I watched Black Entertainment Television (BET) as a kid and that was the biggest exposure to the entertainment world for me.
I used to be engrossed in the series that would always play music videos and did a countdown rating the songs.
There was also the BET Awards, and this was my most vivid memory of watching a Black-organized group establishing a moment for Black entertainers.
The Legacy Awards is a Canadian ceremony run by The Black Academy, an organization focusing on Black culture.
The award show highlights Black Canadian artists and their stories as a select few receive a trophy for various recognition.
With the few Black artists represented in entertainment, I find it amazing to see an award show run by the Black community.
Each artist who received an award during the ceremony made key remarks on furthering the Black people and future generations.
They incorporated the arts but the awards also included sports with one of the first awards, the Athlete Award, being awarded to Kia Nurse.
Nurse is a Canadian basketball guard playing for the Seattle Storm in the WNBA.
I felt that what Nurse said about kids and the importance of them going out outside to play was a very needed statement in this day and age.
“Go to the soccer field because you never know what you’ll learn from it,” she said. “But I know for a fact you will learn something.
“The life skills that sports can teach you are like no other.”
I learned many things from playing soccer when I was younger, and though I do not play currently, I still think back to those lessons.
Confidence is a characteristic that many have and for some, it comes naturally while others may not be so lucky.
The Black community still faces discrimination in certain places and falls under the stereotypical Black person umbrella.
It takes someone with a strong resolve as well as confidence to overcome adversity to reach the peak that many Black people may never be able to achieve.
When Julien Christian Lutz, otherwise known as Director X, accepted the Trailblazer Award, he raised an important point as he addressed the audience.
“Sometimes we forget how far we’ve come because we’re too in the moment,” Lutz said. “Because it wasn’t that long ago, we were fighting for our rights as human beings.
“And it wasn’t that long ago we were fighting for our freedom as human beings. And it wasn’t that long ago we were fighting to be considered human beings.”
Despite how succinctly those words came out, it was eye-opening how true they are.
It is a fact that I do not often look back on and I certainly cannot imagine the younger generation understanding what Black people went through to come as far as we have and continuing to go further.
Throughout the years, I have lacked confidence in myself on a day-to-day basis, it could range from just speaking out to performing in front of an audience.
It took a while to gain self-confidence, and I still struggle with it often, but it is something that I have grown with.
As a Black woman, there have been instances where I have felt like the odd one out, but I have never let that deter me from what I want to do.
“So, stand up Black Canada,” Lutz said as he concluded his acceptance speech. “Hold your head high. Speak with your powerful voice. And say, ‘This is our history. This is our legacy. This our country.'”
The Legacy Awards is a step in the right direction for the Black community, and the path will most likely remain a long one. But no one said it would be impossible.
I believe Keisha Chanté ended the awards show in the best way, a night of acknowledgement and of being seen.
“Look. No matter where you are in your life, your career, or your legacy. You deserve recognition, you deserve your flowers,” Chanté said.