Ace Honors Awards 2025: A Celebration of Black Brilliance, Purpose, and Power

Crystal Jordan
May 23
3 min read

By Crystal Jordan

Auesomely You Magazine

Published: 5/23/2025

ATLANTA, GA – May 17, 2025 — Beneath the grandeur of Atlanta City Hall’s golden light, the 2025 ACE Honors Awards ignited a vibrant celebration of culture, creativity, and community. The theme was clear: it’s time we honor our own.

Image credit: Lrik Jackson / Phicinema

Founded to spotlight the achievements of Black artists, content creators, and entertainers, ACE Honors (“Art, Culture & Entertainment”) was more than a red carpet affair. It was a statement. A movement. A necessary shift toward self-recognition in industries where validation is too often delayed or denied.

Image credit: Lrik Jackson / Phicinema

Image credit: Lrik Jackson / Phicinema

This year’s awards honored powerhouse talents like Stan Shaw, Chris Tucker, Clifton Powell, and Dolapo Erinkitola, alongside emerging voices reshaping media. ACE’s mission to “empower through recognition” came to life with categories like Best Actor/Actress, Content Creator of the Year, Rising Star, Best Indie Filmmaker, and Voice of Change. Every honoree was celebrated not just for what they do, but for who they are.

“I just had my first lead role in Daily Attraction,” said Monyetta Shaw-Carter, radiant in confidence. “To be nominated for Actor of the Year? I’m so grateful. I love what ACE Honors is doing—putting our people in one room and giving us our flowers while we’re here.”

🎬 Lights, Camera, Impact: Artists on a Mission

Image credit: Lrik Jackson / Phicinema

Image credit: Lrik Jackson / Phicinema

From the Tubi screen to the city stage, the red carpet was full of creatives walking boldly in purpose.

Robert Sloken, an award-winning screenwriter, recalled how writing saved him. “I was a misunderstood kid. My punishments became my practice. Now I use my voice to uplift others.”

Rising actress Crystal the Doll, dubbed the “Beyoncé of Tubi,” talked candidly about consistency and passion. “Every project I touch is a blessing. I don’t have a favorite because I treat each one like it’s my breakthrough.”

With mental wellness a core focus of the night, Auesomely You Magazine led interviews with intentionality.

Veteran actor Clifton Powell, 70, didn’t hold back: “Therapy saved my life. Black seed oil, lion’s mane, meditation—yes. But most of all? Prayer and therapy. Flush the toxins—physically and emotionally.”

Photographer and creative visionary Derek Blanks added, “We must normalize therapy for Black men. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take it seriously.”

Even behind the scenes, the message remained consistent: vulnerability is strength. “So many Black men feel like no one is listening,” said Robert Sloken, whose personal journey underscored the need for empathy. “Please, talk to someone.”

Veteran Advocacy, DEI, and the Fight for Representation

Honoree Tenille Fay, nominated for Model of the Year, merged glamor with service. “I created Poised Model Finishing in honor of my father, a disabled veteran. Ten percent of everything I earn goes back to help them.”

She didn’t shy away from politics either. “Rolling back DEI is dangerous. It’s our responsibility to ensure underrepresented voices remain heard.”

Actor Karon Joseph Riley summed it up best: “This is ours. ACE Honors is the beginning of something powerful—a platform where we celebrate ourselves, by ourselves. No outside validation needed.”

As he teased upcoming developments for The Black Hamptons and Family Business, his heart stayed on mission.

“It’s time to control our stories. Period.”

Celebrated photographer Daniel Miranda reminded us why artistry matters. “Photography isn’t a hobby—it’s my calling. Just like you live and breathe autism advocacy, I live and breathe this.”

Image credit: Lrik Jackson / Phicinema

Image credit: Lrik Jackson / Phicinema

Image credit: Lrik Jackson / Phicinema

That parallel struck deep, as Auesomely You’s platform also centers on disability, neurodiversity, and mental health. This wasn’t just coverage. This was alignment.

Why ACE Matters to the Culture—and the Future

What makes the ACE Honors Awards so timely and so necessary is their insistence on ownership, healing, and Black-led celebration. As the official website states, ACE is “a platform that not only recognizes achievements but also uplifts the culture.” And that’s exactly what we witnessed.

For Auesomely You Magazine, covering this night wasn’t just media—it was ministry. It was advocacy. It was a mirror reflecting our mission: