Glynn Turman and Nkechi Okoro Carroll honored at the 2024 AAFCA TV Honors

Glynn Turman, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, Starz “Power” Universe, “UnPrisoned” and many other Black stars and projects were honored Saturday afternoon at the 2024 African American Film Critics Association TV Honors.

The sixth annual awards ceremony, held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, presented a complete of 15 awards recognizing achievements in television and streaming. Hollywood ReporterCarroll, showrunner of “All American” and “Found,” was honored with the Salute to Excellence Award.

The New York-born dancer spoke in her acceptance speech about her love of Dolly Parton’s 1982 musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, connecting her childhood fascination together with her current profession.

“I’m passing on this story because I refuse to listen when I hear people tell me our stories aren’t relatable. I refuse to listen when they tell me our stories don’t travel, that they’re too niche,” Carroll said. “The truth is, our stories aren’t just great television, they’re great business. They’re universal. Because if I, a seven-year-old Nigerian girl, can relate to Dolly and her ladies in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, then I know for a fact that there’s a way for the larger world to relate to our stories. And that’s why I refuse to budge.”

Turman received the Legacy Award in the final hour of the ceremony, in accordance with THR. The “A Different World” actor said in his acceptance speech that he was the last surviving actor from the 1959 Broadway solid of “A Raisin in the Sun,” which included Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee and Louis Gossett Jr.

“These people created this space and set such high standards for us to dedicate ourselves to this, and that’s always in my mind when I’m choosing parts, when I’m doing my job, when I’m dedicating productions or performances,” Turman said, in accordance with THR . “It’s for you, Sidney, it’s for you, Ruby, it’s for you, Douglas Turner, it’s for you, Lou Gossett. It makes it more than just me. It makes me have to dedicate a different part of what this journey is about, because I owe it to her.”

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“I owe it to you,” Turman added, pointing to his granddaughter, who was with him on stage. “It’s about life. It’s about life. It’s about the task that we’ve been given, and that I don’t take for granted. What an opportunity we have. What a journey we’re on… There’s only sacrifice. There’s no finish line.”

Other winners included “Black Twitter: A People’s History” for Best Documentary Feature, “Masters of the Air” for Best Ensemble, Ayo Edebiri for Best TV Actress for “The Bear,” Wendell Pierce for Best TV Actor for “Elsbeth,” “Unprisoned” for Best TV Comedy, and Universe’s “Power,” which won the Impact Award.