NPR's 'It's Been A Minute,' Columbia's 'Old Town Road,' Hulu/A24's 'Ramy' Honored With SAG-AFTRA American Scene Awards

Awards

SAG-AFTRA's fourth American Scene Awards for producers who employ union talent from underrepresented or misrepresented groups have been announced, and the winners are:

• BELVA DAVIS News & Broadcast Award: NPR for the podcast "IT’S BEEN A MINUTE WITH SAM SANDERS"
• Entertainment Award: HULU and A24 for "RAMY"
• Music & Sound Recordings Award: COLUMBIA RECORDS/SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT for LIL NAS X featuring BILLY RAY CYRUS' "OLD TOWN ROAD"

The winners will be honored on OCTOBER 11th at the BEVERLY HILTON during the union's biennial convention, with the presentation hosted by "GLOW"'s SYDELLE NOEL and an after-party with DJ BUTCHONTAP.

SAG-AFTRA Diversity Advisory Committee Chair JASON GEORGE said, “Hands-down, the most difficult selection process we’ve ever had. There were so many worthy projects nominated, it was a brutal decision for everyone involved just to narrow down the submissions to a set of finalists. One of the most impressive aspects this time has to be the powerful perspectives of SAG-AFTRA members who poured their immense talents into creating content for themselves that they weren’t seeing anywhere else. What better way to disrupt tired tropes and overcome traditional obstacles than insisting that there must be a different way? In so many cases, in all categories, SAG-AFTRA members are the driving force in these projects. Our members will continue to shape the future of this industry in profound ways, particularly when it comes to bringing all of our stories into the light.”

SAG-AFTRA Honors and Tributes Committee, Chair JENNY O'HARA said, “We are so proud to honor this year’s recipients for their remarkable work in these past two years. It’s so encouraging to see how much progress has been made and to see these excellent, authentic and impactful stories. So much diversity was represented, in form as well as content, and from such a wide range of companies and creators. From the long-established to those on the rise, and to those just beginning, all were impressive. The smaller indies and streaming series gave the big-budget features a run for their money and the artists and broadcasters from every community of our membership and our country were showcased in wonderful ways. That’s what these awards are all about: possibilities, stepping up, and taking chances.”

SAG-AFTRA National Dir./EEO & Diversity ADAM MOORE said, “Not to take anything away from our previous recipients, but I believe these are the most exciting and progressive selections to date. Forget pushing limits, these extraordinary projects have accomplished that rare feat of undoing the boundaries altogether. With so many genre-defying and stereotype-rejecting finalists, I know it was a gut-wrenching experience for the selection group. Congratulations to these committed employers who deserve such accolades for supporting the visions of our phenomenal members SAM, RAMY and LIL NAS X.”

"NPR is honored that SAG-AFTRA has recognized IT'S BEEN A MINUTE for this award. The show’s engaging and smart approach to covering news and this cultural moment has brought important range to our podcast and broadcast portfolio," said NPR SVP/Programming & Audience Development ANYA GRUNDMANN. "SAM SANDERS has an infectious ease about him. He’s warm, he’s curious, he tells it like it is. He and his guests help us process the news and bring voices and perspectives you don’t hear elsewhere in this frenetic media environment. We’re gratified that audiences have connected with the show’s spirit and mission so deeply and that SAM and the IBAM team are getting this well-deserved recognition.”

RAMY YOUSSEF, co-creator, Exec. Producer, and star of "RAMY," said, “We’re honored to be recognized by SAG-AFTRA’s American Scene Awards. Our show strives to shine a light on characters and stories that are rarely seen on TV, and none of that could be possible without the diverse and extremely talented people both in front of and behind the camera. We’re excited that such a specifically focused story has resonated with audiences, and we hope that other specific stories are given the opportunity to shine and be heard.”

COLUMBIA RECORDS' statement read, “The team at COLUMBIA RECORDS  is thrilled to receive SAG-AFTRA’s American Scene Award for Music & Sound Recordings. We are incredibly proud of LIL NAS X and the impact he’s made with his history-making hit OLD TOWN ROAD. This song has crossed many cultural barriers, as well as pre-existing notions of musical genres. We’ve seen countless examples of this song bringing such a diverse span of people from all backgrounds, ages and demographics together in beautiful ways. It’s not just about breaking the No. 1 record, it’s about his ability to open up new avenues both musically and culturally. He's completely changed the game, and he's proven that it's okay to be different, break the rules and push the envelope."

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