Viola Davis’ stirring speech reveals why she chased success — and it was never about the money

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Awards held on February 28, 2026, celebrated esteemed artists, including Michael B. Jordan, Aisha Hind, Viola Davis, among others. Davis, an actor and producer, bagged the Chairman’s Award, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award) winner arrived on stage to collect another well-earned reward and had a fabulous speech to render. She credited her win to her hard work and noted that her success was not just for wealth, it was a journey of hope, healing, striving, and so much more. 

@naacpimageawards shared a post of the excited actress, in all her glamor and charm, holding onto her award. But there was also the joy of the little girl in her, radiating from within, and that’s just why this win was more profound. Davis explained that when it comes to a win, she wants to step into it knowing she has worked for it and deserves it. She then shared a quote that keeps her going — “The definition of hell is on your last day on Earth when the person you became meets the person that you could have become.” Elaborating on what it means to “become” in one’s truest capacity, the actor revealed that it is a rigorous, raw, and honest process. You can’t “become” until you dive into the “depth and the darkness of your own soul.”

First, you have to accept your reality, your cons, and your weaknesses, before you can decide what you want to be, and Davis learned this a long time ago, during a childhood spent in poverty. Calling herself a “little chocolate girl with thick lips and a wide nose" in Rhode Island in 1965, the producer mentioned she had no hopes and dreams. According to Barnard College, Davis revealed how she was made to believe that nobody sees the poor. She recalled a heartbreaking memory from her childhood where her parents fought, and her state of life pushed her to beg God to end it all. But he didn’t, and that’s when she realized she was made for more. Initially, she wanted success only because it seemed “significant.” But then, she faced her reality and began her journey of searching. 

It was this journey that transformed her from a "chocolate girl” to a woman who was chasing God and a life that brought hope. “That is a hero’s journey. And where we had thought we would find an abomination, we shall find a God,” she remarked. Davis added that in her path of life, when success became more than a title and a huge bank balance, she realized that life is very different from what you perceive. “Where we had thought to journey outwards, we shall come to the center of our own existence. Where we had thought to be alone, we shall come to be with all the world,” she noted. 

Davis had one more acknowledgement to make to credit her win. She said that though we work for it ourselves and no one can take away a crown that has already “been bought and paid for,” we still wear it with pride, alongside others. This journey can’t be done alone. So when we reach the top, we have to make sure we’re taking the others along. “We either move forward together or not at all,” she added, remembering those who presently assisted her, as well as those of the past. “You can only understand people if you feel them in yourself,” she remarked. For Davis, it was “the people working at the food pantry in Central Falls feeding 3,000 people a month, and the people who are caring for my mother, who’s in advanced dementia.” For her, they were her heroes.

 UCLA Health research showed that children in the U.S. have shown deteriorating health in all aspects over the last few years. Dr. Neal Halfon, professor of pediatrics and director of the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities, noted, “The consistency of these declines across physical, mental, and developmental health indicators demands urgent national attention.” The research found that U.S. children and teens were twice as likely to die compared to other kids in 18 high-income countries. The reasons range from physical injuries to chronic conditions, as well as poor mental health. Chronic conditions in children between the ages of 3 and 17 increased from 39.9% to 45.7% in pediatric health systems, and from 25.8% to 31.0% in the general population. More children reported feelings of fatigue, loneliness, and sadness.

They can’t get out of it alone. They need support, they need role models, they need help, just like Davis had. And for her, success is a means to pave the way. @lenettadjohnson wrote, “I pray her words didn't just meet the ear, but found a home within every heart present.” @coacheboni added, “‘There is no becoming without healing.’ I love this. She gave an amazing speech.” 

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