Former Vice President Kamala Harris used her first major televised appearance since leaving office – accepting the Chairman’s Award during the 56th NAACP Image Awards — to urge vigilance as the man who ended her bid for president in November and continues revamping the U.S. government. “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” Harris told the audience during Saturday’s ceremony at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.” While we have no illusions about what we are up against in this chapter of our American story, this chapter will be written not simply by whoever occupies the Oval Office — nor by the wealthiest among us. The American story will be written by you, written by us — by We the People.”
Harris, who was greeted with a standing ovation, was frequently interrupted by applause during her roughly 41/2 minute acceptance speech.
“This organization came into being at a moment when our country struggled with greed, bitterness and hatred. And those who forged the NAACP, those who carried its legacy forward, had no illusions about the forces they were up against — no illusions about how stony the road would be. But some look at this moment and rightly feel the weight of history. Some see the … the shadows gathering over our democracy, and ask, ‘What do we do now?’ But we know exactly what to do, because we have done it before, and we will do it again.”
The ceremony also put a spotlight on the fire-devastated, historically black Altadena community during a presentation by actor Morris Chestnut.
“Homes were lost, stores destroyed, countless lives shattered and over two dozen souls gone forever,” Chestnut said, surrounded by 22 Altadena residents who lost their homes in January’s wildfires. “What was not lost is the spirit of our community and our resilience, especially that of our brothers and sisters who live just a short distance from here in Altadena. It is in times like these that we show the world our strength.”
Apart from the special presentations, the Netflix film “The Six Triple Eight”, which tells the story of an all-Black, all-female battalion during World War II, emerged as one of the night’s big winners, taking home five awards, including Outstanding Motion Picture.
The Image Awards, hosted this year by actor-comedian Deon Cole, honors outstanding achievements and performances by people of color in multiple categories including film, television, music, literature and podcasts. A complete list of winners can be found at www.naacpimageawards.net