SILVER SPRING, Md. (PRWEB) May 04, 2021
Cathy Hughes, Urban One Founder and Chairwoman, has announced the honorees for the annual URBAN ONE HONORS, which heralds the exemplary accomplishments of African American women. This year's commemoration of excellence will air on TV One on Sunday, May 16, 2021, at 9 p.m. ET/8C and simulcast for the first time on its sister network CLEO TV.
This year's theme is 'Women Leading the Change,' and the program will recognize the myriad achievements of women leaders who are blazing trails and creating new pathways for others in their respective areas of expertise. The URBAN ONE HONORS class of 2021 honorees in business, media, health, and politics include:
● VOTING RIGHTS CHAMPION: STACEY ABRAMS
Voting rights activist and New York Times bestselling author Stacey Abrams' dedicated efforts through her organizations New Georgia Project and Fair Fight have helped to restructure the political landscape by garnering awareness for heightened voter suppression efforts, protecting the votes of underrepresented communities, and successfully executing a grassroots movement focused on turning out Georgia voters in record numbers.
● INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM CRUSADER: NIKOLE HANNAH-JONES
Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones is reframing the national conversation by covering the impediments and contributions made by Black Americans. Through her 1619 Project, published in the New York Times Magazine, Hannah-Jones continues to push past the obstacle of reframing the country's history by placing the lasting impact of slavery and contributions of Black Americans at the center of the national conversation and educational curriculum.
● HEALTH EQUALITY ADVOCATE – DR. ALA STANFORD
Founder of The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, Dr. Ala Stanford, is a healthcare champion who answered the call to eliminate institutional barriers preventing healthcare to those in her community. She is a staunch advocate for healthcare equality. Her work to mobilize the Black community and help it understand the need and urgency to vaccinate against Covid-19 reaches beyond the U.S. to Haiti, which has not yet begun to vaccinate its population.
● BUSINESS ALCHEMIST – ROSALIND BREWER
CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance Rosalind Brewer is the third African American female executive selected to lead a Fortune 500 company. She has successfully broken the "glass ceiling" to blaze trails in corporate America at companies like Starbucks and Sam's Club. Brewer is a distinguished and experienced executive who has led organizations globally through periods of changing consumer behavior by applying innovation that elevates customer experiences – ultimately driving significant and sustainable growth and value creation.
● FAMILY NEEDS AMBASSADOR – KIM FORD
President and CEO of Martha's Table Kim Ford is a resilient and life-long provider of direct service and resources to individuals in crisis within the community she serves. Ford previously served in the Obama Administration's Recovery Implementation Office, where she helped lead efforts to implement the $350 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to ignite the economy.
● REPARATIONS AMBASSADOR – ROBIN RUE SIMMONS
As a civic entrepreneur and alderman of Evanston's 5th Ward, Robin Rue Simmons, is working to break down systemic racism and barriers that hold the Black community back. Rue Simmons brought to the table the item "A Resolution Establishing a City of Evanston Funding Source Devoted to Local Reparation." Its central provision diverts tax revenue from cannabis sales for local reparations. Her nimble political maneuvering and effort to get people to rethink what reparations mean can serve as a lesson on how to succeed in the long fight for reparations.
In commemoration of Urban One Honors, Radio One will promote its "Hometown Sheroes" initiative, honoring women of distinction in all 13 of its urban markets. Listeners will be encouraged to visit their local Radio One station website to nominate local "Hometown Sheroes," ladies making a difference to enhance the lives of others in their communities. These sheroes include teachers, first responders, volunteers, and community activists. A panel of in-house judges will select one "Hometown Sheroe" from each market. The winner will receive on-air recognition in their respective market and on its digital platform, an award presented by station management, and recognition on the national Urban One Honors website.
URBAN ONE HONORS will also pay a special homage to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the boundary-breaking, all-female jazz band. Helen Jones Woods, the mother of Urban One Founder, Cathy Hughes, was a founding member of the group. The Sweethearts band comprised 18 ethnically diverse members who overcame discrimination, racism, and sexism to become symbols of success in the face of adversity. Five special musical performances will be dedicated to The Sweethearts' throughout the awards ceremony, with each song celebrating the jazz ensemble through electrifying performances of their hit singles with a modern twist.
