Over the weekend, vegan TikTok influencer Tabitha Brown nabbed the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Social Media Personality. Brown beat out comedians Kevin Fredericks (known as “KevOnStage”) and Karlton “NotKarltonBanks” Humes, actor Desi Banks Jr., and financial educator Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche to win the award in the category. Brown and her family attended the 52nd annual award ceremony—hosted by Black Entertainment Television (BET)—virtually and hosted a watch party to celebrate her victory.
“It is such an honor to be … awarded for just being myself,” the North Carolina native said in her emotional acceptance speech. “I have dreamt all my life to perform and make people laugh and feel something.” Brown thanked her family and fans for supporting her dreams, adding, “When your people celebrate you and see you and uplift you, it’s better than anything in the world.” Brown ended her speech with her famous tagline: “Let us all go on about our business, baby. Have the most amazing night, honey, and tomorrow have a good day. But even if we can’t have a good one, don’t you dare go messin’ up nobody else’s.”
After announcing her win, the NAACP Image Awards described Brown’s work and influence on its website. “Her delicious, creative, yet simple recipes, sautéed with compassionate messages, and sprinkled with a pinch of humor, attract a large following that finds comfort in the ‘auntie they never had.’ Though the term ‘vegan’ often polarizes audiences, Brown reinvents the idea of veganism, demonstrating that it can be accessible, inclusive, and accommodating for anyone,” the NAACP Image Awards stated. “Brown has developed a role for herself, with her own script, direction, and audience. An unconventional way to rise to stardom, Brown paved a path to achieve her dream of being in front of a camera without sacrificing—and, in fact embracing—who she is and the unique, wholesome qualities that make her Tabitha Brown.”
The unstoppable Tabitha Brown
Brown adopted a plant-based diet in 2017 after a long battle with chronic pain. Shortly thereafter, she gained notoriety after sharing a video of herself eating a TTLA (a vegan BLT) from Whole Foods. Brown has since gained more than 10 million social media followers, including on TikTok where a video of her vegan carrot bacon recipe went viral shortly after she launched her account.
In April 2020, Brown signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA)—one of Hollywood’s top talent agencies—and has since risen to fame outside of social media, making guest appearances on shows such as Steve Harvey’s web series Steve on Watch and Red Table Talk on Facebook Watch, hosted by Jada Pinkett Smith and family. Not only does Brown currently have her own show called All Love on the Ellen Network, but the vegan actress is joining the cast of Showtime series The Chi when it returns for its fourth season in May. Brown will also be releasing her first vegan cookbook, Feeding the Soul (Because It’s My Business), on September 28.
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