Nia Long to receive 2023 Reel Works ChangeMakers honor

The actress will receive the honor later this month in New York City at a gala featuring host Ego Nwodim of "SNL."

May 8, 2023

Nia Long is getting her flowers. The “You People” and “The Best Man” actress is set to receive an honor from Reel Works during their 2023 ChangeMakers Gala in New York City next month June.

Scheduled for the Ziegfeld Ballroom in Manhattan, the gala will continue its tradition of celebrating trailblazers in the industry as well as emerging student filmmakers of the arts education nonprofit, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Annually, Reel Works helps students in middle school, high school, and further, teaching them important filmmaking skills and guiding them as they strive to have careers in film.

“To be recognized by an organization like Reel Works that works to empower the next generation of creatives is the highest of honors,” Long said in a statement, according to The Reporter. “I am incredibly grateful to the team there for including me in this special evening and inviting me to share in their students’ compelling storytelling.”

Stage 6 And Screen Gems World Premiere Of "Missing" — Nia Long attends the Stage 6 and Screen Gems world premiere of “Missing” on Jan.12, 2023 at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Downtown Los Angeles in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Long has been a staple in the industry for decades, appearing in classic films like “Boyz in the Hood” and “Love Jones” at the top of her career and working through the years in various projects like “The Best Man” franchise, “Empire,” “NCIS: Los Angeles” and more. She has earned four NAACP Image Awards for her work.

“Saturday Night Live” player Ego Nwodim will join Long at the May 24th event for a fireside chat. Nwodim was previously announced as this year’s gala host.

Val Boreland, Executive VP, Entertainment Content Acquisitions will also be honored.

“It is a privilege to highlight Nia Long’s illustrious career and the barriers she has broken as part of this year’s Reel Works ChangeMakers Gala,” said Reel Works CEO and co-founder John Williams. “Nia, Val and Ego all stand as inspirations for our students, and we look forward to welcoming these industry-leading women with open arms into the community we have built here.”