Los Angeles may have had gloomy weather over the weekend, but that did not stop the 55th NAACP Image Award nominees from being highlighted. Ahead of the heavily anticipated award show, prominent creatives filled the Fairmont Century Plaza on Feb. 25th for a gospel themed brunch.
Notable figures such as Lucky Daye, Keith Powers, Glynn Turman, Brittani Nichols and Kyla Pratt arrived on the plush purple carpet, amongst many others.
Co-hosted by TBS’ “Friday Night Vibes,” Nina Parker and Kevin Fredericks (KevOnStage), the affair commemorated all facets of entertainment. The award show includes over 90 categories, such as entertainer of the year, writing, television, and best social media personality.
Reflecting on their initial auditions for TBS’ “Friday Night Vibes,” they knew their chemistry would set the tone. “I just steal Kev’s jokes!” said Parker. “This is exciting. It’s a buzz in the air, we have the gospel brunch; we are going to praise Jesus and have a mimosa!”
“When we auditioned, Nina and I clicked.” said Fredricks.
With a knack for humor and telling it like it is, both media personalities entertained the nominees over food and games.
The “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” star, Leah Sava Jeffries, dazzled the carpet with a black and white polka-dotted outfit, loose curly afro, and rosy cheeks. She is nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Youth and shared her personal feelings about the NAACP.
“It’s just amazing because in other award shows, even though it’s very very diverse, I feel like at the NAACP, we’re all one,” Jeffries said. “We’re all congratulating each other and that’s just really amazing.”
Kyla Pratt, star of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” graced the carpet with her radiant beauty in a sheer Black dress. Pratt reflected on being in the industry for over 20 years.
“I can’t imagine myself being a part of any other work environment,” Pratt said. “Just to be able to be a part of something like The Proud Family is amazing. It’s positive, it shows Black families that have been around for so long. Now my kids and a new generation get to enjoy it. I’m just very blessed.”
Nominated for Outstanding Writer in a Comedy Series for “Abbott Elementary,” Brittani Nichols reflected on her nomination and working after the Hollywood strikes.
“After the strikes, we were so excited to be back in people’s homes and back to our audience, " said Nichols. “We always love hearing about what people have to say about the current season and connecting with the fans.”
She also advised aspiring writers to “...work with people they are fans of and continuously write to hone their craft,” before the brunch got started.
The NAACP Image Awards also has a literature category with awards such as Outstanding Literary Work. Co-authors of the book “Historically Black Phrases: From “I Ain’t One of Your Lil’ Friends” to “Who All Gon” Be There?” Tre’vell Anderson and jarrett hill were elated to have their work recognized.
“The NAACP Image Awards is like the Black Oscars,” said Anderson. “It feels good to be here with jarrett as it was his idea that got us here in the first place.” The two are currently on tour for the game show version of their book. So far, they’ve traveled to Washington, D.C., Atlanta and New York.
“We were initially excited about the idea of our concept, but now being out on tour, talking to people and receiving their feedback...it’s amazing,” said hill.
As guests settled into their seats, the NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson greeted them with opening remarks.
“For over a century, the NAACP has championed the fight for a society that cherishes our culture and acknowledges the invaluable contributions of the Black community,” said Johnson.
Along with Johnson, Vice Chair of the NAACP Board of Directors, Karen Boykin-Towns, emphasized the importance of the contributions of each individual nominee.
“Your work matters – it’s a powerful ally to our pursuit of justice and equality,” Boykin-Towns said. “While we fight against false narratives, you craft new stories daily in scripts, songs, and books. Together, our work becomes more accessible and impactful, and we thank you for your commitment to excellence. Congratulations to all, and let’s continue fighting together for a brighter future.”
“We were initially excited about the idea of our concept, but now being out on tour, talking to people and receiving their feedback...it’s amazing,” said hill.
As guests settled into their seats, the NAACP President and CEO, Derrick Johnson greeted them with opening remarks.
“For over a century, the NAACP has championed the fight for a society that cherishes our culture and acknowledges the invaluable contributions of the Black community,” said Johnson.
Along with Johnson, Vice Chair of the NAACP Board of Directors, Karen Boykin-Towns, emphasized the importance of the contributions of each individual nominee.
“Your work matters – it’s a powerful ally to our pursuit of justice and equality,” Boykin-Towns said. “While we fight against false narratives, you craft new stories daily in scripts, songs, and books. Together, our work becomes more accessible and impactful, and we thank you for your commitment to excellence. Congratulations to all, and let’s continue fighting together for a brighter future.”
Voluntary nominees participated in a gospel karaoke competition led by Parker and Fredericks, and they performed gospel hits such as Kirk Franklin’s “Melodies from Heaven” and “Hosanna.” Gracing the stage, over 130 nominees came together for a class photo and Pastor Mike Jr. performed his song, “Impossible.”
As the NAACP organization celebrates its 115th birthday, the award show will take place on March 16th, 2024. It will take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles and will be available for live viewing on BET and CBS at 5:00 p.m. PST.