NAMIC Announces Recipients of Annual Vision Awards

ESPN, HBO/HBO Max and Comcast Among Honorees Celebrated for Diverse and Inclusive Programming

Contact: media@namic.com; 212.594.5985

NEW YORK, April 28, 2021 — The National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) last night honored media companies who set new standards for diversity programming at its 28th annual Vision Awards. The NAMIC Vision Awards celebrate original, multiplatform television programming that reflects the ethnic and cultural diversity of the viewing audience. Presented live as part of a reception hosted by The Walter Kaitz Foundation, the Awards were announced during Kaitz’s Hollywood Creative Forum.

“As our industry’s consumer base becomes increasingly diverse, culturally relevant content is central to our industry’s sustainability,” said A. Shuanise Washington, president and CEO of NAMIC. “The NAMIC Vision Awards importantly shines a light on programming that sets bold, new standards for inclusion by reflecting the myriad culture, stories, and contributions of people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life.”

NAMIC issued a total of 17 Vision Awards for networks and distributors. HBO/HBO MAX led the honors with five awards for the sixth consecutive year for its programs: Zendaya: Euphoria; ; Insecure; We’re Here; Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel; and PAUSE with Sam Jay. ESPN followed with two awards for Darren Waller: Gratitude and Somos Afro-Latinos.

The full slate of winners are as follows:

Animation
Molly of Denali – GBH Kids | PBS KIDS

Best Performance – Comedy
Tracy Morgan: The Last O.G. – TBS

Best Performance – Drama
Zendaya: Euphoria – HBO/HBO Max

Children’s
See Us Coming Together: A Sesame Street Special – Sesame Workshop

Comedy
Insecure – HBO/HBO Max

Digital Media – Long Form
Equality, Identity & Hope: The Asian American Experience – Comcast

Digital Media – Short Form
Voices of the Civil Rights Movement – Elaine Brown: Creating the Conditions for Revolutionary Change – Comcast NBCUniversal

Documentary
Homeroom – Hulu

Drama
The Chi – SHOWTIME

Foreign Language
Somos Afro-Latinos – ESPN

Lifestyle
Luda Can’t Cook – Discovery+

News/Informational
VICE News’s Black Lives Matter: A Global Reckoning – VICE News

Original Movie or Special
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia – Lifetime

Reality
We’re Here – HBO/HBO Max

Reality – Social Issues
Darren Waller: Gratitude – ESPN

Sports
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel – HBO/HBO Max

Variety/Talk Show
PAUSE with Sam Jay – HBO/HBO Max

A panel of judges, comprised of industry executives, review the award submissions each year. The applications are open to broadcast and cable networks, cable operators, and syndicators. Video on Demand content produced by cable and/or broadcast companies for web or mobile digital platforms were also eligible to apply. For more information, or to view the 2022 NAMIC Vision Awards winners gallery, visit https://namicvisionawards.com/winners.aspx.

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ABOUT NAMIC

NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) is the premier organization advancing cultural diversity, equity and inclusion in the media and entertainment industry. More than 4,000 professionals belong to a network of 18 chapters nationwide. Through initiatives that support leadership development, advocacy and empowerment, NAMIC collaborates with industry partners to expand and nurture a workforce that reflects the cultural richness of the American population. For more information, please visit www.namic.com or follow @NAMICNational on Twitter.