00:09Hey y'all all right Father God in the name of Jesus we thank you and we praise you for
00:16having
00:16us here today oh my God I love this event I love being surrounded by my chocolate sisters who are
00:24running this industry changing the rules and providing every single day that we belong in
00:30this room on every stage and that on every stage and that our voices and our representation matters
00:38that's what essence black women in Hollywood is all about celebrating women who don't just show up
00:43they show out and today we get to honor someone who was in her very first feature film she showed
00:51us what it is and what it means to rise to fight and to leave an unforgettable mark on our
00:57screens
00:58someone who has already shown us exactly what she is made of in a film that is shaking people's
01:04hearts and minds that someone is my baby girl Chase Infinity now I got to be real with y'all
01:18making
01:19it in Hollywood is oh my god them plates baby that plate whooping them ears I mean I play whooping
01:31me
01:32y'all know making it in Hollywood is not easy I know this and you know this it's literally one
01:43battle
01:43after another sometimes it feels like something you're running uphill with no break proving yourself
01:50again and again fighting for your voice fighting for your place and just fighting to truly be seen
01:56baby I was shook
02:00because I had to get to that part because I was shook every scene every emotion you feel the heartbeat
02:07of
02:07her performance and I don't mean just on the surface I mean deep in your soul people were talking
02:14people were gasping people were gagging people were crying people were cheering because Chase didn't just
02:20act Chase became the story and in a film that is literally about facing one challenge after another
02:27Chase carried it all with strength grace and fearlessness and did it all and did all of that in
02:33her first feature film give it up for that job now let's be clear stepping into Hollywood for the
02:46first time is one thing but stepping into it with Paul Thomas Anderson and at the helm opposite Leonardo
02:53DiCaprio Sean Penn Benicio del Toro Regina Hall and her mother
03:01you all better clap louder
03:06all right now stop stop I know I've been to her in the movie but I ain't been to her
03:11in real life
03:11okay that's my girl that's my girl but my baby is on another level and let me tell you Chase
03:17handled
03:18it like a pro that's what happens when you don't play small that's what happens when you step into your
03:24moment not with fear but with purpose Chase represents a new generation of black women in
03:29Hollywood who faces challenges but gets back up and keep going stronger smarter and bolder so today
03:37we celebrate not just a phenomenal performance but a fierce spirit a rising star and a black woman in
03:43Hollywood who is going to be with us for a very long time because baby girl you are covered you
03:49hear me
03:49you are covered in the name of Jesus you have a lot of life ahead of you you have a
03:54lot of career
03:55ahead of you and I hope you know that so continue to navigate this business with grace so thank you
04:02for showing us what it means to fight shine and to inspire keep going keep going keep going you have
04:09so
04:10much life ahead of you I already said that I was freestyling right there um you covered uh-huh I
04:16was just so
04:17hype I was already wanting to tell you we are all watching we are all rooting for you and we
04:21are all
04:22cheering you on every step of the way let's take a look
04:30every once in a while a new face appears on screen and you can feel the promise of what's to
04:36come
04:36for chase infinity that promise revealed itself through performances marked by vulnerability
04:42honesty and remarkable death her work helped introduce audiences worldwide to a powerful new
04:49voice earning critical acclaim and industry attention in a remarkably short time her performances
04:57have earned global recognition including the national board of review breakthrough performance award
05:03and nominations from BAFTA the golden globes and critics choice working alongside acclaimed artist
05:10she has shown an instinct for character and emotional truth well beyond her years with authenticity at
05:17her core chase represents a new generation of artists bold intentional and unafraid to take up space
05:26i've dreamed of being here and i i love this industry and i love all the the artists and the
05:30creatives that i get to meet i'm getting the opportunity to work with people who i've looked up to for
05:34so
05:35long ruth nega is one of them tiana taylor is one of them and regina hall those are people that
05:40i will
05:41always give their flowers their well-deserved flowers too they've taught me so much and they've guided me
05:46in so many incredible ways and i'm just even grateful that i can call on them for anything
05:50she steps into each moment with confidence curiosity and a clear sense of purpose
05:56i just never want any any moment in my life right now to pass me by because i'm filled with
06:02so much
06:03gratitude and showing my versatility as a black woman is something that can be viewed as empowering to
06:09people as well so i think that having that is what i'm trying to do and i will continue to
06:14do
06:15this is only the beginning and already her light is undeniable it's such a beautiful path that we get to
06:23walk on and just being a face of representation to people who look like me or people who have hair
06:30like me it's an opportunity i'm not taking lightly i feel so blessed and so honored to be here
06:41it is my honor to present the essence black women in hollywood award to a rising star who has already
06:48won
06:49our hearts again i might have abandoned you in the movie but i will always that's why y'all didn't
06:57clap when i said i was her mother i might have abandoned you in the movie but i will always
07:03be
07:03fully present in real life i love you give it up for my baby girl chase infinity y'all
07:09from early morning till i'm dripping in the moonlight hop in the right just guarantee to get the move
07:15right okay all right all night all day keep it sweet and right like let my nature i know you
07:22heard it
07:23baby rhythm is a dance like can nobody do it like i do it do it better all right okay
07:29all night all day
07:31i said as right as all i made my body mine and so connected hi guys the room is much
07:39bigger from up
07:40here oh my god um okay first i wanted to say thank you so much to essence for hosting this
07:47event and for
07:48having me here today and i am truly grateful to be a part of this incredible group of women being
07:53honored
07:53today and to tiana thank you so much so much for being here and for everything you've done for me
08:00immediately from the moment that we met i love you so much truly
08:09oh oh my gosh look at this i have even more to save let me give her flowers your guidance
08:13your
08:14humor your light and support have meant more to me than i could ever even put into words
08:19i've only had two projects released so far but on both of those sets i had the honor of working
08:24alongside incredible black women from the very start of my one battle auditions which lasted for over six
08:30months i
08:30i was able to go through that process with the incredible regina hall exactly
08:39and she gave me her time and advice and cared for me from the start before the role of willow
08:44was even
08:44mine she encouraged me to find my own voice as willow and was there for me anytime i needed her
08:51and the last six months have been filled with many firsts but having tiana and regina by my side through
08:56it all made it so much sweeter i feel so lucky to have had this experience with youtube by my
09:01side
09:01again another kiss before one battle the first set i was ever on was a show called presumed innocent
09:12and on that set i had the privilege to get to know and work opposite ruth nega ruth to this
09:18day is a
09:19constant force in my life she's the person i call whenever i get overwhelmed confused or excited by an
09:25opportunity and she was also my first call before the one battle press tour because i had no idea what
09:30that meant or even looked like ruth helped me find my way on my first day on set and it
09:36felt like fate
09:36meeting her when i did my career though it's just starting has been marked by the generosity and
09:42mentorship of other black women who have paved this path for me and i feel grateful and honored to
09:47be here today and more than anything extremely grateful to have been welcomed into this community
09:53thank you
09:57i have so much love and admiration for my fellow honorees and they have oh and what they have done
10:02this year and beyond carrie latonya autumn hannah ruth shanika wumi and jamie you have all inspired me
10:09in so many ways and i have loved watching what you all have created and thank you again to essence
10:14to my
10:15family who is here with me today and everyone in the room for championing and celebrating each other
10:19thank you i'm so honored to be a black woman in hollywood
