Celebrity DJ Beverly Bond, Founder of BLACK GIRLS ROCK!, is a distinguished Businesswoman, Mentor, Executive Television Producer and Writer. A true music connoisseur, Beverly Bond’s passion for music and her uncanny ability to read the crowd has solidified her as one of the premier DJ’s in the world. Over the last decade, Beverly Bond, a former Wilhelmina model, has brought her versatile talents to the most highly exclusive events which include performances at theVH1 Fashion Rocks Awards, ESPN X-Games, The U.S. Open, The NBA All-Star Game, The American Music Awards and to a myriad of celebrity clients including Prince, Alicia Keys, Sarah Jessica Parker, Erykah Badu,Sean “Diddy” Combs, Derrick Jeter, John Legend, Venus Williams, Jessica and Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Z, Martha Stewart, and Michael Jordan.
As a Mentor, Activist and Philanthropist, Bond founded BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Inc., a non-profit youth empowerment mentoring organization to inspire inner-city girls ages 12 to 17 through the arts. Bond also fashioned the annual BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards as an extension of the program, to celebrate the accomplishments of exceptional women of color who have made outstanding contributions in their careers and stand as inspirational and positive role models in the community.
In 2010, Beverly Bond partnered with BET to share her BLACK GIRLS ROCK! vision with the rest of the world and to executive produce the network’s most successful broadcast to date. The premiere of BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards drew an impressive 2.7 million viewers and commanded the No. 1 spot on the chart for Black households. Nielsen reported that the Top 25 most popular shows with Black audiences pulled in 31.7 million viewers the week BLACK GIRLS ROCK!debuted on the cable network, an increase of 18 percent over the previous week – surpassing NFL and Bravo’s “Real Housewives.” Adding to its success, the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards received an NAACP Image Award nomination for outstanding Variety (Series or Special). This further demonstrates that not only is there is an audience for Beverly Bond’s vision, but that viewers are demanding more positive and inspirational programming.
Due to the overwhelming success of last year’s premiere, BLACK GIRLS ROCK! returned to BET for a second year. Taping on October 15, 2011 at the historic Paradise Theater in the Bronx, BLACK GIRLS ROCK! 2011 aired exclusively on BET November 6, 2011.
Celebrants of the 2011 BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards included: Angela Davis, Shirley Caesar, Taraji P. Henson, Laurel J. Richie, Imani Walker, Malika Saada Saar and Tatyana Ali. Co-hosted by actresses Tracee Ellis Rossand Regina King, the broadcast also included memorable performances and appearances by Mary J. Blige, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, LaLa Anthony, Melanie Fiona, Tichina Arnold, Elle Varner, Akek Wek, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Mary Mary and more. Its sixth year, BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Awards made its broadcast debut on Black Entertainment Television November 7, 2010.
Adding to the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! platform, Bond activated two new programs in 2011:
The kick-off of the first annual BLACK GIRLS ROCK! & SOUL TOUR headlined by the incomparable Queen of Neo-Soul, Erykah Badu and performances by acclaimed all-female Go-Go Band Be’la Dona and the organically soulful trio King (who recently opened for Prince).
BLACK GIRLS ROCK! & SOUL TOUR is a music showcase celebrating women of color in the alternative rock and soul music genres for both emerging and established artists. Additional BLACK GIRLS ROCK! & SOUL TOUR stops this year included New York and Washington DC.
The QUEENS’ CAMP: FOR LEADERSHIP & EXCELLENCE was also launched this summer. The two-week intensive leadership program, designed for girls ages 12-17, is an overnight camp designated for exemplary teenage girls of color from various social, economic and geographic backgrounds who were selected from a diverse pool of talented young girls from across the world. This year’s class consisted of 30 applicants who exhibited strong leadership qualities, high moral character and excellent academic standing. All accepted participants were awarded full scholarships to attend the 2011 QUEENS’ CAMP made possible through the generous support of private donors and corporate sponsors.
Beverly Bond’s work as a community leader has earned her a number of prestigious recognitions. Most recently, Bond has been recognized as one of The Root 100 2011 honorees as well as named as the first social service honoree by Fula, Sue Devitt & Emerge Events for her unyielding drive to make a positive change in the lives on young girls of color. Prior, she was recognized as one of ESSENCE magazine’s “40 Fierce and Fabulous Women Who are Changing the World” placing her in the company of such notables as First Lady Michelle Obama, author Maya Angelou, artistic director/dancer Judith Jamison, media mogul/philanthropist Oprah Winfrey, President of the Republic of Liberia Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, supermodel Iman, singer/actress Beyonce´, actress/singer Queen Latifah, author Susan L. Taylor, singer/actresss Alicia Keys, actress Cicely Tyson and others. EBONY magazine also recently listed Bond amongst their Power 100,making this the second year in a row Bond was recognized as one of Ebony’s “Most Influential Blacks In America.” Additional honors include: The BOSS Network as an Influencer, The United Way Young Leaders Council acknowledged her during its 2010 2nd Annual Red Carpet Soiree which spotlights young philanthropists, the Source Magazine listed Bond amid their 2009 Power Circle group of leaders in hip-hop, the “2009 Agent of Change Award” at the “Obama: THAT ONE!” Pre-Inaugural Awards Gala in Washington DC; “The 2009 Gold Rush Award” bestowed by Russell Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation for her community work and for promoting youth Arts programs through BLACK GIRLS ROCK!, The Hip Hop Association’s 2009 Womanhood Passage for making significant strides that have raised the bar of achievement for all women in Hip-Hop culture, Vibe Magazine’s ‘Future Urban Icon’ and she was named one of New York’s Fifty Fabulous Females by Love Heals, a leading foundation for AIDS education in 2006 and 2008.
In addition to being recognized as a powerful woman, she is recognized by powerful women; Alicia Keys handpicked Bond to be featured in her 2008 American Music Award Tribute to Super-women, which also included Queen Latifah and Opera Singer Kathleen Battle. Additionally, Bond is a recipient of the Justo Mixtape Award for best female DJ.
To add to her repertoire, Bond is also an avid keynote speaker and highly sought panelist for colleges and universities, conferences and summits, having spoken at venues such at BET’s Leading Women Defined Summit in Washington DC, San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, CA and The Root’s Young, Fabulous and Female presented by Target in Atlanta, among others.
With such diverse talents combined with an unparalleled and passionate devotion to music and to community, it’s little wonder that Ms. Bond has emerged as a force in music and a powerful and respected voice in the world. Humble and modest beyond measure, Beverly Bond has created a niche for success, determined to make a difference in the lives she touches that stretches further than ordinary boundaries—a true testament to reaching for the stars.
