Former First Lady Michelle Obama virtually attended the 2020 BET Awards where she presented Grammy Award-winning singer Beyoncé with the Humanitarian Award.
During the virtual awards ceremony on Sunday evening, Obama praised the singer’s character, career, activism, and inspiration on and off the stage.
Obama said, “She’s always turning up, looking out and making us all a little bit better, a little more fierce.”
Obama also commended Beyoncé’s ability to execute while balancing her home life as a wife and mother saying, “And she’s doing it all while staying devoted to her children and the loved ones she holds dear. To my girl, I just want to say — you inspire me. You inspire all of us.”
See the full clip below:
https://twitter.com/YonceVocals/status/1277444221058891776
The 20th anniversary of the awards ceremony came days after the network announced that it would be awarding the “Countdown” singer with the esteemed honor.
During her acceptance speech, Beyoncé expressed gratitude for the award as she dedicated it to “all of my brothers out there and all of my sisters out there inspiring, marching, and fighting for change.”
“Your voices are being heard. You’re proving to your ancestors that their struggles were not in vain. We have one more thing we have to do, and that is to vote. I’m encouraging you to continue to take action, continue to change and dismantle a racist and unequal system,” she added.
Beyoncé went on to stress the importance of the upcoming presidential election as she noted that there are people “banking” on Black Americans not voting during local elections and primaries ahead of the presidential election in November. She also urged voters to take the upcoming elections seriously.
“We have to continue to do this together, to fight for each other and lift each other up. There are people banking on us staying at home during local elections and primaries. We have to vote like our life depends on it — because it does,” Beyoncé said.