Both the New York Amsterdam News and the NAACP are sharing a significant milestone: marking 115 years of existence. The newspaper is older by two months, having embarked on its journey on December 4, 1909, with just a ten-dollar investment, six pieces of paper, and a single pencil. The NAACP was founded on February 12 by a distinguished group of luminaries, including W. E. B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, Moorfield Storey, and Ida B. Wells.
Vice Chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors and Chairperson of the Image Awards Committee of the 55rd NAACP Image Awards, Karen Boykin-Towns has played a pivotal role in shaping the prestigious awards program over the past five years. The program is now in its 55th year. Last year’s award show, hosted by Queen Latifah, saw a remarkable 72% increase in total viewership, drawing close to 3 million viewers. This surge propelled the award show to the number one spot in social primetime programming across all of cable, with over 10 million social interactions across platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, X, and YouTube.
Boykin-Towns also 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 with 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.
A Diamond member with the NAACP, Karen also serves on the boards of several organizations including American Airlines Community Council; Visiting Nurse Services; Brewster Academy; and as an independent director for iFIT, maker of NordicTrack.
Here is Karen Boykin-Towns, vice chair of the NAACP National Board of Directors and chairperson of the Image Awards Committee for the 55th NAACP Image Awards, sharing insights on this year’s prestigious event.
AMSTERDAM NEWS: Thank you for making time to chat. I can only imagine how busy you must be with the preparations for the upcoming 55th NAACP Image Awards.
KAREN BOYKIN-TOWNS: Thank you. We [NAACP], Derrick Johnson, NAACP’s CEO, and Leon W. Russell, Board of Directors, chair NAACP, and I don’t take lightly the interest and the time people invest in reaching out to us. It’s crucial that we make ourselves available because it serves as an entryway for people to learn about the important work we’re doing across the country.
AMN: It appears that for people of color, the “struggle” is ongoing.
KBT: In 2024, we’re faced with numerous pressing issues, as my mom used to say, ‘more than you can shake a stick at.’ Civic engagement and protecting our democracy are paramount. We’re focused on helping our community understand the power and importance of their vote and why it’s crucial to be engaged. We’re planning to run a $30 million campaign to provide funds on the ground, particularly to support Black media, to spread awareness and ensure people understand that our lives depend on this.
AMN: Absolutely, our lives are deeply intertwined with it. With organizations boasting 115 years of existence, they inherently carry a treasure trove of wisdom and experience. Engaging the youth becomes paramount in driving forward positive change. But do today’s kids even have an awareness of the NAACP?
KBT: 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.
AMN: Absolutely, the NAACP Image Awards serve as a brilliant platform to bridge generational gaps and communicate effectively with all age groups, to put it plainly.
KBT: In my role as chair of the Image Awards Committee, I want to emphasize that while this is just one aspect of my broader leadership responsibilities within the association, during this time of year, my focus is unparalleled. From late into the night to early mornings, I immerse myself in reviewing various coverages and engaging on social media. It’s truly invigorating. What resonates overwhelmingly is the sheer abundance of talent across all categories.
AMN: 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.
AMN: This brings us to the most crucial reason for this conversation, which is to tell the community where they can vote.
KBT: By visiting www.naacpimageawards.net, the public can vote to determine the winners of the “55th NAACP Image Awards’’ in select categories.
AMN: When does voting close?
KBT: Voting closes February 24 at 9:00 p.m, and winners will be revealed during the “55th NAACP Image Awards’’ telecast on March 16, 2024, on BET and CBS.
AMN: What about the non-televised Image Awards categories?
KBT: NAACP will recognize winners in non–televised Image Awards categories March 11–14th, which will stream via naacpimageawards.net.
For information and updates, please follow NAACP Image Awards on Instagram @NAACPImageAwards.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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