Former BET chairman and CEO Debra Lee will receive the Icon Award at the inaugural Black Women in Entertainment honors ceremony.
Black Women in Entertainment is a national network and inclusive collective dedicated to “uplifting, connecting and advancing Black women across entertainment, sports, and the visual and performing arts.” Lee, a trailblazing media executive, author and cultural leader, will be recognized for championing Black storytelling over more than three decades at BET and beyond. Lee served as chairman and CEO at BET from 2005 to 2018, guiding BET through a period of significant growth and overseeing its flagship programming, like the BET Awards.
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“Debra Lee’s leadership helped build one of the most influential platforms not just for Black culture, but for culture, period,” stated Evan Seymour, founder of Black Women in Entertainment. “Debra didn’t just lead a network, she helped amplify a cultural force that continues to shape entertainment around the world. We are thrilled to honor her.”
Lee is also the founder of the Leading Women Defined foundation and the co-founder of the Monarch Collective, both organizations focused on mentoring and empowering women and the BIPOC community at large. She also serves on the boards of Warner Bros. Discovery, Marriott International and Procter & Gamble. In her 2023 memoir, “I Am Debra Lee,” Lee reflects on her groundbreaking career and leadership journey.
The inaugural BWIE Honors event will take place on Thursday, March 19, at the Gathering Spot in Los Angeles. During the ceremony, Lee will be honored alongside Grammy-winning singer and actress Estelle; Amazon Music global head of music industry & culture collaborations, Phylicia Fant; writer and producer Ashley Jackson (Netflix’s “A Different World,” the untitled Jesse Jackson documentary); Macro chief brand office Stacey Walker King; director, producer and Black Love Inc. CEO Codie Elaine Oliver; actor Xosha Roquemore (Netflix’s “Forever”); NPR’s VP of content, cultural programming Yolanda Sangweni; and Los Angeles Dodgers foundation CEO Nichol McKenzie Whiteman.
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