It’s been a crazy year to say the least. From assassination attempts to historic rap beefs, 2024 kept us all on our toes, and as we’re nearing the end of the year, This year’s Root 100 Awards was the perfect place to honor everything Black and influential while also recapping the madness of 2024.
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On the red carpet, The Root spoke with Root 100 honorees and other guests about 2024 and what they’re looking forward to in the new year.
Daytime television host and author Tamron Hall joined us on the red carpet, and for her, 2025 is all about seeing Black folks thrive. “It’s about how do you thrive in the midst of the obstacles... and the challenges that we all face as women, as Black women, as Black people,” Hall said.
All year, Black people put in hard work, showing up in droves for the election and even at the top of the Billboard charts. And although Hall acknowledged the constant challenges this community faces, she said this is the time to keep up the good work! “We always manage to thrive,” she continued. “In 2025, we’ll keep doing that. We’ll keep being innovators. We’ll keep being excellent.”
In order to thrive, Democratic political advisor Antjuan Seawright said he’s ready for “a fresh start” within the community. He told The Root he’s “looking for our community to make some adjustments.” One of the most important adjustments comes in the face of a historic election and a shocking loss. “Two things happened during elections: You win or you learn. Sometimes when we win, we do not always learn, but we don’t lose,” Seawright said.
He continued saying “there’s a lot to learn from 2024 from an election standpoint and also from a culture standpoint. And know that these fights we’re fighting in 2025 will be the fights that will keep our community alive.”
After a year like this one, it’s easy to feel discouraged and even overwhelmed, but actor Wendell Pierce said he’s focused on self determination. “In 2025, I’m looking forward to exercising the right to self determination and remembering that the social justice movement of the 21st century is economic development,” the Tony Award-winning actor told The Root.
Pierce has also been outspoken on social media about the presidential election and his concerns for the American future, but he said that doesn’t stop him from pushing forward. “We just lost an election. We didn’t lose our purpose. And with that purpose is to empower ourselves financially. The first wealth is knowledge,” Pierce said.
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett shared a similar sentiment with The Root. “We need to find any and every way that we can to celebrate our beautiful Black selves as much as we can over the next four years,” she said.
“It’s important that we uplift and recognize that our excellence is not determined by what somebody tells us what we are and what we aren’t.” Crockett gave props to Vice President Harris and her historic presidential campaign, and although she understands Black people might feel discouraged after Harris’ loss, she has some advice for everyone to listen to.
“We are resilient. It is in our DNA. It is literally in our blood that we will survive,” Crockett continued. “This is when we end up seeing the real diamonds— when pressure is applied.”
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