LOS ANGELES — The American Black Film Festival Honors brought its annual celebration of storytelling, culture and resilience, this year honoring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Marla Gibbs, Aaron Pierre, Keke Palmer and Giancarlo Esposito.
For veteran publicist Ron Carter, the event carried personal weight. Having worked with icons like Quincy Jones, Carter is no stranger to the industry’s biggest nights. But this time, the recognition felt different.
“I worked in the entertainment business for a long time, so for the entertainment business to invite me and my wife to be at the American Black Film Festival award is really a wonderful thing, especially given the fact that we’re going through right now, dealing with the fires in Altadena,” Carter said.
Carter has called Altadena home for decades, cherishing its rich history and cultural diversity. The recent fires, which devastated parts of the community, have left him and his neighbors reeling.
“We moved to Altadena 26 years ago, and we just fell in love with it. It’s a place where I don’t think I was ever planning on leaving and I still don’t plan to leave. And so to see it disrupted the way it is right now is really heartbreaking,” he said.
Carter said he hoped to forget his troubles for this magical evening in West Hollywood, and throughout the night it became clear that one of the ways the Black entertainment fraternity would help to heal the community is through storytelling.
For honoree Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, who received the Excellence in Arts Award, shedding light on the Black community is one of her favorite parts of the job.
“I think the most beautiful thing has been work I’ve done where I’ve been a part of something that told stories that people did not know about Black life, about the Black experience,” she said. “And, you know, it’s made them want to know more. It’s made them activated about, you know, how we can do things, prevent things like that from happening again.”
Giancarlo Esposito, also honored with the Excellence in Arts Award for his contributions to film and television, spoke about the power of representation and the changing landscape of Hollywood, especially as his new film “Captain America: Brave New Words” tops the box office.
“For that to be a box office breaking film on its first weekend means we’re telling the story of our humanity and our culture through many other eyes,” Esposito said. “So people are looking at us, that our stories aren’t so different from theirs.”
Meanwhile, Aaron Pierre, one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising talents, shared his enthusiasm about an upcoming role similarly in the superhero world that carries cultural significance.
“Right now I’m locked in and focused on a very beautiful project, a project that’s very dear to my heart,” he said of the upcoming series “Lanterns”. I’ll be portraying the beautiful character John Stewart, who I love very deeply, and I’m going to do all in my power to bring him to life in a way that celebrates, that resonates with the people and celebrates that character,” Pierre said.
For many fans, Stewart - one of DC Comics’ most notable Black superheroes - represents another stride toward greater diversity in mainstream cinema.
For Carter, the industry’s recognition and support extend beyond the awards stage. As Altadena and other historically Black communities face challenges, the role of Hollywood in amplifying their voices remains vital.
“We need resources and support. We need the support, and I think that the kind of support they’re giving to us right now, I think it’s a good thing,” Carter said.
