Rihanna You Rock! (Black Girls Rock)

This high-profile group of singers, actors and cultural figures had gathered here on Friday night for the awards show for Black Girls Rock, the organization that honors black women for their artistic and humanitarian achievements. This year it is celebrating its 10th anniversary. This year the event will be hosted by actress Tracy Ellis Ross.  The award recipients included Rihanna, Gladys Knight, Shonda Rhimes, Danai Gurira and Amandla Stenberg. The ceremony also honored Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi, who are among the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The atmosphere of the awards show is part celebration, part family reunion, and offers a moment to pause. Started in 2006, the nonprofit group seeks to empower and mentor black girls while promoting the arts and challenging the often-negative and stereotypical ways in which women of color are portrayed in the media by holding up a different mirror. In 2010 it began holding a televised awards show with BET

Rihanna said that receiving the Rock Star award was an important moment in her career. ” I was actually just speaking on the topic of knowing yourself, but most importantly being comfortable with whom you are. Rihanna addressed the importance of being comfortable in your own skin at this year’s Black Girls Rock award ceremony. Fantastic accepting speech as she was honored for the Rock Star Award at BET's Black Girls Rock event on Friday, celebrating her career along with many other talented black women in the entertainment industry. 

Judgment is common in our society and often not having the approval of others will trigger us to doubt ourselves. Life wasn't made to be easy or we would all have the same mind. The struggles of life which we all encounter, one way or another, feeds the doubt, disappointment, and discouragement. However it's up to us to use these temporary feelings in as a resource to build the strength in ourselves also. I am no stranger to feelings of discouragement and being uncomfortable with who I am. It took me years to overcome the fear of not being accepted or liked. Crazy right, but that's a true statement of how I use to feel. When truthfully I was trying to figure out how to accept and love myself. Now I realize that those unresolved self conflicts were hindering my own growth. Although I did write some great poems and songs because of my issues, I dodged my struggles instead of addressing them. Rihanna said it perfectly, “The minute you learn to love yourself, you will not want to be anybody else,” she told the audience, a mix of celebrities, industry insiders and fans.  “I think I can inspire a lot of young women to be themselves, and that is half the battle.”She encouraged all women to show your strength as she embrace the influence that her grandma and mother had in her life, being two of the strongest women she's ever known.  

Watch Ri Ri's empowering speech!