On Sunday night, Reese Witherspoon presented Oprah Winfrey with her Cecil B. de Mille award. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association gives the award each year at the Golden Globes to someone who has made outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment. Oprah took her time at the mic to thank the people in her life who have pushed her to strive for greatness, but that wasn’t the only thing mentioned in her nine-minute speech. Let’s break it down.
1. First of all, everyone and their mama knows Oprah. It’s hard to believe that it took so long for her to receive this award in the first place. She is actually the first African American woman to receive the Cecil B. de Mille award in history. Oprah explained when she was a young girl, she watched Sidney Poitier receive the Cecil B. de Mille award at the 36th annual Golden Globes; he was the first African American man to receive this reward.
2. Oprah said special thanks to the Hollywood Foreign Press, addressing the fact that the press today is always being targeted for one thing or another. She [values] the press more than ever before. Journalism is all about uncovering the truth, and letting the facts speak for themselves. Oprah said, it is the insatiable dedication to uncovering the absolute truth that keeps us from turning a blind eye to corruption and to injustice. In other words, people are speaking out about important things and you should start listening.
3. One of the most important things people should take away from her speech is that speaking your truth is the most powerful thing you can do. Standing up for yourself and for the people you care about is difficult and tiring but it is so important and it is so worth it. Oprah applauds all of the women who were brave enough to share their personal stories and who spoke out about being abused or assaulted.
4. Oprah shared a piece of history with the audience about how Recy Taylor was assaulted on her walk back from church one day by six armed white men. They threatened her life if she ever told anyone what had happened. This is the world we live in. This is why we can’t walk the streets alone, this is why we can’t take a cab alone, this is why we can’t leave each other alone. We as women have to think of these simple things just to go about our daily lives and men don’t even hesitate.
5. Time is up for women not speaking their mind and standing up to the men in power who do wrong. There is no time for sitting around and waiting for someone to invite us to speak our truth. Time has run out for men to use their power to abuse women and to get away with it. Time is up!