THEGRIO HEROES Premieres Wednesday June 19th at 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT on TheGrio Television Network and is Followed by BYRON ALLEN PRESENTS JUNETEENTH CELEBRATING CENTURIES OF BLACK EXCELLENCE
Viewers can tune-in to watch a new special television program featuring the ten award honorees, THEGRIO HEROES -- hosted by theGrio columnist and podcast host Panama Jackson -- on Juneteenth (Wednesday June 19th) at 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT on TheGrio Television Network, followed by BYRON ALLEN PRESENTS JUNETEENTH CELEBRATING CENTURIES OF BLACK EXCELLENCE at 8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT. This special -- presented by Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group, the parent company of theGrio -- spans decades of Black excellence, with familiar faces taking deep dives into some of the most influential figures in Black and American history. The special honors civil rights figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, musical trailblazers like Little Richard and Whitney Houston, acting legends like Whoopi Goldberg and Sidney Poitier, along with others. Byron Allen is joined by theGrio’s own Natasha S. Alford and Touré, plus prominent celebrities like LeVar Burton, Tamron Hall, Kevin Frazier, Jon Kelley, Loni Love, and Shaun Robinson -- creating a fully immersive, educational and entertaining experience.
Both programs will then re-air in the same time slots on Sunday, June 23rd and Sunday, June 30th on TheGrio Television Network, theGrio Streaming App, and theGrio FAST Channel. Both programs will also be available on demand via theGrio Streaming App beginning Monday, June 24th. More information about TheGrio Heroes is available on thegrio.com.
"As we unveil the remarkable achievements of these 10 heroes and amplify the icons featured in our Juneteenth special, we are reminded of the incredible resilience and excellence that defines the African-American community,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “Heroes are needed more today than ever before, and theGrio is steadfast in its mission to uplift Black culture and remains one-thousand percent committed to celebrating our frontline community leaders.”
“Striving to support empowering, measurable change, we elevate the critical contributions theGrio Heroes make to our community every day. We are honored to shine a light on their extraordinary accomplishments and support work that will inspire and uplift many people for generations to come,” said Geraldine Moriba, Senior Vice President and Chief Content Officer of theGrio.
The full list of 2024 TheGrio Heroes listed in alphabetical order:
● Osei Boateng, Somerset, NJ – Chief Executive Officer of OKB Hope Foundation. Boateng's foundation is bringing essential healthcare services to rural communities in Ghana, improving lives and well-being.
● Rhiannon Carnes, Columbus, OH – Co-founder & Executive Director of Ohio Women's Alliance. Carnes is committed to building collective power with BIPOC women and gender-expansive folks, driving
positive change in Ohio.
● Marvin Dunn, Miami, FL – Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology at Florida International University. Professor Dunn is renowned for teaching Black history in Florida and actively fighting against book bans.
● Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Washington, D.C. – Executive Director of Moms Demand Action. An advocate for reproductive rights, gun control, and social justice, Ferrell-Zabala leads initiatives to promote safer communities.
● Angel Gregorio, Washington, D.C. – Founder of Black + Forth and The Spice Suite. Gregorio's initiatives amplify Black-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment and community growth.
● Jacqueline Hubbard, St. Petersburg, FL – An advocate who brought Freedom Schools to Florida. Hubbard's work has empowered countless individuals through education and advocacy.
● Chris Matthews, Atlanta, GA – Founder of Blankies 4 My Buddies, an organization providing comfort to children dealing with traumatic situations. Matthews' inspiring journey has touched many lives.
● Dr. Kwane Stewart, San Diego, CA – Co-Founder & Board President of The Street Vet. Dr. Stewart's dedication to caring for homeless animals and their human caretakers has garnered widespread recognition and admiration.
● Mychal Threets, Fairfield, CA – Librarian and TikTok influencer advocating for reading. Threets' viral social media videos promote literacy and life-affirming messages, inspiring a love for reading.
● Jabee Williams, Oklahoma City, OK – Founder of Live Free OKC, a subsidiary of Live Free USA, a national gun violence prevention organization. Williams has been instrumental in advocating for gun control and community safety.
About TheGrio
TheGrio is a digital, video-centric news community devoted to giving voice to trusted figures on the front lines who inspire us every day, and to bringing fresh perspectives that buck convention because there’s more than one way to be Black. We are the largest Black newsroom in America devoted to satisfying the need to stay connected. We believe a well-informed community best determines its own interests. And so, theGrio's editorial mandate is to focus on news and events that have a pronounced impact on a Black global audience. We unabashedly explore culture and entertainment, health and lifestyle, politics and policy, business and empowerment, food and fitness, science and climate, tech and innovation, and everything that matters to the Black community. Recently nominated for 3 NAACP Image Awards, theGrio has also been recently honored with several other awards, including 2 Silver Signal Awards, a Gold Lovie Award, and a Shorty Impact Award for Best Podcast. These honors highlight the platform’s dedication to delivering exceptional content that resonates with a diverse audience. In 2016, Allen Media Group purchased theGrio, which features aggregated and original video packages, news articles, and opinion pieces on breaking news, politics, health, business, and entertainment. The digital platform focuses on curating exciting digital content and has over 100 million annual visitors. TheGrio Television Network is available nationwide via Comcast, Charter/Spectrum, Cox, DISH, Sling, Verizon Fios, DirecTV, and DirecTV Stream via mobile apps Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and AppleTV.
Eric Peterkofsky
Allen Media Group
eric@es.tv