CNN's Soledad O'Brien was given the honorary President's Award for her work as a journalist. She was cited for ongoing initiatives such as the "Children of the Storm," series which provided video cameras to young Hurricane Katrina survivors so that they could tell their stories of trial and triumph in their own words and images.
Honorary recognition also included Bill Cosby's induction into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame, and the Chairman's Award to musician and activist, Bono of the rock group U2. Celebrities nominated for The 38th NAACP Image Awards include, among others, Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Penelope Cruz, Laurence Fishburne, Jamie Foxx, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, Mo’Nique, Eddie Murphy, Barack Obama, Prince, Lionel Richie, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, and Forest Whitaker.
This star-studded salute, hosted by LL Cool J, is the premier event that celebrates the achievements of people of color in the arts and sciences. This is the first time the show was televised live,
When the President's Award was presented to Soledad, she was emotional on stage and later backstage.
Asked backstage how she maintains a balance between her personal and professional lives: "How do you get balance? I don’t have balance. I have complete chaos at home,” she laughs backstage, hoisting her trophy. “I think that anyone who has four small children — 6, 4 and [2-year-old] twins — then you have chaos. But I have two things that I really, really love. And that’s my family — my children and my husband — and my job. I feel very blessed.”
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its half-million adult and youth members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.
No comments:
Post a Comment