Before it airs Tuesday night on BET, exclusive red carpet images and bits from the 2016 Black Girls Rock! awards show have surfaced on social media. This year’s honorees include Rihanna, Shonda Rhimes, Gladys Knight and Amandla Stenberg. Taping for the award show took place on Friday at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.
Of all the star-studded sights and sounds, an appearance by democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton may go down as the night’s biggest ‘wow’ factor.
Before introducing BGR founder, Beverly Bond, Clinton addressed the crowd with powerful words on how the strength of Black women leaders have shaped her as a person.
“There are still a lot of barriers holding back African Americans and black women in particular, so a gathering like this filled with so many powerful, strong women is a rebuke to every single one of those barriers,” Clinton said. “All of our kids, no matter what zip code they live in, deserve a good teacher and a good school, a safe community and clean water to drink.”
Her speech received a standing ovation.
The sincerity of Clinton’s message is accompanied with speculation.
#HillaryClinton @ #BlackGirlsRock -Why?Will she talk on how badly she treated BLACK GIRLS questioning her record?Yeah,she believes we”rock”😉
— Orit (@Empress_Orit) April 2, 2016
Im not buying this whole Hillary Clinton showing up to #BlackGirlsRock
— Brittany Burnam (@VerratDin) April 4, 2016
Am I the only person not here for Hillary Clinton being at #BlackGirlsRock on #BET ? She is not for US!
— Winniie (@Follow_My_Lead_) April 3, 2016
I DESPISE Hillary Clinton for encroaching upon #BlackGirlsRock & the programmers that allowed it…our spaces aren’t campaign stops
— nf (@Lstblkgrl) April 2, 2016
See a wide range of celebrities, performances and captivating women Tuesday night on Black Girls Rock! hosted by black-ish star, Tracee Ellis Ross at 8 p.m. on BET.