Shonda Rhimes, Gladys Knight, Danai Gurira, Amandla Stenberg, and
Black Lives Matter Founders Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, Opal Tometi
to Be Honored at This Year's "BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™" Awards on BET
"BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™" 2016 Will Tape Friday, April 1, 2016 at the New
Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, New Jersey
#BLACKGIRLSROCK
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
BET Networks and Beverly Bond, CEO, founder and Creator of "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™", are excited to announce the return of Tracee
Ellis Ross as the host of "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™" 2016 and the star studded line up of
celebrants which include ShondaLand producer and writer Shonda Rhimes
(Shot Caller Award), R&B legend Gladys Knight (Living Legend
Award), The Walking Dead actress and Eclipsed playwright Danai
Gurira (Star Power Award), award-winning actress and activist Amandla
Stenberg (Young Gifted and Black Award), and Black Lives Matter
founders Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi
(Community Change Agent Award). BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™ acknowledges the achievements of African-American
women who have broken barriers in the areas of art, music, philanthropy
and community service. This year' BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™ will tape on Friday, April 1, 2016 at the New
Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, NJ and the broadcast will
premiere on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at 8:00 P.M. ET/PT.
"I am so proud to once again host "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™"! What an incredible night celebrating Black
women in a show dedicated to Black Girl Magic. Powerhouses Debra Lee,
CEO and Chairman of BET Networks and Beverly Bond, CEO of ‘Black Girls
Rock! ™' are true examples of Black Girls who Rock. I've proudly hosted
this show since before it was televised, and it's been an honor to be
connected to this show for so long. In its 10th year, this show is of
utmost importance in today's times as it highlights positive
reinforcement and representation for young black women. I am looking
forward to once again being a part of such a wonderful night celebrating
the beauty, talents, and accomplishments of black women - it will be a
show to remember!" - Tracee Ellis Ross
This year the dynamic "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™" movement, founded by Beverly Bond,
celebrates its 10 year anniversary and its sixth televised broadcast on
BET Networks. The NAACP Award winning "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™" on BET continues to represent a
revolutionary landmark in media as it delivers edifying, entertaining
and inspiring content honoring the nexus of achievements made by
powerful Black women and girls. "Over the last ten years, BLACK GIRLS
ROCK! has reaffirmed the spectrum of brilliance that Black women
possess and has helped forge a cultural paradigm shift regarding the
ways that Black women and girls are depicted in media," said Beverly
Bond. "I am proud that BLACK GIRLS ROCK! is at the forefront of a
new women's empowerment movement inspiring women of color to define
ourselves, to own our magic, to share our truth, to elevate our own
narratives, to celebrate our brilliance and resilience, and to love
ourselves fiercely."
The 2015 "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™"celebrants included: Jada Pinkett Smith
(Star Power Award), Erykah Badu (Rock Star Award), Ava DuVernay (Shot
Caller Award), Cicely Tyson (Living Legend Award), Dr. Helene D. Gayle
(Social Humanitarian Award), and Nadia Lopez (Change Agent Award) with a
special appearance and speech from First Lady Michelle Obama and
memorable performances from Ciara, Estelle, Jill Scott, Fantasia, Sheila
E, Lalah Hathaway, Cheryl Lynn, Alicia Myers, and Kathy Sledge who ended
the night with a surprise throwback medley.
The televised special, "BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™" on BET is a BET Networks and B.G.R.
Enterprises Inc./BONDVISION MEDIA production. The executive producers
are Beverly Bond, CEO, Founder and Creator of BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™,
Stephen Hill, BET President of Programming, Connie Orlando, BET Senior
Vice President of Specials, Music and News, and Jeannae Rouzan of Jesse
Collins ENT.
For updates or more information about BLACK
GIRLS ROCK! ™ visit http://www.BET.com/blackgirlsrock
and www.blackgirlsrock.com.
Join the conversation on social media by logging on to our social media
platforms:
ABOUT BLACK GIRLS ROCK! ™:
Founded by celebrity DJ, model and executive producer, Beverly Bond,
BLACK GIRLS ROCK! ™ is a multifaceted movement dedicated to shifting the
culture of media images depicting Black women and girls. Since 2006,
BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ has been committed to empowering women through media
and enriching girls through leadership, education, and positive identity
development programs. For additional information on BLACK GIRLS ROCK! ™,
visit http://www.blackgirlsrock.com.
ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the
nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and
public affairs television programming for the African-American audience.
The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can
be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom
and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer
brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading
Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news;
CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to
54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel
and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment
tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings
for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event
Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with
festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides
ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET
International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the
extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
ABOUT NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER:
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark,
New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United
States. It is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of
New Jersey -- where great performances and events enhance and transform
lives every day. As New Jersey's Town Square, NJPAC brings diverse
communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State's
and the world's best artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the
revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education
programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts
enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted over seven million visitors (including
more than one million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and
nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its
constituents. Visit http://www.njpac.org
or call 1-888-GO-NJPAC for more information.
ABOUT TRACEE ELLIS ROSS:
Tracee Ellis Ross is the star of the hit ABC comedy series "Black-ish."
For her role, Ross won the 2015 and 2016 NAACP Image Award for "Best
Actress in a Comedy Series." Ross was recently honored at the 2016
ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood luncheon receiving the "Fierce and
Fearless" award. Ross is best known for her starring role on the hit
sitcom "Girlfriends" which ran for eight seasons on The UPN/CW network.
Her role earned her eight NAACP Image Award nominations including two
wins in the category of "Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series". She
also starred in and produced the BET series "Reed Between the Lines,"
which won her a third NAACP Image Award. Ross is a dedicated and
passionate motivational speaker. She created and teaches "Taping Into
Your Creative Well," a workshop that encourages participants to discover
and utilize their inner joy to keep their lives on course. She is also
works closely with teenage girls by volunteering with Aviva Family and
Children Services in Los Angeles and The Big Brother Big Sister Program
where she has held self- esteem workshops nationwide. Ross was honored
by The Los Angeles Urban League as "Volunteer of the Year" in 2004, and
was the 2009 recipient of the Impact Award from the Aviva Organization.
In 2012, the fashion influencer expanded her vast digital influence by
launching her official website Traceeellisross.com. The lifestyle site
utilizes Ross' unique cross-cultural and joyful point of view to inspire
the soul, body and mind of her followers.
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View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160311005415/en/
MEDIA
BET NETWORKS
LeToya
Glenn-Bacon, 212-205-3158
Letoya.Glenn@bet.net
or
BLACK
GIRLS ROCK!™
Lisa Sorensen, 646-330-5458
Lisa@ls-pr.com
Source: BET Networks
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