Black Women Animate Studios (BWA), an animation house “powered by Black female talent,” has announced the honorees of its second annual Black in Animation Awards. To be held November 14, the ceremony “seeks to honor Black people in animation who have and currently are paving the way for this sector of the entertainment industry,” per Deadline. Mounia Aram, Tiffany Ford, and Thandiwe Mlauli will be among the awardees.
Aram, the founder and president of the Mounia Aram Company, a production and distribution company focused on projects from African creators, will receive the Cultural Innovator Award. “Craig of the Creek” storyboard artist, actress, writer, and director Tiffany Ford will take home the Next Gen Award. Mlauli, founder and CEO of South Africa-based development and animation company Studio Yezi, will be honored with the International Award.
The Rising Star Award recipient, i.e. the winner of the Dolphin Tank short competition series, will be revealed during the ceremony.
Hosted by “Steven Universe” star Estelle and entitled “Lift While We Climb,” the Black in Animation Awards will be available to watch virtually following BWA Boot Camp, an event celebrating and encouraging women at every phase of their career. Registration for the Boot Camp is open now.
“Following last year’s success, we wanted to continue to honor and acknowledge Black legends in animation,” stated BWA founder and CEO Taylor K. Shaw and founding and managing partner JLove Calderón. “That’s where this year’s theme stems from; as Black folx continue to play an incredible role in the animation industry, it creates space for generations to come. We want to keep celebrating this through our Black in Animation Awards Ceremony while also giving audiences firsthand access to tools in which they too can excel in our industry during our Boot Camp event.”
Check out all the Black in Animation honorees over at Deadline.