Beyoncé Urges People to Vote in BET Awards Acceptance Speech
“We have one more thing to do to walk in our true power, and that is to vote.”
On June 28, the BET Awards held its first-ever virtual ceremony honoring the achievements of Black entertainers across music, film, television and sports. This year, Beyoncé was presented with the 2020 Humanitarian Award for her longstanding commitment to social justice issues — including Black Lives Matter — and philanthropy.
The music icon delivered her acceptance speech for the award from home, and directly addressed those continuing to participate in anti-racism protests across the nation. “I want to dedicate this award to all of my brothers out there, all of my sisters out there, inspiring, marching and fighting for change,” she said.
Beyoncé continued her speech with a call to action urging viewers to vote. “We have one more thing to do to walk in our true power, and that is to vote,” she stated. “I’m encouraging you to continue to take action, continue to change and dismantle a racist and unequal system…There are people banking on us staying home during local elections and primaries happening in states across the country,” she added, referencing the ongoing state and presidential primary elections in the U.S.
In related news, Beyoncé and stylist Zerina Akers have launched a directory of Black-owned businesses.
