Grio Awards

The Grio Awards are annual national awards bestowed in a number of categories by The Grio (theGrio.com), an American news website geared toward African Americans.^[1] The Grio is a division of the MSNBC cable channel.^[2] Begun in 2010, the Grio's 100 list of "History Makers in the Making" honors those who are shaping American's future today; its award winners are selected not only from the African American community, but also form all sections of America.^[3]

Grio Award

The ten award categories are Business, Health, Education, Science & the Environment, Media, Pop Culture, Arts & Culture, Service & Activism, Politics and Sports, and ten people are selected from each category.^[4] To make the Grio 100 list, winners must display a large-scale impact on all of America, and their work must be ongoing. The editorial team at theGrio.com, after consulting contributors and experts, decides the final outcome of the awards.^[4] The top 100 change every year.

Grio Awards 2013

• Charles E. Crutchfield III, M.D., Dermatologist

Dr. Charles Crutchfield III, 2013 winner

Neil deGrasse Tyson, 2013 winner

• Amar'e Stoudemire, Professional Basketball Player
• Terrie M. Williams, Advocate for mental health awareness

Peter Ramsey, 2013 winner

• Carolyn McCaskill, Sign Language Advocate
• Anthony McGill and Demarre McGill, Classical Musicians
• Terrence J., TV Personality
• Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, Comedy Duo
• Drs. Vincent and Vance Moss, Twin Surgeons
• Peter Ramsey, Film Director
• Quvenzhané Wallis, Actress
• Will Packer, Film Producer
• Franchesca Ramsey, Designer, Blogger, and Comedian
• Rick Kittles, Scientific Director of African Ancestry, Inc.
• Ava DuVernay, Film Director
• Kerry Washington, Actress
• Nick Cave, Contemporary Artist
• Claressa Shields, Olympic Boxer
• Dr. Nadine Gracia, Director of the Office of Minority Health
• Gabby Douglas, Olympic Gymnast

Gabby Douglas, 2013 winner

• Ty Hunter, Beyoncé's stylist
• Arian Foster, NFL Player
• Keija Minor, Editor-in-Chief of Condé Nast Magazine
• Dr. Robert J. Gore, Doctor and Violence Prevention Advocate
• Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist
• Ken Williams, General Manager of the Chicago White Sox
• Tripoli Patterson, Champion Surfer
• Dr. Naeemah Ghafur, Family Medicine Physician
• Judy Smith, Inspiration behind the hit show 'Scandal'
• Dr. Kafui Dzirasa, Mental Health Research Healer
• Solange Knowles, Singer
• Rob Nabors, Director of Legislative Affairs at the White House
• Walter Kimbrough, President of Dillard University
• Dr. Marilyn Hughes Gaston and Dr. Gayle K. Porter, Promoters of health among midlife women
• Kendrick Lamar, Hip-Hop Artist
• Gary Clark, Jr., Blues Artist
• Elle Varner, R&B Artist

Elle Varner, 2013 winner

• Antron Brown, Drag Racer
• Wendy Williams, Daytime TV Personality
• Taylor Townsend, Tennis Player
• Benjamin Crump, Legal Hand for victims
• Madu Eneli, Teen Author
• Drs. James K. Aikins, Jr. and Charletta A. Ayers, Co-Founders of International HealthCare Volunteers, Inc.
• Ken Strickland, NBC's Washington DC Bureau Chief
• Jabari Parker, Basketball Player
• Nina Turner, Ohio State Senator
• Brendon Ayanbadejo, Super Bowl winning LGBT advocate
• Susan Rice, United States National Security Advisor
• Robert Griffin III, NFL Player
• Lia Neal, Olympic Swimmer
• RZA, Wu-Tang Clan member
• Wanda Butts, Founder of the Josh Project
• Rodney Stearns, iPhone app developer
• Aprille Ericsson, Engineer
• Shaun Evans, Owner of OMBO Apps
• Ibranhim Abdul-Matin, Author of 'Green Deen: What Islam Teaches About Protecting The Planet'
• Kat Calvin, Founder of 'Black Girls Hack'
• Lee Saunders, President of the nation's largest labor union

Lee Saunders, 2013 winner

• Laura Smalls, Fashion Designer
• William Barber, Civil Rights Leader
• Svante Myrick, Mayor of Ithica, New York
• Kiante Young, Entrepreneur
• Nzinga Knight, Designer
• Anthony Foxx, Mayor of Charlotte, NC
• Amos Winbush III, Musician and Tech Entrepreneur
• Dinaw Mengestu, Novelist
• Randal Pinkett, Apprentice' Winner
• Dambisa Moyo, Economist
• Vera Moore, Soap Opera Star and Makeup Guru
• Salaam Coleman Smith, President of NBC Universal's Style network
• Mellody Hobson, Leader of Ariel Investments

