Every year, millions of people watch the NAACP Image Awards and celebrate Black excellence in entertainment. But have you ever wondered how it all actually comes together?

In this episode of NAACP+ Inside the Industry, host Ariana Drummond sits down with Robin Harrison — Vice President of the NAACP Hollywood Bureau and the woman who has been producing the NAACP Image Awards for over 22 years — for an inside look at the Image Awards like never before.

Robin breaks down:

→ How submissions actually work and what every filmmaker, creator, and label needs to know before the deadline

→ What the nominating committee is, who's on it, and how nominees are actually selected → Why there is absolutely no grace period on the submission deadline — and what happens in the two weeks after it closes

→ The full Image Awards Week calendar — from the nominees luncheon to the fashion show to the after-party — and why it's so much more than just one night

→ How the Hollywood Bureau operates with a team of 6 to produce one of the biggest nights in Black entertainment

→ Why the Image Awards was created in the early 60s and why it is more necessary now than ever

→ What makes the Image Awards different from every other award show — including the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Grammys

→ The resources the Hollywood Bureau offers to filmmakers and creators of color right now

→ The Viola Davis moment that Robin says she will never forget and why it captures exactly why she does this work

→ What she hopes the Image Awards looks like in another 60 years

This episode is for every creator, filmmaker, and industry professional who has ever wanted to know what's really going on behind the curtain.

️ Host: Ariana Drummond, NAACP Director of Talent & Media Relations

Guest: Robin Harrison — Vice President, NAACP Hollywood Bureau; 22-Year Producer, NAACP Image Awards

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Watch more Inside the Industry: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaaTUaaxeh-IBd36D0P3FzFcu17Ij2S4T

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3iny4YTd9NfUBB51aWOpYr?si=8657ebed5b5049ed&nd=1&dlsi=316fca0df52b4a1e

Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/naacp-inside-the-industry/id1894940807

Learn more about NAACP+: https://linktr.ee/NAACPPlus

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• (00:00:00) - Opening: Why the Image Awards Still Matters
• (00:00:24) - Welcome & Introduction
• (00:01:17) - Being a Producer Who's Now in Front of the Camera
• (00:01:41) - 22 Years at the Image Awards and What Has Changed the Most
• (00:03:29) - What Robin Harrison Actually Does: The Hollywood Bureau Explained
• (00:04:29) - How She Got Here: From D.C. Event Producer to NAACP Full Time
• (00:06:34) - Why the Image Awards Exists and What Makes It Different From Every Other Show
• (00:09:15) - Submissions: How It Works, Deadlines, and How to Make Your Project Stand Out
• (00:12:15) - From Nominations to Show Night: The Full Timeline Explained
• (00:13:55) - Image Awards Week: Every Event From Start to Finish
• (00:16:02) - What Is Actually Running Through Her Mind on Show Night
• (00:18:29) - Why the Image Awards Feels Like a Family Reunion
• (00:19:27) - The Resources the Hollywood Bureau Offers Creators Right Now
• (00:21:20) - Legacy, Growth & What 22 Years of This Work Has Built
• (00:23:06) - Advice for Creators Who Don't Think Their Project Can Compete
• (00:25:58) - The Moment She Will Never Forget and Why She Does This Work
• (00:28:04) - Inside Your Industry Bag (Game)