Sheryl Lee Ralph Delivers Stirring Speech at Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon
variety.comAngelique Jackson Sheryl Lee Ralph has delivered one rousing acceptance speech after another, all awards season long. But the newly crowned Emmy, Critics Choice and Golden Globe-winner saved something special for Essence’s 16th annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon on Thursday afternoon.
Presented the award by her “Abbott Elementary” co-star and creator — and 2022 Essence Black Women in Hollywood honoree — Quinta Brunson, Ralph whipped the audience into a frenzy with a 13-minute speech that ranged from an subdued, yet soul-stirring rendition of “Endangered Species” to an impassioned rallying cry to remember who paved the way for where Black women in the industry have come from and where we’re going. “I have joy.
I have happiness. I have love that I get to share with all of you. Just looking at you, and looking at you, I tell you this all the time,” she said, turning briefly to Brunson. “The fight to get all of you here, looking the way you look, celebrating you in the positions that you are doing what you are doing, it was some backbreaking work,” she continued as the audience, assembled in the ballroom of the Fairmont Century City, erupted in applause. “It was some spirit-breaking work.
It was hard, but generations held on.” With no music attempting to play her off stage, the guests — made up mostly of Black women actors, filmmakers, publicists, executives and journalists (like Yara Shahidi, Chinonye Chukwu, Marsai Martin, Dominique Fishback, Lena Waithe, Teyana Taylor, Ruth E.
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