Alliance For Women In Media Foundation Presented The 44th Annual Gracie Awards May 21, 2019

LOS ANGELES, May 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation brought together a packed house of industry leaders in front and behind the camera and microphone to support and elevate strong voices and inspiring storytelling. Host Lauren Ash led the room in helping usher in the 2019 Gracie Award winners whose stories spanned from uplifting and empowering narratives to stories that touched on important issues such as diversity, human trafficking and women's reproductive rights.

This year's attendees gathered at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire Hotel and included Sheryl Crow as performer, along with Good Girls co-stars Christina Hendricks and Retta, Schitt's Creek's Annie Murphy and Sarah Levy, Rachel Bloom, Tisha Thompson, Leah Remini, Bethany Joy Lenz, Elizabeth Perkins, Loni Love, Melora Hardin, and more. Entertainment Tonight LIVE's Cassie DiLaura served as the Gracie Awards social media ambassador, and the ceremony was executive produced by Vicangelo Bulluck.

Notable moment from the evening include:

• Host Lauren Ash kicked off the evening celebrating the women who have been speaking their truth by sharing their stories and highlighting the theme of bravery. "It's really important to celebrate our female friendships, because at the end of the day they're not mad if you're making more money than they are."
• Throughout the night, Sheryl Crow took to the stage performing a three-song medley, including her hit single, "If It Makes You Happy," which she accompanied on piano. She joked with the room stating, "It's so nice to be in a room with inspiring women. I've been engaged three times. I never got married but I had a rockin time not getting divorced!"
• Good Girls stars Christina Hendricks and Retta closed out the night by accepting the award for Best Ensemble Cast (TV). Both actresses gave an outstanding nod to show creator Jenna Bans. Hendricks stated, "Jenna writes not only extraordinary stories, but writes women in a way that are smart, and funny, and complicated, and messy, and interesting and...un-stereotyped and we're just lucky enough to say her words."
• Aisha Dee and Melora Hardin presented award for Best Producer in Entertainment to Madam Secretary. Lori McCreary stated, "I'm honored to stand in sisterhood with remarkable women who are making sure the face of our industry reflects the face of all Americans."
• Loni Love jokingly brought attention to the anti-abortion law conversation saying, "If men got pregnant abortions would be available at 7/11 and Foot Locker."
• Leah Remini ensured that she was prepared taking the stage saying, "I have my speech in my hand in case it was a man running the teleprompter." She also took a moment to recognize the success of the women in the room, saying "you are a woman, you are badass, you are talented and a master of the multitask… be unapologetically you."

Below, please find links to access house footage, which includes: b-roll of arrivals; interviews with honorees, the host and presenters; clips from the ceremony; and more.

Video Credit – Getty Images Video
Video:  http://bit.ly/2wd5Epe
Photo Credit – Getty on behalf of The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation
Photos: https://mm.gettyimages.com/mm/nicePath/gyipa_public?nav=pr646971785

To view complete list of award recipients and honorable mentions, visit allwomeninmedia.org.

About The Gracie Awards
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, and scholarships to benefit the media, the public and allied fields. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint initiatives with the Emma Bowen Foundation, NCTA, NAB and other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. In addition to giving $20,000 a year away in scholarships to deserving female students, the Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards that honors exemplary programming created by, for and about women. For more information about The Alliance for Women in Media please visit their website at allwomeninmedia.org and follow them on Twitter (@AllWomeninMedia), (@TheGracies), (#TheGracies) and Facebook. Sponsors of The Gracies include Ford Motor Company; Beasley Media Group, Big Time with Whitney Allen, Crown Media Group, CNN, CBS Corporation, Cumulus Media, Discovery, Inc., Entercom, FOX Sports, Katz Media Group, NCTA – The Internet and Television Association, Netflix, NPR, Premiere Networks, Sinclair Broadcast Group, SiriusXM, Sony Broadcast Television, Sun Broadcast Group, TBS, TEGNA, Universal Television, vCreative and VICE Media.

SOURCE Alliance for Women in Media Foundation