Honorees for the 2022 Gracie Awards were recognizes this week and some of our faves across TV and film were among them—namely Ava DuVernay, Tamron Hall, and Hoda Kotb!
Per Variety, the women were celebrated at the 47th annual event on Tuesday, which was hosted by Holly Robinson Peete at the at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. The Gracie Awards, which is named after the late vaudeville performer Gracie Allen and presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, “recognizes exemplary programming created by women, for women and about women in all facets of media and entertainment. They also acknowledge the individuals who have made inspirational contributions to the industry.”
In her acceptance speech for Best Family Series Award for Peacock’s Home Sweet Home, DuVernay made note of both the Uvalde, Texas elementary school shooting—which had unfortunately, transpired earlier that day—and George Floyd. The two-year anniversary of Floyd’s death would be recognized the very next day.
“It is so important to tell these stories because the stories that we tell each other matter,” she said. “If we can tell stories that allow us to see each other in the ways that we truly are in the most intimate spaces, maybe we would safeguard so that there were not be shootings, mass shootings, shootings by police.”
She added, “Maybe we would safeguard each other so that we were not kneeling on people’s necks. Maybe we would safeguard each other so that we aren’t going to war in multiple countries at one time. If we can just see each other, understand each other, have empathy for each other, that’s what storytelling does.”
For her acceptance speech for Best On-Air Talent, Hall took the time to pay tribute to Kim Godwin, the first Black woman to be named president of ABC News. She also recognized the families who suffered losses earlier that day in Uvalde, Texas, offering words of empathy and support.
“You don’t have to be a parent to understand the pain,” she said. “You don’t have to be a mom to understand the loss. But you have to be a human to open your eyes and to see that none of us should rest easy tonight because too many tonight won’t be able to say goodnight.”
Hoda Kotb was also recognized for Best On-Air Talent–News [TV – National] for TODAY and NBC News.
Other winners of the night include ABC News’ Linsey Davis, Maria Taylor, Suzanna Lori-Parks, Tina Lifford, Yvette Lee Bowser, Melissa Harris-Perry, Jemele Hill Is Unbothered, Ladies First: Black Women & Sex in Hip-Hop, and more. To view the full list of winners, head on over to allwomeninmedia.org.