By Dixie Black
South Florida is teeming with women who make an amazingly positive impact on our local community. Many of these women came out in style last Thursday night to celebrate the positivity, power and pizazz that sums up the enduring spirit of Girlpower.
The sixth annual Glitz & Girlpower Awards held at the Hard Rock in Hollywood Florida on March 31st was created to support and empower women as well as provide a platform for women to embrace each other. It show-cased women from various segments of our South Florida community. The list ranged from entrepreneurs and entertainers to counsellors and even a congresswoman.
The star-studded event lit up the DAER nightclub at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino with a performance by Ashaala Shanae and a prayer by pastor Diane Lazare as it opened. Candyce Haynes, Leticia Rivers and Bryant McKinnie introduced the hosts, Trina and Yo Yo. The audience of both women and men sang along and danced to the music of the hosts as well as Valerie “Rockstarr Diva” Dixon, Stichiz and many more.
The ladies brought the glitz and the glamor with outfits that sparkled, clung, shimmered and flowed in abundance. The food and spirits added an air of connectivity that has been in short supply since COVID began. Folks greeted each other, celebrated each other, but most of all they celebrated the sisters who have ‘rocked’ by empowering their communities as radio personalities, entrepreneurs, performers, trailblazers, fashion icons, mental health professionals, educators, political activists and more.
Mona Scott Young, encouraged the audience to go beyond what she has achieved,
“Imagine things that I can’t begin to think about because that is what you are, and your destiny.”
Mrs. Scott-Young also pointed out that she proudly embraces her husband’s last name to honor him because he has supported her for the last twenty-six years.
Shelah Marie, founder of the Curvy, Curly Conscious (At the intersection of self-love and real talk…) in receiving her award, encouraged Black women to, “…acknowledge yourself before anyone else does because then you will attract that type of acknowledgement… know that you deserve to be celebrated, loved and acknowledged publicly and privately.”
The response of many of the awardees to the honor they received was summed up by Lisa Raye, mother, grandmother, philanthropist, auntie, cousin, role model and more. She said she is honored to receive this award because,
“…The best type of reward is when you’re not seeking and looking for recognition but when your counterparts and your community sees what you do…”
Stichiz, radio personality from radio station 103.5, “The Beat”, in closing out her Women’s History Month Series presented the grand prize check of $1,000 donated by Demesmin & Dover Law Firm, to Suzanne Joseph, followed up by matching funds by Pascale Rowe, “Ms. Bling”
Other honorees included Dawn Elliott, a celebrity NFL Mom of Dallas Cowboys Ezekiel Elliott, Mona Scott-Young, American television producer and entrepreneur, Kendra N. Bulluck-Major a serial entrepreneur and business professional and U.S. Representative Frederica Wilson who has made her mark as a fierce fighter for families. The congresswoman received the Woman of Impact Award.
Dr. Delvena Thomas, a Board-Certified psychiatrist with her own practice encouraged the audience to be the first ones on someone’s couch (i.e., to seek professional counseling) as she points out that we, as people of color, have suffered over four hundred years of slavery and so far, have only had about fifty years to recover.
In the midst of the glamor and glitz, Dr. Thomas’ final words brought home the purpose and power of the event.
“If you want to be an empowered woman, you must empower other women.”
The list of performers, awards and presenters is impressive. (Check out the entire list @gngawards on Instagram.) If you missed it, go to https://www.glitzandgirlpower.com/ and mark your calendar for next year’s power packed program to be held on 3/30/23.
