BillionaireChristian film maker and producer, Tyler Perry was honored with the Governors Award at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday.

The business mogul who was recently certified a billionaire by Forbes has been honored with “Governors Award” in recognition of his works on inclusivity, philanthropic efforts and efforts through his selfless humanitarian services.

The Emmy Awards ceremony takes place annually while the highly exclusive “Governors Award” category is received by an individual, company, organization or project for outstanding achievement in the arts and sciences or management of television which is either of a cumulative nature or so extraordinary and universal in nature as to go beyond the scope of the Emmy Awards presented in the categories and areas of the competition.

While accepting the award, 51-year-old filmmaker while reflecting on how a quilt his grandma made for him growing up played a big role in his life decision making, he said; “In my grandmother’s quilt there were no patches for Black people on television. And now her grandson is being honored by the Television Academy.

“We are all sewing our own quilt with our thoughts, our behaviors, our experiences and our memories. I stand here tonight to say thank you, to all of the people who are celebrating and know the value of every patch and every story and every color that makes up this quilt that is our business, this quilt that is our lives, this quilt that is America.”

The award was presented to Perry by Chris Rock and Oprah Winfrey, who hailed him a “visionary.” Oprah said; “Tyler Perry has done what no one had done before him — make it as an outsider.”

Rock added; “And of course Hollywood welcomed an independent Black man with open arms. They thought he was just a fad.”

Winfrey continued; “Tyler ensured that Black people would be represented in front of and behind the camera. He is a man of deep faith, he is a visionary who is led by unwavering passion, and a businessman who bet on himself and in doing so, showed the world that there is a different path to ultimate success.

“He dreamed the impossible dream, he bore the unbearable sorrow and fought the unbeatable foe to run where the brave dare not go.”


Credit: selahafrik