Grammy-Award-winning gospel artist Erica Campbell and award-winning journalist and author Roland Martin will host the event. Now in its third year, URBAN ONE HONORS was created to acknowledge and pay homage to individuals and organizations whose work significantly impacts society and culture.
URBAN ONE HONORS is executive produced for TV One by Eric Tomosunas and Robert Boyd of Swirl Films and produced by Jazz Smollett. Susan Henry serves as Executive Producer for TV One. Kashon Powell, Vice President of Programming for Radio One, and Donyell Kennedy-McCullough is Senior Director of Talent and Casting. Robyn Greene Arrington is Vice President of Original Programming and Production.
ABOUT SWIRL FILMS
Swirl Films is one of the leading independent TV & Urban Film Production companies in the country, based out of Atlanta, Georgia, and founded by Eric Tomosunas in 2001. Swirls project slate includes the wildly popular original drama series, Saints & Sinners, and high-quality films and series produced for TV One, BET, Bounce, Lifetime, Hallmark, Reel One, Netflix & Up TV. Swirl Films provides services and content across various areas of production spanning from script to screen, for movies, biopics, scripted series, award shows, and documentaries. Purchased in 2019, Swirl Films owns and operates its own 100,000 square foot film studio in Atlanta.
ABOUT URBAN ONE, INC.
Urban One, Inc. (urban1.com), together with its subsidiaries, is the largest diversified media company that primarily targets African-American and urban consumers in the United States. Urban One is the parent company of Radio One, Reach Media, Inc. (blackamericaweb.com), TV One (tvone.tv), CLEO TV (mycleo.tv), iOne Digital (ionedigital.com), and One Solution. Formerly known as Radio One, Inc., the company was founded in 1980 with a single radio station and now owns and/or operates 60 broadcast stations (including HD and low power television stations) in 14 urban markets in the United States, making it one of the nation's largest radio broadcasting companies. The Company's growth led to diversification into syndicated radio programming, cable television, and online digital media. As a result, in 2017, Radio One, Inc. was renamed Urban One, Inc. to better reflect the Company's multi-media operations.
While the Company was renamed Urban One, Radio One remains the brand of the radio division and all of its radio assets. Through Reach Media, Inc., the Company operates nationally syndicated radio programming, including the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, the Russ Parr Morning Show, and the DL Hughley Show. TV One is a national cable television network serving more than 59 million households, offering a broad range of original programming, classic series, and movies designed to entertain, inform and inspire a diverse audience of adult Black viewers. Launched in January 2019, CLEO TV is a lifestyle and entertainment cable television network targeting Millennial and Gen X women of color. iOne Digital is a collection of digital platforms providing the African American community with social, news, and entertainment content across numerous branded websites, including Cassius, Bossip, HipHopWired, and MadameNoire branded websites. One Solution provides award-winning, fully integrated advertising solutions across the entire Urban One multi-media platform. Through its national, multi-media operations, the Company and One Solution provides advertisers with a unique and powerful delivery mechanism to African American and urban audiences. Finally, Urban One owns a minority interest in MGM National Harbor, a gaming resort located in Prince George's County, Maryland.
ABOUT TV ONE
Launched in January 2004, TV One serves 49 million households, offering a broad range of real-life and entertainment-focused original programming, classic series, movies, and music designed to entertain and inform a diverse audience of adult black viewers. The network represents the best in black culture and entertainment with fan favorite shows Unsung, Uncensored, ATL Homicide, Fatal Attraction, and Urban One Honors. In addition, TV One is the cable home of original blockbuster films including When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story, Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story, Bobbi Kristina, and The Bobby DeBarge Story. TV One is solely owned by Urban One, Inc., formerly known as Radio One, Inc. [NASDAQ: UONE and UONEK, http://www.urban1.com , the largest African-American-owned multi-media company primarily targeting Black and urban audiences.
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