“You all know that I have had my fair share of ups and downs,” Blige continued. “I have faced a lot of obstacles — some humiliating and embarrassing times. Because of you, I have come out on the other side each and every time.” Indeed, she has.

“Black Girls Rock!” was created to highlight the many attributes of African-American women. The awards ceremony has been going strong for more than a decade and does not show any signs of slowing down.

“Each year I’m humbled to gather and celebrate Black women’s excellence, intelligence, and savoir-faire,” Founder and Creator Beverly Bond recently said of the event. “I am grateful to BET for helping to elevate the ‘Black Girls Rock!’ mission and for being our partners in exalting the royalty of Black women and girls.”

Learn more about ‘Black Girls Rock!’ at the organization’s website!