Some voices are immediately recognizable once you hear them. On that list, you’ll likely find people like Morgan Freeman, Samuel L. Jackson — and, of course, Wanda Sykes. The familiarity of these people’s gifts is what makes them household names, and Sykes has held it down for decades. To this day, she continues to entertain people with her versatility as a voice actor, comedic chops, and acting prowess. Sykes is a Virginia native and graduate of Hampton University. Although Wanda Sykes graduated with a bachelor of science degree in marketing, she launched her stand-up career in Washington D.C. during a Coors Light Super Talent Showcase, according to PBS. Her career would soon take off as a writer and on-screen talent for HBO’s “Chris Rock Show.” Sykes would then go on to star in several other television shows and movies that include “Pootie Tang,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Black-ish,” and her recent endeavor, “The Upshaws” on Netflix. The comedienne’s hard work and talent earned her...

The year 2020 has been dedicated to celebrating Black excellence and giving our community the spotlight we’ve always deserved. For the first time in its history, the Television Academy announced its most diverse lineup of nominations as Black actors and actresses scored a record high of slots for the 2020 Emmy Awards, according to The Hollywood Reporter . As pointed out by Variety , 35 of 102 nominations went to Black performers and artists this year accounting for 34.3 percent of its total nominees. It seems as though Black Hollywood is finally garnering a much stronger presence from the notoriously white, male-skewed awards ceremony. This is quite a refreshing change to see Black artists get their well-deserved flowers from their peers as the better half of the year has already evolved the conversation around the value of Black lives and stories. “2020 isn’t just about the global health crisis,” said Television Academy chairman and CEO Frank Scherma as reported by Consequence of...