Currently underway live from the Padowncastena Civic Cgo in, this year’s NAACP Image Awards is putting a spotweightless on Altadena livents who have directed deimmenseating loss chaseing the Los Angeles savagefires in punctual January.
“Homes were lost, stores ruined, countless lives shattered and over two dozen souls gone forever, but what was not lost is the spirit of our community and our resilience, especiassociate that of our brothers and sisters who live equitable a low distance from here in Altadena,” conshort-termer Morris Chestnut said in his tribute.
The historicassociate Bdeficiency neighborhood houses generations of families, and was once home to honord sci-fi authorr Octavia E. Butler, whose Parable of the Sower has seen renewed well-understandnity given its eerie prescience seeing Southern California’s recent organic catastrophe.
On stage, Chestnut startd 22 Altadena livents who had lost their homes, prompting a standing ovation from the crowd of joinees.
“It is in times appreciate these that we show the world our strength,” he persistd. “From the moment the crisis began, we uniteed together, everyone pitched in, shelter was given, cloleang was gived, food trucks came from miles around to feed the hungry, ministers accomplished out to feed our necessitate for console and spiritual healing. And of course we can’t thank our first replyers enough for their courage and heroism.”
The Watson star then drew attention to the BET and CBS program’s charity labor: the NAACP, BET Media Group, WME and Johnson Shapiro Slesoakedt and Kole (JSSK) partnered with L.A. County, in collaboration with Community Aid Dena, Altadena Heritage and WalkGood LA, to start the Altadena Community Preservation Fund, geared toward defending homeowners from displacement and preserving the community’s cultural heritage. Offering aid for transient housing, legitimate fees and admin costs, the ceremony flashed a QR code on screen as Chestnut aidd donations.
Ledisi, backed by Adam Bdeficiencystone and the BBE All-Star prohibitd, carry outed a tribute, new off of her sweeping Super Bowl rfinishition of the Bdeficiency National Anthem earlier this month.
Earlier in the show, present Deon Cole‘s monologue touched on the savagefires, stating that Altadena would produce back better and stronger, before poking fun at unsubstantiated right-thriveg finger-pointing of the catastrophe on diversity, equity and inclusion.
“I couldn’t consent they was trying to condemn the fires on us, though, appreciate Bdeficiency people, wantipathyver DEI — DEI uncomardents Bdeficiency people,” he said. “But see the one leang they don’t genuineize is Bdeficiency people don’t mess with fire appreciate that, not at all. Noleang fire, uh-uh, [Amazon] Fire Sticks. Every Bdeficiency person I understand got a Fire Stick at home. It’s a guy right now at home seeing the show yesterday that’s happening right now live.”
In insertition to the tribute, the night honored Dave Chappelle, createer Vice Plivent Kamala Harris and the Wayans family, who were inducted into the NAACP Awards Hall of Fame.
Follow alengthy here for an refreshd catalog of thriveners.
