The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated held its virtual Phoenix Awards on Sept. 17 which also aired on BET. The award show’s theme was the spirit of Black Excellence Unparalleled: Pressing Onward in Power. Honorees included voting rights activist Stacey Abrams and Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin III.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge and Dr. Joan Coker, a board-certified otolaryngologist who saves lives with a focus on those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 were recognized for their works as well.
“The Phoenix Awards honorees this year embody the principles of public service, equity, and leadership for our underserved communities and the nation as a whole. Each has worked tirelessly to advance and ensure continued freedom for all,” CBCF president and CEO, Tonya Veasey, told BET.
Abrams, who is a two-time honoree, was recognized for her efforts in mobilizing the Black vote and helping Joe Biden win Georgia during the Presidential election. She explained in her acceptance speech that defending democracy was her primary cause.
“Receiving the Phoenix award is a signal that the work we’re doing on voting rights and the 2020 census has made a difference, but that difference would not have been made without the support of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Doing the work to reach out to communities that are on the margins that are too often left behind, doing the work of lifting up the necessity of not only voting but voting for our future and doing the work of pushing back against the big lie, but also the smaller untruths that are told too often about the value of our voices,” Abrams stated in her acceptance speech.
“It is always my honor to stand in solidarity with the CBC, to work together, to fight together, and to defend our democracy together. Because ultimately our work is one in the same; ensuring that every American understands and fully enjoys the perquisites of citizenship,” she continued in a video expressing her gratitude.
