{"id":244276,"date":"2020-02-07T02:04:55","date_gmt":"2020-02-07T07:04:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=244276"},"modified":"2020-02-07T02:04:55","modified_gmt":"2020-02-07T07:04:55","slug":"essence-event-affirms-the-power-of-black-women-in-hollywood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2020\/02\/07\/essence-event-affirms-the-power-of-black-women-in-hollywood\/","title":{"rendered":"Essence event affirms the power of black women in Hollywood"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Through laughs, tears and speeches that turned into sermons and affirmations, the overarching theme of this year’s star-studded Essence luncheon was that in an unforgiving industry that often overlooks, black women need no validation from Hollywood \u2014 or elsewhere \u2014 to appreciate their self-worth. (File photo: Samantha Sophia\/Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. \u2014 Through laughs, tears and speeches that turned into sermons and affirmations, the overarching theme of this year’s star-studded Essence luncheon was that in an unforgiving industry that often overlooks, black women need no validation from Hollywood \u2014 or elsewhere \u2014 to appreciate their self-worth.\u2014<\/p>\n

No one in this room derived from luck. We are a powerful force field that derived from greatness,\u201d said \u201cCaptain Marvel\u201d actress Lashana Lynch at Thursday afternoon’s Essence Black Women in Hollywood event. \u201cWe work hard on our craft and our self love, and have to remind ourselves daily that we deserve a seat at the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cQueen & Slim\u201d director Melina Matsoukas, another honoree, echoed Lynch’s sentiments when she received her award from \u201cInsecure\u201d actress and creator Issa Rae, who tapped Matsoukas to direct the hit HBO comedy series.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels incredible to be seen, respected and have your work valued; it means more when that acknowledgement comes from your own community,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Matsoukas, who has also directed videos for A-listers including Beyonce’s \u201cLemonade\u201d opus, added: \u201cRecently I’ve been battling my own rage. As I keep saying, the daily onslaught of white supremacy and colonization is infuriating and also exhausting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI shared my sentiments with Ms. (Ava) DuVernay the other night, and what she said went deep. It was simply: `Don’t let them steal your joy,\u201d’ she said to applause. \u201cSince them, I’ve been thinking about how to reclaim my own joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Attending the luncheon was certainly one way. The annual event is among the more festive and emotional of Oscars week, and always attracts an A-list crowd: This year’s attendees included DuVernay, Kerry Washington, Janelle Monae, Cynthia Erivo, Lena Waithe, Sharon Osbourne, Brittany Howard, Gabrielle Union and Alfre Woodard (who honoured Lynch).<\/p>\n

Besides Lynch and Matsoukas, the director and cast of \u201cPose\u201d and Emmy-nominee Niecy Nash were also honoured. Erivo, a best actress nominee at the Oscars, is the only actor of colour nominated, which has drawn renewed attention to the need for more diversity at the Academy Awards.<\/p>\n

Before the luncheon, Washington spoke of the importance of the luncheon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love events like today because we actually get to be in a room and celebrate each other and encourage each other and remind each other that we’re doing the good work. Right, to not focus as much on the problem, but to look at each other as the solution together,\u201d she said. \u201cSo I think as long as we just keep showing up for each other and doing this work and celebrating each other and encouraging each other, then we’ll get there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eve was the host of the event, which began with a moment of silence for Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven other people killed in a helicopter crash late last month.<\/p>\n

Also remembered was the late icon Diahann Carroll, who died last fall. Washington, a dear friend, remembered Carroll, the first black woman to star in her own TV series and one of the small circle of black women nominated for a best actress honour, as a trailblazer.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer presence in the upper tiers of excellence in this business makes her not just a hero but one of our founding mothers,\u201d Washington said. \u201cThat I am here, that we are all here, working and thriving in Hollywood is because she did the work first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lynch will star in the upcoming James Bond film \u201cNo Time to Die.\u201d The British actress talked about the importance of knowing many black girls will be validated seeing her on screen in the film. She credited the \u201cextraordinary black women around me\u201d for giving her the validation she needed, and paid special tribute to her mother, who was in the audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I can be half the woman you are I know that I will have succeeded,\u201d she said, fighting back tears.<\/p>\n

There was plenty of emotion at the event, particularly when the women of \u201cPose\u201d were honoured. Cast mate and Emmy-winner Billy Porter’s voice broke when he spoke about the importance of black transgender women being honoured by Essence. Janet Mock, who directs the FX series about into the ballroom culture and the LBGTQ world of the 1980s and 90s, noted how black trans women are often victims of violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe struggle for black people must include black trans and queer people, period. And this award reaffirms that our stories, our lives, our experiences matter,\u201d she said, as \u201cPose\u201d star Mj Rodriguez wiped away tears next to her along with Angelica Ross and Hailie Sahar.<\/p>\n

But perhaps the most emotional honoree of the event was Nash, who was nominated for an Emmy last fall for her role in DuVernay’s Netflix miniseries \u201cWhen They See Us.\u201d The actress recently went through a divorce and while she cracked jokes through her speech, she cried as she talked about coming to the epiphany that she didn’t need to be attached to anyone to be happy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have never been better in my entire life, and I don’t belong to nobody but myself,\u201d she said through tears. \u201cGod took me and he broke me and he gave me back to the people better than I was before.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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