Hey NJ You Can VOTE: 55th NAACP Image Awards

Karen Boykin-Towns, esteemed Vice Chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors, and Co-Executive Producer of the 55th NAACP Image Awards, extends an imperative message to the residents of New Jersey: The mantle of influence now rests firmly in your hands as voting commences at WWW.NAACPIMAGEAWARDS.NET. 

Seize this moment to amplify your voice and bestow recognition upon the outstanding excellence and achievements of the African American community across diverse domains. This is an unparalleled opportunity to actively contribute to the annals of history. Mark your calendars for the forthcoming two-hour LIVE TV special, poised to grace screens on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at 8:00 PM ET/PT on BET and CBS, promising an electrifying and culturally enriching experience.

As Vice Chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors and Chairman of the Image Awards Committee of the 55th NAACP Image Awards, Karen Boykin-Towns has been instrumental in shaping the esteemed awards program over the past five years, now in its 55th year. Last year’s award show, hosted by Queen Latifah, experienced a remarkable 72% increase in total viewership, attracting close to 3 million viewers. 

This surge propelled the award show to the number one spot in social primetime programming across all of cable, garnering over 10 million social interactions across platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.

Boykin-Towns currently serves as Founder and President/CEO of Encore Strategies LLC, a boutique consultancy focusing on integrating business and public affairs initiatives.

She is known as a visionary and a powerful driver, utilizing her expertise in the areas of policy, advocacy, communications, and proactive change management. A distinguished strategist, global business, and civic leader, Boykin-Towns previously contributed her expertise across government, the nonprofit sector, and Pfizer, a Fortune 50 global biopharmaceutical company, while also championing civil rights and social justice issues.

At Pfizer, Boykin-Towns advanced quickly into executive management roles. She was recruited as a senior legislative analyst based on her reputation for success in state government and held key leadership roles in public affairs, government relations, global policy, and human resources. Based on her positive impact driving change across the organization, in 2008 she was selected by Pfizer’s CEO to serve as its first Chief Diversity Officer. In this role, she successfully developed an integrated, global strategy resulting in internal progress and external recognition of the company’s advances in diversity and inclusion as a competitive advantage. Boykin-Towns concluded her time at Pfizer as Vice President of Corporate Affairs for their $34 billion Innovative Medicines business where she served as a member of the Senior Leadership Committee which consisted of the top 200 leaders in the global organization.

Embracing her passion for policy and politics, Boykin-Towns’ early career involved serving as legislative director and then chief of staff to New York State Senator David Paterson who later became the 55th Governor of New York. In this role, she led the strategy and execution of legislative efforts related to civil and human rights, community development, and environmental issues.

Her work with the NAACP where she is a Diamond member, Karen also serves on the boards of several organizations including American Airlines Community Council; Visiting Nurse Services; Brewster Academy, and independent director for iFIT, maker of NordicTrack.

Here is Karen Boykin-Towns, Vice Chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors, and Chairman of the Image Awards Committee for the 55th NAACP Image Awards, sharing insights on this year’s prestigious event.

NEW JERSEY URBAN NEWS: There seems to be a perception that the NAACP, founded in 1909, may not adequately address the needs of youth of color in this country. I understand this isn’t accurate, but could you provide further insight on this matter?

KAREN BOYKIN-TOWNS: We understand the perception, but it’s important to highlight the significant efforts we’ve made to engage and empower youth of color within our organization. We currently have seven members under the age of 25 serving on our National Board of Directors, demonstrating our commitment to including youth voices in decision-making processes. Additionally, we have a dedicated National Youth Work Committee and a division focused on collaborating with young people to address their needs and concerns. Recognizing the invaluable contributions of young activists, we present annual awards such as the Activist of the Year and Youth Activist of the Year, underscoring our commitment to amplifying and validating the work of youth leaders within our community.

NJUN: I’m not seeking to disregard Guild nominations, but upon closer examination, it’s apparent that our community is inadequately represented in their lists of nominees. One might contend that, without deeper understanding (and we certainly have that understanding), people of color are not contributing to the creative community, which couldn’t be further from reality. Allow me to put it plainly — we are culture.

KBT: What sets the Image Awards apart is our commitment to recognizing our own, and we truly cherish and celebrate it. While receiving recognition from esteemed institutions like the Academy or the Golden Globes is significant, what resonates deeply, as reiterated by the talent themselves, is the acknowledgment and appreciation from within our own community for their work.

For information and updates, please follow NAACP Image Awards on Instagram @NAACPImageAwards.