LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 09: Tyler Perry speaks onstage during the 2025 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
“I want to talk to you about this thing that is happening in this country,” he said. “They are removing our books from libraries, they are removing our stories and our history–they are removing our names from government buildings. It’s as if someone wants to erase our footprints.”
Perry was not alone in calling out national issues. Earlier Monday evening, rap artist Doechii, who won BET’s Best Female Hip Hop artist award, also took a fiery stance during her acceptance speech—speaking out against Trump and ICE raids in Los Angeles.
After his footprints analogy, Perry made a powerful statement about Black resistance.
“What we need to understand is that if our children don’t know our history, they won’t know our power. But the truth of the matter is that it’s impossible to replace our footprints because we left them on water. What I mean by that is, we were snatched from our homeland, brought across the ocean and left footprints all the way to America.”
He continued with stories about Black erasure, emphasizing that “we still rise as king and queens.” The Madea actor also mentioned the Tulsa Massacre in contrast to the importance of building Black wealth and businesses in present day, an achievement of his as the owner of the only major film studio owned by an African-American person.
He also thanked Black women, who are historically at the heart of his narratives.
“Black women have held me down, and I appreciate you like you would not believe,” he said.
“I have made more Black billionaires…than any studio in this city combined,” he continued. Perry’s net worth is valued at 1.4 billion dollars, which includes ownership of his own Tyler Perry Studios. “So I don’t care if you’re struggling, if you’re trying to make it, you’re trying to build a business, if you have a dream, keep making footprints.”
Perry ended his passionate speech with a call to action.
‘This is not the time to be silent, this is not the time to give up–this is the time to dig in and keep leaving footprints everywhere you go.” “If you have a dream, keep making footprints. . . Don’t let your worry be greater than your faith.”
Following the awards show, viewers will get an exclusive look at Tyler Perry’s newest show, “Divorced Sistas,” airing on BET right after the awards ceremony. Perry’s latest series is about five friends who support each other through divorce, marriage, dating, healing, and friendship struggles.
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