01:18:17So I'm dedicating this time to, um, to some notes that I've written.
01:18:23And they're entitled Notes on a Coming Into Multiple Literacies for the Multi-Literate Black Woman
01:18:30or A Survivor's Guide to the Hellish Hazing of Award Season When the Hunger from Dry Chicken is Enough.
01:18:38Okay? So here we go. Number one.
01:18:47Envision home. Always. Perpetually. Give thanks all of your six senses constructed for you.
01:18:56It is you. It is the real present in be present that folks always like to say.
01:19:02Number two. Read everybody. Read everybody. Read everyone.
01:19:15I'm talking about ingesting Cicely Tyson's memoir. Reengage Tony Sula. Be erupted by Margo Jefferson's
01:19:24Constructing a Nervous System. Touch again the mission of the Combahee River Collective.
01:19:30Gag anyone on quantum listening from Pauline Oliveros, which is listening to more than one reality
01:19:38simultaneously, because you'll need it. And let Simone White tear you up when she writes in her
01:19:47poem, uh, collection of poems or on being the other woman. Trigger warning. It's just who I am.
01:19:53I am an ignorant F-U-C-K-er, wherein the comedic shock of the thing resides in the manner in which
01:20:02I do not resemble and yet am the thing, impossibly misperceived. And later she writes,
01:20:10what is the difference between the figure that destroys and the figure that breaks away? Remember
01:20:17it. You'll need that too. When it's getting, it's getting, it's getting kind of hectic.
01:20:24Watch. Number three, watch. Suki with the good coochie. Repeatedly iterate. What's the obstacle?
01:20:34What's the obstacle? What's the obstacle? Because you're going to need that energy too.
01:20:42Tension is a life force, says Toni Morrison. And then you want to layer that with Toni's
01:20:48lecture on writing and the value of the humanities from the 90s. Dig into Dorothy Dandridge's documentary
01:20:57and construct chopped and screwed imaginings of Eartha Kitt, repeating, I fall in love with myself
01:21:07and I want someone to share her with me. Share me with me, that is.
01:21:12Number four, listen to nothing, to no thing. It's actually your own breath and how beautiful that is.
01:21:27Listen to hummingbirds, speeding in the air, listen to jazz standards, listen to Chickenhead by Project
01:21:35Pat and Lil Chat. Yeah. And don't forget the Greg Lou remix on SoundCloud. It's just something about flutes
01:21:45and hip-hop. The dissonance is deeply attractive. Number five, dream. That also means sleep.
01:21:55As much as you can. Or invite yourself to remember the weird dreams with vicious animals,
01:22:02the ones with babies coming out of nowhere, the ones where you're fighting but in slow motion and can't
01:22:07connect to the enemy's face for the life of you, the ones with family or where you're in a bad movie.
01:22:16They're instructive for the future and plain old entertaining or concerning. And number six,
01:22:25three, stay on your toes for the breaks and the fissures. As a breakthrough performance honoree,
01:22:34breakthrough implies just arriving, though you possess a longer history of efforts. Now I consider
01:22:42breakthrough to reflect illuminations or routes to other ways of seeing or affirming thicknesses in
01:22:51experience. These thicknesses, which is a term that comes from therapist Faluke Taylor, her book called
01:22:58Unruly Therapeutic. The thicknesses come in the form of other black women with languages, literacies not
01:23:05wholly parallel, but surely understood. Cheryl Lee Ralph.
01:23:11She stopped me in my tracks at an award show one time and she said, you. And I knew immediately to abide.
01:23:28She put her pristinely painted forehead on my perfectly pointillistic forehead and she spoke over me
01:23:36right then and there. And I don't remember what she said. But I do know that she saw a babe in the woods
01:23:49and skin to skin calmed the mind. A Parisian black woman
01:23:57was cleaning a luxury store in Paris and she saw me trying on clothes and typically I don't look like
01:24:08this, y'all. I'm pretty grungy. And I spoke. I said, bonjour. And she said, parlez-vous françaises?
01:24:15And she kept looking at me with her eyes and smiling and I returned it. And she just floated away with a
01:24:31lovely little wave. And I did that too. And as women who know not the same language but are literate of
01:24:39the same spirit. And then I'd be remiss not to tell you of my comrade. The one who will stand at the edge
01:24:50of the limb and just straight spit it. Just like she sees them, she smells them, she tastes them, she hear
01:24:55them, she feels them. Chinoya says much. Chukwu holds no punches. And she ain't got two. It's all in her eyes.
01:25:06On tour, sometimes she just, she sharply cut them things. And she go down. And she go, girl.
01:25:19And I knew what was what. And she championed not only me, but the legacy of Mamie and that of black
01:25:27women in this artistic community in this industry. She gestured with her neck stretched out and spoke
01:25:36truths of the inequitableness in this industry and in this experience unflinchingly, just like Gina.
01:25:45And a gesture for illiteracy for all of those who speak of multiple tongues, of rage, of intellect,
01:25:52of intensity, and of tenderness. And now, at this culminating event, honoring the work of Mamie Till
01:25:59through this film, in this chaotic award season, in desperate search of hot sauce for ashy plates,
01:26:08ashy plates. What does she know at the end? I asked that of myself. And Toni Morrison asked that at a panel
01:26:20in Harvard. And she states, it is the acquisition of knowledge. That's called a happy ending. And I say,
01:26:32that's called a breakthrough. Thank you all so much.
01:26:52Congratulations.
01:26:56All right. How's the food?
01:26:58Oh, see? The Nigerians. We don't have our food. It's coming. All right?
01:27:08Because we're going to take a little 20-minute lunch break right now.
01:27:12And for those of you who want to lunch and skip, the doors are locked.
01:27:18And I have all the valet keys. So don't even think about it, Lorenz Tate.
01:27:24So don't forget. Enjoy lunch. And we'll be back very soon.
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