Yvette Hayward, President and Producer of the African American Literary Awards (AALAS) announces that the 17th Annual African American Literary Awards will be virtually celebrated for the 2nd year in a row on Saturday, October 2nd, 2021, at 7:00pm. Due to the pandemic, the awards show will be held via Zoom and streamed via Streamyard and Facebook Live (@african_literary_awards).
The hosts for the 17th Annual prestigious and one-of-a-kind award ceremony honoring our community will be hosted by Rahsan-Rahsan Lindsay, (CEO of MediaCo Holding, Inc, – Parent company of Hot 97) and Nancey Harris (COO of Vontélle Luxury Eyewear).
This year’s honoree will be Gary Clemons, Executive Director of Friends of The Children New York and there will be a special tribute to a long-time friend of the African American Literary Awards Show, the late, Author, Eric Jerome Dickey.
Nominees for this year award show include; Media Personality and Author – Bevy Smith, TV Anchor and Author – Don Lemon, Social Activist and Author – Tamika Mallory, Legendary and Iconic Actress and Author – Cicely Tyson, TV Personality and Author – Mike Hill, and Authors – Charles Blow, Sho Baraka, Wes Moore & Erica L. Green, Nicole Lynn Lewis, Danielle Henderson, Steven A. King, Tia Williams, Elayne Flucker, Bolu Babalola, Sandra Sutton, Stacey Abrams, Nekessa Afia,Tami Charles, Debbie Rigaud, Charles Blow, Frederick Joseph, Joya Goffney, Rebecca Roanhorse, Pepper Teigen, Brenda Jackson, Kianna Alexander, among others.
Confirmed presenters and attendees includes, Author – Walter Mosley, Author – Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Author – Steven Anthony King, Author – Steven Van Patten, Author – Marc Abbott, Actor – Khalil Kahn, Author/Comedian – Tyhem Commodore, Radio Personality – Lenny Green, Author – Victoria Christopher Murray, Author – ReShonda Tate Billingsley, Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamarr (Amber Ruffin Show), Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche, Lenny Burnett (Uptown Magazine) amongst many others. Additional presenters to be confirmed.