Jackie Lacey, 2013 winner

• Earl Phalen, CEO and Founder of Phalen Leadership Academies and Summer Advantage USA
• Oscar L. Harris, Businessman and Architect
• Farrah Gray, Book Publisher
• Sabrina Lamb, Author and Media Commentator
• Dylan C. Penningroth, History Professor
• Susan E. Chapman, SVP of Global Real Estate and Workplace Enablement for American Express
• Dorian Warren, Columbia University Scholar-Activist
• Tommie Lindsey, Teacher
• Tambay Obenson, Film Fanatic
• Brittney Exline, Ivy League Prodigy

Isis King, 2013 winner

• Dean Baquet, Managing Editor of the Times
• Chadwick Boseman, Actor
• Steven Horsford, Nevada Congressman
• Mario Armstrong, Co-Founder of Urban Videogame Academy
• Emi Kolawole, Washington Post Blogger
• Michael Strahan, Former NFL Player
• Stefanie Brown, National African American Vote Director
• Gregory Lowe, CEO of Lowekey Media
• Barbara R. Arwine, Executive Director of Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights under Law
• Jackie Lacey, Los Angeles County District Attorney
• Brittney Griner, Basketball Player
• Swizz Beatz, Hip-Hop Producer
• Beverly Bond, Founder of Black Girls Rock, Inc.
• Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Chair of the Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network
• Nerfertiti Martin and Emily Carpenter, Gender Equality Youth Activists
• Isis King, Transgender Activist
• Robin Roberts, Co-Host, 'Good Morning America'
• Kelvin Doe, Teen Innovator
• Karen Lewis, President, Chicago Teachers Union
• Suzanne Shank, President and CEO, Siebert Brandford and Shank

Grio Awards 2012

• C.J. Senter, Child Fitness Instructor
• Jon 'Bones' Jones, youngest UFC Light Heavyweight Champion in history

Jon 'Bones' Jones, 2012 winner

• Ibtihaj Muhammad, Fencer
• Justus Williams, youngest black chess master
• Chris Broussard, ESPN sports analyst
• Yvette Clarke, Representative for New York
• Kevin Clash, Puppeteer and voice actor
• Ryan Speedo Green, Opera singer
• Angela Benton, Founder of Black Web 2.0
• Octavia Spencer, Actress

Octavia Spencer, 2012 winner

• Valerie Montgomery Rice, Dean of Morehouse School of Medicine
• Melissa Harris-Perry, Author and Political Commentator
• Maya Rudolph, Actress

Maya Rudolph, 2012 winner

• Elisabeth Omilami, Actress and Human Rights Activist
• Sonya Arrington, Founder of Mothers Against Teen Violence
• Marcia Anderson, First black woman to hold major general rank in the U.S. Army
• Janet Mock, Transgender rights advocate
• Frederica Wilson, Representative for Florida
• Radcliffe Bailey, Artist
• Mara Brock Akil, Creator of 'Girlfriends' and 'The Game'
• Chuck Baker, Founder of FileBlaze
• Maimah Karmo, Breast Cancer Awareness Advocate
• George Andrews, Founder and CEO of Capitol City Bank & Trust
• Alonzo Washington, Comic Book Artist
• Andrew 'Bo' Young, III, Civil Rights Leader
• Cheryl Mills, Counselor and Chief of Staff, Department of State

Cheryl Mills, 2012 winner

• Nicole Lyons, Car Builder and Drag Racer
• Anthony Robles, NCAA wrestling champion
• Nigel Sylvester, Professional BMX rider
• Deanna Sutton, Founder of Clutch magazine
• Chandra Gill, Motivator and Educator
• Jason Taylor (American football), NFL Player
• Cam Newton, NFL Player
• Bryan 'Birdman' Williams, Rapper
• LaNiyah Bailey, Author
• Felecia Hatcher, Co-founder of gourmet ice cream truck line
• Katori Hall, Playwright, journalist, and actress
• Kevin Olusola, Cellist and Beatboxer
• Alvin Brown, First black mayor of Jacksonville
• Jennifer Carroll, Lieutenant Governor of Florida
• Kevin Hart, Actor and Comedian

