New York, NY (Top40 Charts) BET Networks and Beverly Bond, CEO, founder and creator of "BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™"are excited to announce this year's BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards taping on Sunday, August 26, 2018 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's Prudential Hall in Newark, NJ. The broadcast will premiere on Sunday,
September 9, 2018 at 8:00 P.M. ET/PT on BET.
The 2018 BLACK GIRLS ROCK! celebrants are Academy Award®-nominated actress and GRAMMY® Award winning singer
Mary J. Blige (Star Power Award); World renowned dancer/choreographer and Artistic
Director Emerita of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Judith Jamison (Living Legend Award); International Supermodel and Philanthropist Naomi Campbell (Black Girl Magic Award); Emmy Award winning writer, creator, actress and dedicated LGBTQ advocate Lena Waithe (Shot Caller Award); and founder of the groundbreaking 'Me Too' movement Tarana Burke (Community Change Agent Award).
The dynamic, three-time NAACP Award winning "BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™" on BET celebrates women throughout the diaspora by shining a light on the many accomplishments and contributions of influential
Black women and girls.
This year's performers include Yolanda Adams, Tamia, H.E.R., Victory Boyd and Alvin Ailey Dance Theater's Jacqueline Green. The 2018 BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ Awards will also feature special appearances by Ava DuVernay, Ciara, Misty Copeland, Naturi Naughton,
Storm Reid and Niatia Kirkland. The 2018 BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ will honor the legendary 'Queen of Soul'
Aretha Franklin in a star-studded tribute fit for a Queen!
"Each year I'm humbled to gather and celebrate
Black women's excellence, intelligence and savoir-faire. This year we are honoring women who are the Queens of their respective industries and celebrating the memory of our forever
Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who left us with classics and an example of how to take on life with resilience and grace. I am grateful to BET for helping to elevate the BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™ mission and for being our partners in exalting the royalty of
Black women and girl" - BLACK GIRLS ROCK! ™ CEO, Founder and Creator Beverly Bond.
The televised special is a BET Networks, B.G.R. Enterprises Inc./BONDVISION MEDIA and
Jesse Collins Entertainment production. The executive producers are Beverly Bond, CEO, founder and creator of "BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™", Connie Orlando, Head of Programming for BET Networks and
Jesse Collins and Jeannae Rouzan - Clay of
Jesse Collins Entertainment.
For updates or more information about BLACK GIRLS ROCK! visit https://www.BET.com/blackgirlsrock and www.blackgirlsrock.com
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ABOUT BLACK GIRLS ROCK!:
Founded by celebrity DJ, model and executive producer Beverly Bond, The BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards show was created to celebrate the nexus of achievements of exemplary women of color who break boundaries, blaze trails, and set trends across sectors. Since 2006, the annual BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards has honored an outstanding range of accomplished and inspiring women across generations and genres. BLACK GIRLS ROCK! has been committed to empowering women through media and enriching girls through leadership, education, and positive identity development programs. For additional information on BLACK GIRLS ROCK!, visit https://www.blackgirlsrock.com.