The iconic Sheryl Lee Ralph gave a powerful acceptance speech as an honoree at the 2023 ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Awards. Last year, she won a Primetime Emmy for her performance as Barbara Howard in the hit comedy Abbott Elementary, becoming the first Black actress to do so in 35 years. As this veteran of television, film, and stage continues to break barriers, she also paid tribute to both the past – as well as the future – of BIPOC in entertainment.
Quinta Brunson, a 2022 Black Women In Hollywood Honoree, presented Ralph with her award, to which the Moesha star proudly accepted, and began to address the audience with a modified version of Dianne Reeves’ song, “Endangered Species,” saying: “I am an endangered species, but I sing no victim’s song. I am a woman – Black woman – I am an artist, and I know where my voice belongs. I shake my fists, and not my hips, because I know where my voice belongs.”
With everyone in attendance entranced by her beautiful opening, Ralph then spoke about what it means to her to be an actress, and also how difficult her craft can sometimes be. “I have a joy, I have a happiness, I have a love that I get to share with all of you,” she said.
“Just looking at you, and looking at you – and I tell you this all the time. The fight to get all of you here looking the way that you look, celebrating you in the positions that you are doing; what you are doing – it was some backbreaking work,” the Tony Award-winning thespian continues. “It was some spirit breaking work, it was hard.”
In what was a standout moment during the luncheon, Ralph told the story of Rosalind Cash, a talented and misunderstood actress that was blackballed from the industry because she dared to wear her hair in dreadlocks at a time when it wasn’t widely accepted – because she was proud of her heritage and womanhood.
She also spoke about Virginia Capers, and her struggles as a Black woman in film as well. “‘This is what the future looks like,’” stated Ralph, reciting the words that Capers said to her when they first met in person. “‘You see me though? They keep sitting big, black me on the couch, and I’m much more than that.’” The Long Island native then joked about her longevity as an actress, saying that she’s “been around long enough to work with a 12-year-old Larenz Tate,” to which the crowd gave a heartfelt laugh.
Towards the end of her acceptance speech, Sheryl paid tribute to some of the Black women in the crowd whose accomplishments are helping to move forward BIPOC in entertainment, such as Pearlena Igbokwe and Channing Dungey.
Watch the video above to hear more of Sheryl’s speech at the 2023 The Black Women In Hollywood Awards luncheon.