Debra Lee, the former chairman and CEO of BET, is getting her flowers.
According to Variety, will receive the Icon Award at the upcoming Black Women in Entertainment honors ceremony.
The inaugural awards event was created to spotlight Black women pushing the culture forward on and off screen, and will be held in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 19, at the Gathering Spot.
As a trailblazing chief of BET, Lee ushered in an era of tremendous growth and cultural currency during her leadership.
“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.”
Variety shares that 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; Macro chief brand office Stacey Walker King; director, producer and Black Love Inc. CEO Codie Elaine Oliver; actor Xosha Roquemore; NPR’s VP of content, cultural programming Yolanda Sangweni; and Los Angeles Dodgers foundation CEO Nichol McKenzie Whiteman.
For a generation raised on BET Awards performances and “106 & Park,” Lee’s Icon Award win is a reminder that some of the biggest culture-shifting moments began with a Black woman at the top.
Beyond BET, Lee is also the founder of Leading Women Defined, an organization dedicated to nurturing and empowering the next generation of women of color leaders.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.bet.com ’
