Female entertainment leaders honored by Black Enterprise

Black Enterprise is honoring powerful female leaders at its Women of Power Legacy Awards this year in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 5th. The awards are part of the three-day 2020 Women of Power Summit, which is a professional conference with 1,500 attendees that focuses on female leaders of color.

Two of the entertainment industry’s greatest female leaders, Debbie Allen and Debra Lee, have been chosen for recognition this year as women who have had “outstanding impact, achievement and leadership” in their industry.

Debbie Allen has won numerous awards for her work. Beyond her legendary status as an actress, director and producer, she is best known for having choreographed some of the world’s greatest artists, shows and events, including James Earl Jones, Janet Jackson, Lena Horne, Michael Jackson, Phylicia Rashad, Sammy Davis Jr., Whitney Houston, Fame, the Motown 25th and the Academy Awards.

Debra Lee is the former BET Networks Chief Executive Officer and current head of Leading Women Defined. She was named among the Power 100 by Billboard and one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Entertainment by The Hollywood Reporter. While at BET, her leadership resulted in some of the network’s most loved and recognized programs, including The BET Awards, BET Honors, Being Mary Jane, Black Girls Rock! and The New Edition Story. At Leading Women Defined, she’s helping to shape in a positive fashion how the world sees female black leaders and their impact on the black community.