LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Vice President Kamala Harris stepped on the NAACP Picture Awards stage Saturday evening with a sobering message, calling the civil proper’s group a pillar of the Black neighborhood and urging folks to remain resilient and maintain onto their religion through the tenure of President Donald Trump.
“Whereas we’ve got no illusions about what we’re up in opposition to on this chapter in our American story, this chapter will likely be written not just by whoever occupies the oval workplace nor by the wealthiest amongst us,” Harris stated after receiving the NAACP’s Chairman’s Award. “The American story will likely be written by you. Written by us. By we the folks.”
The 56th annual Picture Awards kicked off Saturday on the Pasadena Civic Auditorium within the Los Angeles space.
Harris, defeated by Trump in final 12 months’s presidential election, was the primary girl and the primary individual of coloration to function vp. She had beforehand been a U.S. senator from California and the state’s legal professional basic.
In her first main public look since leaving workplace, Harris didn’t reference her election loss or Trump’s actions since getting into the Oval Workplace, though Trump mocked her earlier within the day on the Conservative Political Motion Convention.
Harris spoke about everlasting vigilance, the value of liberty, staying alert, looking for the reality and America’s future.
“Some see the flames on our horizons, the rising waters in our cities, the shadows gathering over our democracy and ask ‘What will we do now?’” Harris stated. “However we all know precisely what to do, as a result of we’ve got performed it earlier than. And we’ll do it once more. We use our energy. We manage, mobilize. We educate. We advocate. Our energy has by no means come from having a simple path.”
Different winners of the Chairman’s prize have included former President Barack Obama, the late Rep. John Lewis and the late actor Ruby Dee.
Awards acknowledge LA residents impacted by wildfires
Picture Awards host Deon Cole honored residents of the close by Altadena neighborhood who had been affected by a current Los Angeles-area wildfire.
Cole then shifted tone and brightened the temper with a comedic prayer for Kanye West’s spouse to search out extra garments after her barely-there Grammys look and for Shannon Sharpe to lastly measurement up his T-shirts.
The opening act was a lead-up to the night’s first award: Queen Latifah as finest actress in a drama collection, for her position in “The Equalizer.”
The ceremony happened in Pasadena, simply south of the Altadena space, and video of final month’s hearth devastation performed earlier than actor Morris Chestnut took the stage.
“Houses had been misplaced, shops destroyed, numerous lives shattered and over two dozens souls gone eternally,” stated Chestnut, a Los Angeles native who referenced impacted areas similar to Altadena, the Pacific Palisades and Malibu. He stated 22 Altadena residents attended the present, panning in direction of them as many within the viewers stood up and applauded.
“However what was not misplaced is the spirit of our neighborhood,” Chestnut stated.
NAACP Corridor of Fame
Harris was honored through the ceremony together with the Wayans household — Keenen Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans Sr., Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Kim Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. — whose affect on movie, TV, sketch and stand-up comedy has formed Hollywood on and off display, had been every being acknowledged.
A few of their credit embrace the sketch comedy collection “In Residing Colour,” created by Keenan Ivory Wayans in 1990, and Damon Wayans’ starring position within the 1995 comedy “Main Payne.”
Keenan Ivory Wayans additionally directed the 2000 slasher spoof “Scary Film,” written by Marlon and Shawn Wayans, who additionally wrote and starred in “White Chicks” in 2004. Father-son duo Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. presently co-star within the CBS sitcom “Poppa’s Home.”
Damon Wayans Jr. has acted in two of probably the most critically acclaimed comedies in recent times: “Glad Endings” and “New Woman.” Kim Wayans, a comic, actor and director, additionally obtained reward for her work within the 2011 drama “Pariah.”
“Poppa’s Home” was nominated for an NAACP Award, as had been Damon Wayons and Damon Wayons Jr. for his or her appearing on the present. Marlon Wayans’ visitor look on Peacock’s “Bel-Air” was additionally up for an award.
Entertainer of the 12 months
The highest nominees for the coveted honor included Kendrick Lamar, Cynthia Erivo, Keke Palmer, Kevin Hart and Shannon Sharpe.
Lamar gained over the plenty for his rap battle with Drake, resulting in chart-topping dis tracks together with “Not Like Us,” which gained him 5 Grammys. He headlined the Tremendous Bowl halftime present earlier this month.
Erivo, who made her presence felt in her Oscar-nominated efficiency in “Depraved,” would be the host of the upcoming Tony Awards.
Sharpe, an NFL Corridor of Famer, turned an influential voice in media along with his podcast “Membership Shay Shay” and “Nightcap,” with Chad Ochocinco Johnson.
Hart confirmed off his comedic abilities throughout “The Roast of Tom Brady” and starred in “Raise and Borderlands.”
Palmer starred within the buddy comedy “Certainly one of Them Days,” which debuted No. 1 on the field workplace final month. She gained an Emmy for her internet hosting efforts on NBC’s “Password.”
Different honorees
Dave Chappelle was to be honored with the president’s award for his “thought-provoking humor,” in accordance with Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO.
Chappelle would be the first comic to obtain the respect. Previous recipients embrace Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill, Usher, Rihanna and John Legend.
DJ D-Good was to honor music legend the late Quincy Jones, and Grammy winner Ledisi was set to carry out alongside the Adam Blackstone Band.