Believe it or not, Oprah Winfrey still gets surprised now and then.
The media maven got choked up after an emotional moment at The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Empowerment in Entertainment Gala in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Oprah was the event’s first-ever honoree and had a heartwarming reaction to sharing the spotlight with some welcome good news.
Selena Gomez was on hand to honor the recipients of THR’s new Young Executives fellowship, which provides students from underprivileged communities with industry mentorship, college entrance exam prep and summer internships to promote increased diversity in Hollywood. All 20 high schoolers chosen for the program joined the pop superstar on stage, where she revealed that Howard and Emerson universities will also provide two full-ride scholarships.
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While the youngsters’ visible shock was an inspiring sight on its own, Oprah herself appeared just as overcome and wiped away tears while taking it all in – and she wasn’t alone.
The crowd at Milk Studios was brought to its feet, and presenter Alicia Keys later noted onstage that the announcement “was a real moment.”
Her pal and the afternoon’s guest of honor had to agree.
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Oprah explained in her speech that her visibly passionate response to the kids was in part due to the “critical juncture” of our social and political environment.
“We’ve come together as an industry to say that we are going to do better,” she said. “We are going to do better.”
The 65-year-old also discussed the misconception that she was “born into power” herself, and recalled learning to find her voice as a black woman in a career dominated by white men. After decades spent as an example of self-made success and inclusivity, Oprah concluded her Tuesday remarks with a hopeful update.
“A new day is no longer on the horizon,” she began, referencing her instantly-viral speech from the 2018 Golden Globes. “The new day is now.”
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