(AllHipHop News) With activities every Saturday around the New York area, Black Girls Rock! has mentored dozens of young girls by helping them change their outlook on life, broaden their horizons, and empower themselves.
“We use the arts as a tool to tap into creativity and to teach discipline,” Beverly Bond told The Washington Post, “It’s important to tap into your abilities. I try to teach our girls how to find their purpose in life.” A celebrity DJ and philanthropist, Bond is the creative force behind the awards celebration, Black Girls Rock! She launched the non-profit organization in 2006 as a way of helping young girls learn the arts to build self-esteem.
The Black Girls Rock! Awards celebration began as a way to honor women of color for their achievements, a way to salute the excellence of Black women. Award categories include the Star Power Award, Living Legend Award, Inspiration Award, Rock Star Award, and Social Humanitarian Award. Another show highlight is the awarding of the Young, Gifted, and Black honor – this year to Janelle Monae.
Now in its third year on BET, Black Girls Rock! airs tonight at 8PM (November 4) and will be hosted by Tracee Ellis Ross and Regina King.
AllHipHop.com talked to some amazing entertainers at ASCAP’s Women Behind the Music event about why honoring the achievements of Black women is so important:
Singer/Songwriter, Dondria: It’s very important to support any and everybody who in one way or other do what I do.
Radio/TV Personality, Egypt Sherrod: We go to so many awards shows that honor men in this industry, but there are so many women who wake up that much earlier and go to sleep that much later just to prove that we should be on an equal playing field.
Entertainment Attorney, Bernie Lawrence: Black women are strong workers. Too many times the work that we do for others goes unrecognized. When organizations like ASCAP and Black Girls Rock! bring us to forefront, it reassures us that we can rock just like men can.
Singer, Brandi Williams of Blaque: Women have power, they have strength. Following our passions and keeping God first helps us make our dreams come true.
Singer/Songwriter/TV Personality, Tameka “Tiny” Harris: I tell my daughter to learn the business and to learn as she goes, especially behind the scenes but to also have fun.
Singer/Actress, Teyana Taylor: This generation now, we take too much time bringing each other down when we should be helping each other rise. People judge Black women and say that we can never get along, we should combine our talents. We’ve created so much stuff for thousands of years. We can go so much farther together.
Black Girls Rock! airs tonight (November 4) at 8PM on BET. Join the conversation using the hashtag #BLACKGIRLSROCK on Twitter.