SOT: Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sheryl Lee: And she’s truly a legend…what an outstanding woman…86..still vital…still such a voice…and enough has not been said about her contribution to this industry…to film…to stage…to the activism of human beings around the world…what an amazing woman…and truly an inspiration to me….because you what it doesn’t matter what anybody says…it doesn’t matter what anybody doesn’t say…it doesn’t even matter if anybody pays attention…God knows what she is doing.

SOT: Taraji Henson
Taraji: I’m just overwhelmed….and elated…she is a big reason…why I’m able to walk this carpet and do what I do…because not only did she pave the way and open up a lot of doors…put she also reached back….I went to Howard University and Ruby Dee and Ozzie Davis…would teach a master class and I would never miss a session…so taught me a lot of the fundamentals that got me through “Hustle and Flow”.

B-Roll: Star Jones on Red Carpet

SOT: Nia Long
Nia: You know when I think of Ruby Dee and Suzanne De Pass…there amazing women they’ve open doors for all of us here and its great to be able honor them…to be in the same room with them…to see all of my girlfriends that are actresses…directors and writers and producers….its a beautiful thing to be in this room today we all get to come in together to celebrate one another.

SOT: Vivica Fox
Vivica: The beautiful thing that I like about Ruby Dee is that she is a very attractive woman…but when it comes time to do the work …she puts the beauty and the ego out the door…I love Ruby Dee because she does the work…she never disappoints you she always shows up as an actress… and that’s what you want….and what you expect when you go to a movie theatre…she always delivers.