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This year marks the 10th anniversary of ESSENCE’s Black Women in Hollywood Awards, an annual event that celebrates groundbreaking and superbly talented Black women in Hollywood.
At the Los Angeles awards gala, the joy of sisterhood took center stage as Black girl magic filled the room.
Some of the biggest names in the business gathered at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel for an intimate and one-of-a-kind dinner to help ESSENCE pay tribute to the newest class of rising stars in Hollywood.
The honorees for the evening were Insecure creator and star Issa Rae, Hidden Figures star Janelle Monae, Black-ish’s Yara Shahidi and How To Get Away With Murder’s Aja Naomi King. Before being presented their awards, the ladies paused backstage to form a prayer circle and truly be still in the moment – and it was absolutely beautiful.
King was presented with the Rising Star Award by her HTGAWM costars Viola Davis and Alfred Enoch, Rae received the Vanguard Award from Debbie Allen, Janelle Monae was given the Breakthrough Award by her dear friend Pharrell Williams, and Shahidi received the Generation Next Award from her TV mom Tracee Ellis Ross.