Beyonce Urges Black Community To ‘Vote Like Our Lives Depend On It’ In Inspiring BET Awards Speech
Just two weeks after writing a letter demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, Beyonce received a Humanitarian Award at the 2020 BET Awards from the one and only Michelle Obama!
Beyonce, 38, appeared on the 2020 BET Awards with an inspiring message amidst the Black Lives Matter movement. The star was presented with a Humanitarian Awrd for her various philanthropic efforts. Michelle Obama, 56, presented her with the honor, which Bey got for starting the BeyGOOD Foundation, which most recently has helped those affected by COVID-19 in her hometown of Houston, TX and more.
Michelle gave a touching speech to announce Bey’s awards. She highlighted the singer’s work to give voice to the Black community, while also working as an activist who demands justice for Black lives. “She’s always turning up, looking out and making us all a little bit better, a little more fierce, and she’s doing it all while staying devoted to her children and the loved ones she holds dear,” Michelle said. “To my girl, I just want to say — you inspire me. You inspire all of us.”
“We have to vote like our life depends on it, because it does.” – Beyoncé encouraging Americans to get out and vote during upcoming elections in her Humanitarian Award speech . #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/55sLm7izc6
— ShakariSBriggs (@ShakariSBriggs) June 29, 2020
In her acceptance speech, Beyonce made a point to urge the Black community to vote in upcoming local and presidential elections. “Thank you so much for this beautiful award,” she said. “I want to dedicate this award to all my brothers and 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. 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 a home during local elections and primaries. We have to vote like our life depends on it — because it does.”
Earlier in the evening, Beyonce won the BET HER Award nom for “Brown Skin Girl” featuring her daughter Blue Ivy, 8, WizKid and Saint Jhn !earned nominations in several categories this year, including Album of the Year and Best Movie for her special Homecoming and its accompanying live album, which was released on Netflix in 2019. The Houston native also received a nod in Best Female R&B/Pop Artist against H.E.R., Jhene Aiko, Kehlani, Lizzo and Summer Walker, as well as a BET HER Award nom for “Brown Skin Girl” featuring her daughter Blue Ivy, 8, WizKid and Saint Jhn.
Queen Bey has been vocal on social media amidst the Black Lives Matter movement, penning a letter to the Kentucky Attorney General to demand justice for Breonna Taylor. “Don’t let this case fall into the pattern of no action after a terrible tragedy,” Beyonce wrote in her impassioned letter, posted to her official website on June 14. “With every death of a Black person at the hands of the police, there are two real tragedies: The death itself, and the inaction and delays that follow it. This is your chance to end that pattern. Take swift and decisive action in charging the officers. The next months cannot look like the last three,” the former Destiny’s Child member pleaded.
Days after the death of 46-year-old George Floyd — an unarmed Black man in Minneapolis, MN — the Lemonade singer expressed her anger in a video posted to her Instagram. “We need justice for George Floyd. We all witnessed his murder in broad daylight,” she began the message, posted June 4. “We’re broken and we’re disgusted. We cannot normalize this pain. I’m not only speaking to people of color. If you’re white, black, brown, or anything in between, I’m sure you feel hopeless by the racism going on in America right now,” she said.