Women In Film Los Angeles (WIFLA) will honor Tracee Ellis Ross, Elizabeth Banks, and Zoey Deutch at the upcoming 2017 Crystal + Lucy Awards on June 13 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Honorees will be honored for their outstanding roles as women in the entertainment industry. Hosted by actress and comedian Jessica Williams, this year’s fundraising dinner themed “Evolve,” will honor women who lead by example, are creative, groundbreaking, and excel at their chosen fields in support of WIFLA’s educational and philanthropic programs.
Ross, who also hosted the WIFLA Crystal + Lucy Awards in 2014, will receive this year’s Lucy Award for excellence in television. The Lucy Award, named for Lucille Ball, is given to recognize women and men and their creative works that exemplify the extraordinary accomplishments Ball embodied. The award also honors those whose excellence and innovation have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. Past recipients include Taraji P. Henson, Kerry Washington, Courteney Cox, and Salma Hayek.
As one of the stars of the hit ABC comedy series “Black-ish,” Ross won the 2017 Golden Globe for best actress in a television comedy series, and is best known for her starring role on the hit sitcom “Girlfriends.” “Girlfriends” ran for eight seasons on the UPN and CW networks. Ross is a passionate activist and motivational speaker. She utilizes her joyful point of view to disrupt the traditional culture of beauty, while fighting for equality and self-inspired love.
WIFLA advocates for gender parity for women throughout the industry promoting equal opportunities and encouraging creative projects by and for women. The non-profit focuses on advocacy and education, scholarships, grants, and film finishing funds. WIFLA works to preserve the legacies of all women working in the entertainment community.