Former BET Chairman and CEO Debra Lee will receive the Icon Award at the inaugural Black Women in Entertainment Ceremony.
Black Women in Entertainment is a national network and inclusive collective dedicated to “uplifting, connecting, and advancing Black women in entertainment, sports, and the visual and performing arts.” A pioneering media executive, author and cultural leader, Lee will be recognized for more than 30 years of championing Black storytelling at BET and beyond. Mr. Lee served as Chairman and CEO of BET from 2005 to 2018, leading BET through a period of significant growth and overseeing flagship programs such as the BET Awards.
“Debra Lee’s leadership helped build one of the most influential platforms not just for Black culture, but for culture as a whole,” said Evan Seymour, founder of Black Women in Entertainment. “Debra not only led the network, she helped expand the cultural force that continues to shape entertainment around the world. We are thrilled to honor her.”
Lee is the founder of the Leading Women Defined Foundation and co-founder of the Monarch Collective. Both organizations are focused on mentoring and empowering women and BIPOC communities at large. She also serves on the boards of Warner Bros. Discovery, Marriott International, and Procter & Gamble. In her 2023 memoir, “I Am Debra Lee,” Lee reflects on her groundbreaking career and leadership journey.
The inaugural BWIE Honors event will be held on Thursday, March 19th at The Gathering Spot in Los Angeles. At the ceremony, Lee will be honored along with Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Estelle. Phylicia Fant, Global Head of Music Industry and Cultural Collaborations at Amazon Music. screenwriter and producer Ashley Jackson (Netflix’s “A Different World,” an untitled Jesse Jackson documentary); Stacey Walker King of Macro Chief Brand Office. Cody Elaine Oliver, director, producer, and CEO of Black Love Inc.; actor Shosha Roquemore (Netflix’s “Forever”); Yolanda Sangweni, NPR’s vice president of content and cultural programming; Nicole McKenzie Whiteman, CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.
