NAACP

Queen Latifah To Host 54th NAACP Image Awards

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The 54th NAACP Image Awards is just days away—a night where Black artists and activists will gather to commemorate the immeasurable achievements they’ve accomplished throughout the past year. On Saturday night (Feb. 25), legendary rapper and actress Queen Latifah will grace the stage as the event’s host. The ceremony will celebrate the outstanding achievements of the attendees across 80 categories. This includes film, television + streaming, music, literature, and podcasts, according to an official statement.

The Equalizer star quickly shared the news on her socials. “It’s an honor to host the 54th NAACP Image Awards, especially in the year we are celebrating 50 years of Hip Hop,” exclaims Queen Latifah. “This is a night to celebrate Black excellence and Black contribution to our industry and beyond. Celebrating one another, lifting each other up and you know we’ll have fun doing it!” The show starts at 8 PM EST. “Queen Latifah is one of our generation’s most influential and iconic voices,” says BET exec Connie Orlando. “We are excited to collaborate with the groundbreaking megastar as she hosts the 54th NAACP Image Awards.” 

Queen Latifah Announces New Gig

Sheryl Lee Ralph, as well as Jonathan Majors, Zendaya, and Letitia Wright, are listed as presenters for the event. In addition, Majors, who just graced the Ebony cover, is also up for an award. The Creed III actor will go against Will Smith and Daniel Kaliyah for his role in 2022’s Devotion. Furthermore, Mary J. Bilge and Method Man will appear Saturday evening, as both are nominated for major awards. The music legends tapped into their acting bag, and are now being celebrated following their appearances in Power Book II: Ghost. The Wu-Tang emcee is up for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Cliff Smith, along with Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for On The Come Up. Mary J. Bilge is going for the Entertainer of the Year, as well as Outstanding Soul/R&B Song. She’s also set to perform.

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP is excited to see Black artists who have “redefined genres.” As a result of his lifetime achievements, Samuel L. Jackson will be given the NAACP Chairman’s Award that evening. Johnson also shouts out activists that “showcased our history and uplifted values of progressive change.” The prestigious 2022 NAACP Of The Year Award will go to Scot X. Esdaile.

[Via]

Pharrell Pays Off Five Students’ Debts At An NAACP Panel

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Over the past two years, student debt has become a hot-button issue, in part because of certain campaign promises made by Joe Biden during his successful bid for the Presidency. While conservative commentators have railed against debt forgiveness — mostly to oppose Democrats, despite the policy’s overwhelming popularity among voters — others have taken matters into their own hands. In 2019, Vista Equity founder and billionaire Robert F. Smith paid off the tuition of the entire Morehouse University graduating class. Now, Pharrell Williams, in an attempt to lead by example, has done the same for five student leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

During a Friday panel on the student debt crisis for Black scholars at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington, DC, Pharrell announced he was paying off all student debt for students of Southern University, Howard, and Florida A&M, as well as alumni of North Carolina AT, and Norfolk State. The panel’s organizer, NAACP National Director of Youth and College Wisdom Cole, said, “Pharrell forever changed their lives. This was a powerful moment. Now just imagine if President Biden made this a reality for all student debt holders in America.”

Meanwhile, NCAAP President and CEO Derrick Johnson posted photos of the youth leaders as they learned of their debt cancelation on Twitter, imploring President Biden, “It’s your turn now to do the same for all Americans plagued by student debt.” Hours later, Pharrell kicked off his Something In The Water Festival, where he’s set to perform with Clipse, Justin Timberlake, SZA, and more.

NAACP + Vans Come Together for A Scholarship Program to Uplift African American Students

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The Creative Sole Scholarship, launched by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Vans was created to support and uplift African American students with monetary aid. The scholarship itself was under the hope of Vans to create a program that will motivate students who receive this scholarship to graduate. The scholarship […]

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