WASHINGTON — We are shining a light on a local awards ceremony in D.C. that's helping us all feel uplifted by celebrating Black excellence.
It's called the Illuminate Your Black Brilliance Award. The second annual award ceremony was held Tuesday night in the auditorium of the newly renovated Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Northwest D.C.
Organizer and HoodSmart CEO Ateya Ball-Lacy explained the core message behind the awards night.
"We are changing the narrative of what it means to be Black in America. We are shifting the focus from the negative things that we often hear about our youth to celebrating their brilliance and their genius," she said.
The awards showcased high school and college student who excel in everything from the arts to engineering. The packed audience included younger kids who got to see first hand what that excellence looks like.
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