Kevin Hart, 2012 winner

• Tyrone Curry, School custodian and coach
• Traci Lester, Literacy Advocate
• Tarell Alvin McCraney, playwright and actor
• Tiya Miles, Historian and Professor
• Toni Carey and Ashley Hicks, Founders of Black Girls Run!
• Nitty Scott, MC
• Michael Roberts, Businessman
• Sandra Tucker, Nursing School Dean
• Tia Norfleet, NASCAR driver hopeful
• Bryant Terry, Chef
• T. J. Holmes, News anchor
• Tracee Ellis Ross, Actress
• Van Jones, Social Entrepreneur

Van Jones, 2012 winner

• Afam Onyema, Hospital Builder
• John Hunter, Creator of World Peace Games
• Nicholas Cobb, Philanthropist
• Willow Smith, Actress and Musician
• Nnamdi Asomugha, NFL Player
• Torrence Boone, Google Managing Director
• Aton Edwards, Environmental and Social Activist
• Angella Reid, White House Chief Usher
• DeVon Franklin, Movie Executive
• Chazz Darby, Chef
• The Holistic Life Foundation Founders, Yoga instructors
• Garth Fagan, Dance choreographer
• Roblé Ali, Chef
• Yvette Miley, Vice President and Executive Editor of MSNBC
• Leanna Archer, Hair and Body Care CEO
• Anthony Fraiser, Start Up Entrepreneur
• Kevin Lewis, White House Director of black media
• Daniell Washington, Marine Biologist and Activist
• Corvida Raven, Social Media Entrepreneur
• Chinedu Echeruo, Founder of HopStop
• Patrick Gaspard, Executive Director of the Democratic National Committee

Patrick Gaspard, 2012 winner

• Jeff Henderson, Chef
• Jonathon Prince, Runner and Speaker
• Jermaine Griggs, Music Site Founder
• Frank Ocean, Hip Hop artist
• Korto Momolu, Designer
• MC Hammer, Rapper

MC Hammer, 2012 winner

• Christopher 'Ludacris' Bridges, Rapper
• Dhani Jones, Former NFL Player
• Jess Moore, Fashionista
• Alie Kabba, Sierra Leonean immigrant activist
• Jana Johnson, Tech Analyst
• LeVar Burton, Actor and Presenter
• Doyle Beneby, President and CEO of CPS Energy
• Andre 'Dr. Dre' Young, Hip Hop Icon
• Ayanna Pressley, First black woman elected to Boston City Council
• Cheryl Pearson-McNeil, Executive at The Nielsen Company
• Carol Jenkins, Media Leader
• Brenda Combs, Founder of 'Finding My Shoes'

Grio Awards 2011

• Che 'RhymeFest' Smith, Hip Hop Artist
• Michael Blake, Obama Black Outreach supporter
• Tim Scott, Senator from South Carolina

Tim Scott, 2011 winner

• Kasim Reed, Atlanta mayor
• Cedric Richmond, Representative from Louisiana
• Donna Edwards, Representative from Maryland
• Erica Williams, Social Impact strategist
• Keith Ellison, Minnesota Congressman
• Terri Sewell, Alabama Congresswoman
• Wyatt Cenac, Comedian

Wyatt Cenac, 2011 winner

• Mark Luckie, Digital Media Specialist
• Marve Frazier, Social Media Mogul
• Gabi Gregg, MTV personality
• Tristan Walker, Foursquare's Business Development VP
• Bernal Smith, Publisher of the Tri-State Defender
• Bill Burton, Senior Political Strategist
• Hallerin Hilton Hill, American talk radio host
• Lolis Eric Elie, Writer and Documentary Fimmaker
• Samantha Fennell, Managing Director of Cesanamedia/Out There
• Tamron Hall, National Correspondent for NBC News
• Christina Oliver, Marine Corporal
• Decker Ngongang, Senior Associate at Echoing Green
• Dale Long, Big Brothers Big Sisters Advocate
• Jawanza Colvin, Reverend
• Joshua Williams, Philanthropist
• La'Shanda Holmes, Coast Guard copter pilot
• Larry Camel, Pastor
• Shaun King, Social Media Entrepreneur
• Terrance Roberts, Anti-gang activist
• Tracie Washington, Attorney
• Amiya Alexander, Entrepreneur
• Bernard Beal, Wall Street mogul
• Cheryl Dorsey , President of Echoing Green
• Don Peebles, Real estate king
• Jason Few, Former President of Reliant Energy
• Rosalind Brewer, President and CEO of Sam's Club
• John Rice, Founder of Management Leadership for Tomorrow
• Kenneth Frazier, Merck CEO

