Viola Davis Remembers Being Called the N-Word More Times Than Her Own Name as a Child While Accepting HollyRod Foundation Honor

Viola Davis received the Jacqueline Avant HollyRod Humanitarian Award at the HollyRod Foundation DesignCare 2024 Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday. The organization, founded by actress Holly Robinson Peete and her husband Rodney Peete in 1997, supports families affected by Parkinson’s disease and autism.

Prior to Davis’ awards presentation, Robinson Peete spoke about the legacy of Jacqueline — the wife of former music executive Clarence Avant, who was shot and killed in her home at the age of 81 in 2021. “This award is very special to me because Jacqueline was a founding donor of the HollyRod Foundation at its inception period,” said Robinson Peete. “If you knew her, you knew the definition of grace, joy, philanthropy and love for family. She loves the arts and was an inspiration to so many.”

Kelly Rowland presented to Davis, acknowledging the actress as “someone whose talent, resilience, and heart have touched lives in an immeasurable way.”

“Viola Davis perfectly exemplifies the spirit of this award, named after Jacqueline Avant who was a true champion of generosity, love, and philanthropy,” said Rowland. “Like Jacqueline, Viola’s kindness and commitment to making the world a better place reminds us all of the power we have when we choose to uplift others. Viola, we are beyond grateful for your courage, your brilliance and your heart.”

In her acceptance speech, Davis spoke about the most important person anyone can give back to: themselves.

“I listen to what people say, that when you go into philanthropy, it’s about making the world a better place; and that’s absolutely what I want, but the two people that you owe the most to are your six-year-old self and your 80-year-old self,” Davis began. “I don’t know my 80-year-old self yet… but I know my six-year-old self because she’s still very much alive to me.”

The star continued, “She had a lot of dreams, but she didn’t have a lot of hopes. She was a bed wetter. She grew up with very little food and in abject poverty. She was probably called a [N-word] more times than she was called Viola — and ugly. But what happened with Viola, she was born into a world where she did not fit in. And if anyone comes to understand the definition of a hero, they are always born into a world that they do not fit in.”

Davis’ philanthropic efforts underscore her experiences as a child, serving as an ambassador for Hunger Is, which is aimed at ending childhood hunger. She’s also a supporter of Children’s Hunger Alliance, clothing and shoe donation non-profit Soles4Souls and women’s addiction rehabilitation organization Friendly House. Davis has also given back to her alma mater Central Falls High School and the local library in her hometown, demonstrating what she says is the answer to being born in a world where you don’t fit in.

“It’s love. Good old-fashioned radical, active love. The kind of love that we’re invested in everyone’s spiritual, emotional, physical world. That kind of love that makes people feel less alone,” she said. “I didn’t have that love as Viola. Little Viola was looking for it desperately. That people could get beyond my smell, beyond the poverty, beyond the fact that you thought my nappy hair and my big lips and my wide nose and my dark skin wasn’t pleasing to the eye.”

In concluding her speech, Davis spoke about her commitment to making sure other people don’t have the same experiences she did.

“I was reluctant to say this,” Davis said, holding back tears. “But until the last person who has a memory of you dies, you will never be dead, and I want to live forever. I want to honor little Viola, I want to be the hero that she needs next. I want to be that person that came through the dark and said, ‘I see you.’ That’s why I work with hunger. That’s why I work with education. That’s why I work with domestic violence. I see you. And as long as I am breathing, I know that my leg of this race is to pass the baton on to the next great runner who’s gonna get it and put it out into the world and make others feel less alone, like Ms. Avant. I thank her for her life. I thank her for even thinking that I am worthy of this award. And while I’m still breathing, I am going to leave something in people.”

Some 500 guests were in attendance at HollyRod’s 26th annual gala, including Magic Johnson and Ted Sarandos. In addition to the awards ceremony, the evening also featured a fashion show, an auction to support the organization and an afterparty with a performance by ‘90s R&B group After 7.

Additional honorees included artist Morgan Harper Nichols and athlete-professional speaker Jason McElwain, who received HollyRod Hero Awards; Dr. Chantale Branson, a neurologist and movement disorders specialist, who was presented with the Muhammad Ali Trailblazer Award; Camille Proctor and Nadine Wright-Arbubakkr, founders of The Color of Autism and Nassan’s Place, who received the Karen E. Smith Angel on the Path Awards;  EMT Eric Aquino, who was recognized with the Matthew Robinson Jr. Award of Courage; and KultureCity founders Dr. Julian Maha and Dr. Michele Kong, who received the  HollyRod Corporate Champion Award.