LOS ANGELES — Former Vice President Kamala Harris stepped on the NAACP Image Awards stage Saturday night time with a sobering message, calling the civil rights group a pillar of the Black group and urging folks to remain resilient and maintain onto their religion throughout the tenure of President Donald Trump.
“Whereas we’ve got no illusions about what we’re up towards on this chapter in our American story, this chapter will probably be written not just by whoever occupies the oval workplace nor by the wealthiest amongst us,” Harris mentioned after receiving the NAACP’s Chairman’s Award. “The American story will probably be written by you. Written by us. By we the folks.”
The 56th annual Picture Awards was held on the Pasadena Civic Auditorium within the Los Angeles space.
Harris, defeated by Trump in final yr’s presidential election, was the primary girl and the primary particular person of colour to function vp. She had beforehand been a U.S. senator from California and the state’s legal professional normal.
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 Action Conference.
Harris spoke about everlasting vigilance, the worth of liberty, staying alert, searching 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 can we do now?’” Harris mentioned. “However we all know precisely what to do, as a result of we’ve got carried out it earlier than. And we are going to 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 straightforward 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.
Harris was honored throughout the ceremony together with the Wayans family. The household was inducted into the NAACP Picture Awards Corridor of Fame in recognition of pioneering contributions to movie, TV, sketch and stand-up comedy which have formed Hollywood for many years.
Keenen Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans Sr., Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Kim Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. every have been acknowledged.
Marlon Wayans, whose visitor look on Peacock’s “Bel-Air” was up for an NAACP award, shared how Keenen Ivory Wayans sparked the household’s rise.
“He raised us all like Jedis,” he mentioned. “We wouldn’t be right here if it wasn’t for our large brother.”
Marlon Wayans joked that when his brother informed their mother he was leaving school for comedy, she mentioned, ”Boy, I’ve recognized you your entire life, and also you ain’t by no means mentioned nothing humorous. That’s the funniest factor you’ve mentioned.”
The gang erupted in laughter, a becoming tribute to a household that has stored audiences laughing for greater than three many years.
The household has a protracted checklist of credit. Keenen Ivory Wayans created the sketch comedy sequence “In Dwelling Shade” in 1990 and directed the 2000 slasher spoof “Scary Film,” which was written by Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans, who additionally wrote and starred in “White Chicks” in 2004. Damon Wayan’s had a starring function within the 1995 comedy “Main Payne,” and at present co-stars with son Damon Wayans Jr. within the CBS sitcom “Poppa’s Home,” which was nominated for an NAACP Award. The pair additionally have been nominated for his or her appearing on the present.
Damon Wayans Jr. has acted in two of essentially the most critically acclaimed comedies lately: “Completely happy Endings” and “New Lady.” Kim Wayans, a comic, actor and director, additionally acquired reward for her work within the 2011 drama “Pariah.”
Keke Palmer expressed her shock after her title was known as as winner of the coveted leisure of the yr.
“Oh my gosh. Guys, I didn’t assume I used to be going to win,” mentioned Palmer, who paid homage to fellow nominee Cynthia Erivo’s Oscar-nominated efficiency in “Depraved.”
Palmer starred within the buddy comedy “One in every of Them Days,” which debuted No. 1 on the field workplace final month. She additionally gained an Emmy for her internet hosting efforts on NBC’s “Password.”
“It’s such an incredible class to be in with all these folks,” Palmer mentioned. “It’s a phenomenal night time. It’s Black Historical past Month, y’all. It’s so essential all of us come right here collectively and have a good time each other with each other.”
Different nominees included Kendrick Lamar, Kevin Hart and Shannon Sharpe.
Picture Awards host Deon Cole honored residents of the close by Altadena neighborhood who have been affected by January’s devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires.
A video of the hearth devastation performed earlier than actor Morris Chestnut took the stage.
“Houses have been misplaced, shops destroyed, numerous lives shattered and over two dozens souls gone perpetually,” mentioned Chestnut, a Los Angeles native who referenced impacted areas similar to Altadena, the Pacific Palisades and Malibu.
“However what was not misplaced is the spirit of our group,” mentioned Chestnut, who famous 22 Altadena residents attended the present on Saturday. Many within the viewers stood and applauded.
Cole 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 dimension 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 sequence for her function in “The Equalizer.”
Dave Chappelle was honored with the President’s Award for his “thought-provoking humor.”
Accepting the award, Chappelle talked concerning the NAACP’s push towards damaging portrayals of Black folks in media and the significance of illustration.
“Each alternative we get, we simply preserve chipping away at this monster of a machine,” he mentioned.
Previous recipients of the President’s Award embody Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill, Usher, Rihanna and John Legend.
