Debbie Allen, the legendary choreographer, and visionary behind the Debbie Allen Dance Academy (DADA), is celebrating 25 years of transforming lives through the power of dance.
“I encourage others to take ownership of their image and their story,” Wren T. Brown said, reflecting on the importance of preserving Black artistic history. “The dots are absolutely connected,” he added, emphasizing the legacy of Black artists as part of America’s cultural fabric for over 250 years.
“People always reference crabs in a barrel, but no one ever questions the barrel,” Ketayma Stewart said. “When crabs are on the beach, they cooperate. It’s only when they’re confined that they compete.”
Niecy Nash-Betts hosted the third annual “Party With A Purpose” at a luxurious Beverly Hills mansion on Dec. 21.
Tamberla Perry has made her mark on television with her portrayal of Dr. Carol Pierce, chief of Psychiatry, on NBC’s “Brilliant Minds.”
In a media landscape saturated with depictions of Black trauma, author Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts is on a mission to change the narrative.
Loni Love is no stranger to wearing many hats—and this holiday season, she’s adding a Santa hat to the mix.
This foundation, Barron explained, was essential for bringing depth to Jenkins, a character under intense media scrutiny. To portray Jenkins authentically, Barron also studied Aaron Hernandez’s life, gaining insights that added layers to the emotional complexities her character faced.
“For me, I love Green Day through my love of rock. I love rock music, and I feel—I know—Black people created rock,” said Rucker. “As with most genres, we’ve created it, and I see strong parallels between gospel music and rock. That’s part of my enjoyment in how I sing rock.”
“UCLA is an amazing public research university,” said Hunt. “It has been quite an honor to work with an outstanding team of scholars and colleagues to chart the path for this institution’s next great achievements.”
“One of the things that helped me with ‘Poppa’s House,’” said Jackson, “is that in a multicamera sitcom, when they yell cut, the writers will come in and pitch different jokes, so you learn not to be completely locked into certain things because it’s constantly changing.”
“He was fun and loved to eat ice cream. Most importantly, he loved being home with us, my mom, and all of our animals on our farm. That’s the Otis Redding I grew up knowing.”
Chew also credits his mentors for shaping his career by exposing him to a variety of music venues, from Broadway pits to intimate jazz clubs. These experiences deepened his appreciation for both the precision of theater and the spontaneity of jazz, enhancing his versatility as a musician and musical director.
“We approach Black history as we approach ourselves,” Draper explained. “We do that naturally, with a lens of authenticity, but also with nuances from lived experiences that might help us understand things a little better or dig a little deeper.”
From there, Byrd said she booked talent for a few smaller awards before landing at the BET Awards. “I’ve been on 25-years of BET,” she said. And Byrd acknowledged that she would not have been able to do it without the support of a good team.