The NAACP and BET have announced former United States Vice President, Kamala Harris, as the recipient of the Chairman’s Award for the 56th edition of the association’s Image Awards.
The event is scheduled to take place during an extended 2.5-hour live TV special, airing Saturday, February 22, 2025, at 8 PM ET/ PT live on BET from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
The Chairman’s Award is designed to honour individuals who excel in public service and leverage their unique platforms to ignite and drive meaningful change.
Past honorees of the Chairman’s Award include Amanda Gorman, Samuel L. Jackson, the late U.S. Congressman John Lewis, Ruby Dee, Danny Glover, Rev. James Lawson, Tyler Perry, then-Senator Barack Obama, Congressman Bennie G. Thompson, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and former Surgeon General Regina Benjamin.
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Vice President Kamala Harris made history as the first woman, Black American, and South Asian American Vice President of the country.
She championed reproductive rights, gun safety, voting rights, and economic opportunity while leading job creation and global diplomacy. Under the Biden-Harris administration, she helped achieve record job growth and cast the tie-breaking votes to pass lower prescription drug costs and historic climate and infrastructure investments.
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In 2024, she became the first Black and South Asian woman nominated for president by a major party, receiving over 75 million votes in the shortest modern general election campaign.
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Previously, as a U.S. Senator and California Attorney General, she fought for housing relief, healthcare access, and criminal justice reform. Born in Oakland, she was inspired by activist parents. She remains committed to justice, equality, and uplifting the next generation of leaders, embodying her mother’s advice: “You may be the first, but make sure you are not the last.”
The Chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors, Leon W. Russell, noted, “Kamala Harris is more than a leader – she is a force of change, driven by an unwavering passion to shape a brighter, more equitable future. It is with great honor that we present her with the Chairman’s Award at this year’s NAACP Image Awards, celebrating her relentless dedication to justice, equality, and the betterment of our society.”
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