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Lupita Nyong’o, Black Thought, Storm Reid and Baratunde Thurston Among Performers at “MLK Now 2018

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Third Annual Event Organized by Blackout for Human Rights to be held on MLK Day (Jan. 15th) at Riverside Church in Harlem, NY; Hosted in partnership with Campaign for Black Male Achievement, Color of Change, PICO National Network, and The Root

Blackout for Human Rights will host its 3rd Annual “MLK Now”, a free event celebrating the words and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Hosted in partnership with the Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA), Color of Change, PICO National Network, and The Root, MLK Now 2018 will feature Oscar-Winner and BLACK PANTHER star Lupita Nyong’o, Grammy-Winning Hip Hop MC/Lyricist Black Thought of The Roots, and A WRINKLE IN TIME star Storm Reid, with Comedian and Author Baratunde Thurston returning this year as event M.C. Additional performers for MLK Now 2018 will be announced later this week.

Since 2016, MLK Now has brought together a cross-section of artists, performers and thought-leaders to pay homage to Dr. King and other revolutionary figures throughout history. Influential artists and entertainers that have performed at MLK Now include Chris Rock, Olivia Wilde, Q-Tip, Harry Belafonte, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Octavia Spencer, Michael B. Jordan, Omari Hardwick, Olivia Wilde, Uzo Aduba, Andre Holland, Anika Noni Rose, J. Cole, Adepero Oduye, India.Arie, and more. Admission to MLK Now is FREE and open to the public.

The talent line-up for MLK Now will be announced in the coming days! For real-time updates, check back here or follow the hashtag #MLKNow2018.

*PLEASE BE ADVISED:

  • Due to high attendance, entrance to the event is not guaranteed without pre-registration.
  • Doors open at 12:30p and will close at 1:50p so that the program may begin promptly at 2:00p. There is no reserved seating (all will be on a first-come, first-serve basis) so please arrive on time!
  • For security reasons, we highly advise against bringing large bags and/or purses to the event, which would slow down the check-in process and may cause additional delays

For more info, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mlk-now-2018-tickets-41849036595?aff=erelexpmlt 

We Speak Entertainment

BET MEDIA GROUP HONORED BLACK LGBTQ+ TRAILBLAZER WITH A POWERFUL NIGHT OF CELEBRATION, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

FROM BOB THE DRAG QUEEN’S GROUNDBREAKING RECOGNITION TO HOPE GISELLES’S INSPIRING REMARKS– THE 3RD ANNUAL BET BLACK + ICONIC SOIREE HIGHLIGHTED THE BRILLIANCE AND IMPACT OF BLACK LGBTQ+ LEADERS

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(New York, NY)– May 28, 2025 – The 3rd Annual BET Black + Iconic Soirée made its Washington, D.C debut with inspiring evening celebrating the past, present, and future of black LGBTQ+ excellence. The 2025 theme, “Excellence Ascending,” paid tribute to cultural change makers leading with authenticity, courage and purpose.

Hosted by entertainment journalist and Access Hollywood anchor Scott Evans, the Soirée gathered trailblazers across activism, arts, business, and media for a powerful evening of storytelling , performance, and legacy-building.

Highlights from the BET Black + Iconic Soriée Included:
  • Ashlee Davis, J.D. received the Executive Realness Award for her trailblazing work in civil rights leadership, including her legacy of impact across government and corporate sectors.
  • Hope Giselle, a powerful advocate and author was named Emerging leader for her unrelenting work championing visibility and inclusion for Black trans communities.
  • Kierra Johnson, Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, was honored as Active Advocate for her decades of leadership advancing reproductive justice and LGBTQ+ rights.
  • Ashlee Marie Preston, a nationally recognized activist and media strategist, accepted the Creative Visionary Award, saluted for using her voice to shift narratives and build intergenerational coalitions.
  • Bob the Drag Queen, Emmy-winning entertainer and global icon, received the Culture Trailblazer Award, closing the evening with a heartfelt speech about identity, freedom, legacy.
  • The Center for Black Equity and the Take Resource Center each received $5,000 through the BET Thrive Fund Recognition, honored for their work advancing Black LGBTQ+ wellness, equity and community organizing.

The night also featured a soul-stirring medley performance by Broadway powerhouse Avery Wilson, fresh off stage from The Wiz revival. Presenters included Eva Marcille (All The Queen’s Men, BET+), Carter The Body (All The Queen’s Men, BET+), Bryan Terrell Clark (Diarra from Detroit, BET+), and Arrington Foster (The Family Business, BET+), each bringing star power and heartfelt tributes to the evening’s honorees.

“From the very beginning, we knew this couldn’t be just another event,” said Tiyale Hayes, EVP of Insights and Multiplatform Analytics and Co-Lead of Social Impact at BET, During his opening remarks. “It had to an intentional space to uplift stories too often silenced and celebrate contributions that have shaped the world in powerful ways.”

The evening also spotlighted Gilead Sciences, a long standing partner of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée. Gilead’s Rashad Burgess, Vice President of U.S. Advocacy and Health Equity, emphasized and the importance of equitable healthcare access, visibility, and long-term impact for Black LGBTQ+ communities.

Additionally, the event welcomed Truth Initiative as a new partner of the BET Black + Iconic Soirée. Dr. Kendrick Dartis, Vice president of Outreach and Engagement, addressed the urgent issue of tobacco use in Black and LGBTQ+ communities and emphasized the need for culturally relevant cessation support. He also announced a $5,000 BET Thrive Fund donation, sponsored by Truth Initiative, to Us Helping Us– a D.C.- based non profit dedicated to advancing health equity.

BET Black + Iconic Soirée stands as defining moment in the 45th anniversary year of the media group– underscoring its mission to center Black culture, honor its LGBTQ+ communities, and drive meaningful, measurable impact.

Join the conversation using #BlackAndIconic and relieve the nights most powerful moments on BET’s official social channels. The Televised premiere date and time will be announced at a later date.

ABOUT BET MEDIA GROUP

The BET Media Group, a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ:PARAA;PARA), is the worlds largest media company dedicated too entertaining, engaging, and empowering the Black community and championing Black culture. Connecting Back audiences through a portfolio of brands including BET, BET+, BET Gospel, BET HER, BET International, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET Studios, and VH1, the BET Media Group is thriving media ecosystem of leading interconnected platforms across cable TV, streaming, digital, studios, live events and international. For more information about BET, visit www.bet.com and follow @BET on social platforms. For more BET news announcements visit bet pressroom.com.

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