What Have you done recently to help Girls?

Black Girls Rock had a moving program today to show young women of color that they can do great things!

From top to bottom, women are in charge. There’s a female host, an all-female house band. And the CEO of the network airing the show is Debra L. Lee, who still remembes the reaction of women when she was named to the top job in 2005.

“I got a lot of admiration of women and a lot of high fives in the hallway and that’s when I realized it was still very unusual for women to reach that level in corporate America,” she said.

Among those being honored this year is actress Taraji P. Henson, artist Missy Elliot and WNBA President Laurel J. Richie, who is the recipient of the ‘shot caller,’ award.

Richie wasn’t sure of how her name got to the selection committee, but she said was “really, really excited.” As the former chief marketing officer for Girl Scouts of America and now head of the WNBA, Richie is no stranger to working around women with a cause.

As she made her climb, Richie was often the only woman and the only African American in the room.

“My parents were both sort of trailblazers and raised me in a way to believe that I had the right and the skills to do whatever I chose to do in life,” Richie said. “So while I didn’t welcome the opportunity to be the only one, I gladly assumed the role of trailblazer.”

But she also recognizes the for young women to have strong role models.

“Anytime you look up and see somebody who you can relate to whether that’s based on gender, race or religion, it’s a little easier to imagine yourself on that position and that position feels just a little bit more attainable,” Richie said.

Catch it on BET!!!