Kenneth Frazier, 2011 winner

• Lisa Price, Founder of Carol's Daughter
• Richard Bennett, President of Fidelis Design & Construction
• Chanel Iman, Victoria's Secret Angel
• Donald Glover, Comedian
• Isaiah Mustafa, Old Spice Pitchman
• J. Cole, Rapper
• Janelle Monáe, Artist
• Jay Pharoah, Actor and Comedian
• Michael Kenneth Williams, Actor
• Nicki Minaj, Hip Hop Artist

Nicki Minaj, 2011 winner

• Rihanna, Singer
• Viola Davis, Actress
• Aaron Shirley, Physician and Civil Rights Activist
• Carnell Cooper, Doctor
• Eugene Sawyer, Medical Director
• Hydeia Broadbent, HIV/AIDS activist
• Linda Fondren, Mayoral Candidate in Vicksburg, Mississippi
• Lisa Newman, Surgical Oncologist
• Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States
• Nia Froome, Young Entrepreneur
• Velma Scantlebury, Transplant Surgeon
• Winston Gandy, Doctor and Healthcare Advocate
• Angela Brown, Singer
• Edwidge Danticat, Novelist

Edwidge Dantiact, 2011 winner

• Joshua Bennett, Slam Poet
• Kazen Abdullah, Classical Music Conductor
• Kenny Leon, Theater Director
• Monica Haslip, Art Innovator
• Robert Battle, Choreographer
• Sujari Britt, Cellist
• Tanya Hamilton, Filmmaker
• Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews, NOLA musician
• John Dabiri, Biophysicist
• Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, Environmentalist and CEO of Green For All
• Adriane Brown, President and COO for Intellectual Ventures
• André Fenton, Neuroscientist
• Bernard Harris, Astronaut
• Cora Marret, Acting Director of the National Science Foundation
• Donya Douglas, NASA Engineer and Technologist
• Faye Alexander Nelson, President and CEO of Detroit RiverFront Conservancy
• Monique Harden, Environmental Human Rights Advocate
• Njema Frazier, Physicist
• Cullen Jones, Olympic Swimmer
• DeMaurice Smith, Executive Director of the National Football League Players Association
• Jason Heyward, Baseball player
• Kevin Durant, NBA Player
• Kye Allums, NCAA basketball star
• Mariah Stackhouse, Golfer
• Mattie Larson, Team USA gymnast
• Myron Rolle, Rhodes Scholar footballer
• Natalie Randolph, Football coach
• Terry Kennedy, Skateboarder
• Derrell Bradford, Education Reformer
• Rehema Ellis, Reporter
• Courtnay Tyus, Director of Admissions and Marketing for Charter High School
• Dominique Lee, Education Reformer
• Jill Scott R&B star
• John Silvanus Wilson, Jr., President of Morehouse College
• Kittie Weston-Knauer, BMX racer
• Robert Bobb, Detroit Education Official
• Tamica Stubbs, Science Teacher
• Terry Houston, Roosevelt High School Principal

Grio Awards 2010

• Ursula Burns, Chief Executive Officer of Xerox
• Tracy Reese, Fashion Designer
• Jay-Z, Musician, Rap Mogul

Jay-Z, 2010 winner

• Oprah Winfrey, Media Mogul
• Clarence Otis, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Darden Restaurants
• Ephren W. Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of City Capital Corporations
• Janice Bryant Howroyd, Entrepreneur
• Ralph Gilles, President and CEO Dodge Brand
• Jamail Larkins, Chief Executive Officer of Ascension Aircraft
• Carla Harris, Managing Director in Global Capital Markets at Morgan Stanley
• Regina Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General

Regina Benjamin, 2010 winner

• Will Allen, Chief Executive Officer of Growing Power
• Otis Brawley, Chief Medical Officer of American Cancer Society
• Kathie-Ann Joseph, Surgeon and Breast Cancer Researcher/Activist
• Lisa Cooper, Professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Helene Gayle, President and CEO of CARE USA
• Seun Adebiyi, Olympic hopeful
• Satira Streeter, Clinical Psychologist
• Treena Livingston Arinzeh, Biomedical engineer
• Risa Lavisso-Mourey, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Bakari Sellers, Democratic member of South Carolina House of Representatives
• Anthony Woods, Former Democratic candidation for U.S. Congress in California
• Artur Davis, Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives

