As the shameful  all-white BAFTA winners list continues to make waves, Essence is spotlighting women of color “making their undeniable mark in film and television and forging forward their own definition of what it means to be a Black woman in Hollywood.” Now in its 16th edition, the Black Women in Hollywood awards luncheon is set to honor “Abbott Elementary” actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, “The Woman King” helmer Gina Prince-Bythewood, “Till” star Danielle Deadwyler, Onyx Collective president Tara Duncan, and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” actress Dominique Thorne.

“For more than a decade and a half, Essence has championed the Black Women in Hollywood Awards to commemorate the Black women who are the story makers, storytellers, story-doers, and story-sharers that cultivate the entertainment ecosystem that the world cherishes and loves deeply,” stated Caroline Wanga, Essence Ventures, LLC president and CEO, per Variety. 

Set to take place March 9 in LA, the event is described as an ““oasis of sisterhood and a safe space for Black women to fully see, hear, and embrace one another.”

“Grown-ish’s”  Yara Shahidi and “Till” filmmaker Chinonye Chukwu are among this year’s presenters.

Wanga stated, “We are privileged to have this sacred platform that illuminates the on-going accomplishments of Black women at our annual luncheon in its 16th year since inception. Whether the world acknowledges it or not, Black women are the CEOs of home, culture, and community and because of that role, when you engage with her, you engage with the Black community as a whole.”