Artur Davis, 2010 winner

• Melody Barnes, White House Director of the Domestic Policy Council
• Deval Patrick, Democratic Governor of Massachusetts
• Kamala Harris, District Attorney of San Francisco
• Eric Holder, U.S. Attorney General
• Vernon Parker, Republican Mayor of Paradise Valley, Arizona
• Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland
• Kevin Johnson, Mayor of Sacramento
• Beyoncé Knowles, Singer

Beyonce, 2010 winner

• Shona Rimes, Executive Producer of “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice”
• Will.i.am, Co-founder of Black Eyed Peas, musician and producer
• Drake, Rapper
• Chiwetel Ejiofor, Actor
• Gina Prince-Bythewood, Film director
• Charles King, Hollywood agent
• Darius Rucker, Musician and country singer; formerly of Hootie & the Blowfish
• Mary J. Blige, Singer; anti-domestic violence activist
• Mo'Nique, Actress and comedian
• Jason Moran, Jazz musician and music historian
• Kara Walker, artist
• Malcolm Gladwell, Author of “The Tipping Point”

Malcolm Gladwell, 2010 winner

• Bill T. Jones, Dancer and director of Broadway’s “FELA!”
• Wynton Marsalis, Jazz musician
• Lynn Nottage, Pulitzer prize winning playwright
• Kadir Nelson, Children’s book illustrator
• Kehinde Wiley, Painter
• Darin Atwater, Composer/conductor
• Jessica Care Moore, Poet, actor, publisher
• Charles Bolden, NASA Administrator; former space shuttle commander
• Tony Hansberry, The Next Doogie Howser, created a breakthrough surgical stitch
• Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer at the Franklin Institute
• Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
• James McLurkin, Electrical engineer and robot specialist
• Jerome Ringo, President of the Apollo Alliance
• Beverly Wright, Head of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
• Robert Bullard, Author and environmentalist
• Shelton Johnson, Park Ranger at Yosemite National Park
• Agnes A. Day, Associate professor of microbiology at Howard University
• Shani Davis, Olympic Speed Skater
• Michael Hill, General Manager of the Florida Marlins baseball team
• James Stewart, Jr., Champion motorcross driver
• Evander Kane, Member of the Atlanta Thrashers NHL team
• LeBron James, Member of the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA team
• Adrian Peterson, Member of the Minnesota Vikings NFL team
• Allyson Felix, Olympic track and field athlete
• Candace Parker, Member of the Los Angeles Sparks WNBA basketball team
• Serena Williams, Professional tennis player
• Cheyenne Woods, Golfer
• Wyclef Jean, Musician and philanthropist
• Craig Watkins, Dallas District Attorney
• Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, New Jersey
• Richard Buery, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Aid Society in New York
• Alysa Stanton, First female African-American Rabbi
• Majora Carter, Environmental justice advocate
• Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell, First African-American female fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force
• Kari Fulton, National campus campaign coordinator for the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative
• Yolanda Wimberly, Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia
• Joshua DuBois, Minister and Head of the White House Office for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
• Tyra Banks, Model and media entrepreneur

Tyra Banks, 2010 winner

• Tyler Perry, Producer/Director
• Christina Norman, Chief Executive Office of OprahWomensNetwork (OWN)
• Fred Mwangaguhunga, Founder of Meditakeout.com
• Byron Pitts, Correspondent for CBS News’ “60 Minutes”
• Roland Martin, Journalist
• Steve Harvey Radio host, author
• David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer of Google
• Mary Spio, Co-founder of Gen2MEDIA and digital media expert
• Mara Schiavocampo, “NBC Nightly News” digital correspondent
• Teresa King, First female commander at U.S. Army’s Drill Sgt. School
• Freeman A. Hrabowski III, President of University of Maryland; education expert
• Spirit Trickey, Daughter of one of Little Rock 9, Park Ranger at Central High School Visitor’s Center
• Barrington Irving, Pilot; founder of Experience Aviation
• Roland Fryer, Professor of economics at Harvard University
• Omo Moses, Founder and Executive Director of Young Peoples Project
• Shirley Ann Jackson, President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Tim King, Founder of Urban Prep Charter Academy for Young Men in Chicago
• Ashanti Johnson, Assistant Professor of Chemical Oceanography at College of Marine Science in St. Petersburg, FL
• John Jackson, President and CEO of The Schott Foundation for Public Education

References

External links

• “Introducing theGrio’s 100 class of 2012: America's best” http://thegrio.com/2012/01/31/introducing-thegrios-100-class-of-2012/
• "TheGrio's 100" http://thegrio.com/category/thegrios-100/