The month of February was a rough one for celebrating Black history. That made the energy at the recent NAACP Image Awards feel especially welcome—particularly when it came from an outspoken ally like Sophia Bush.
At the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Image Awards, which celebrate and champion the achievements of people of color across the arts, Bush attended alongside her close friend and business partner Nia Batts.
During a red carpet interview with Refinery29, the actor made it clear that allyship requires more than quiet support.
Bush addressed white allyship on the red carpet:
Art is always political. As the white friend at this event, I’m gonna go ahead and say to the women who look like me—to the men who look like me—it’s incredibly important to remember that so much of what we love in America comes from Black culture.”
Bush’s comments land at a moment when some celebrities are arguing the opposite—that art should stay out of politics. At the Berlin Film Festival last month, for example, actor Neil Patrick Harris said artists should focus on keeping their work “apolitical.”
Harris shared his perspective on art and politics:
“I think we live in a strangely algorithmic and divided world right now. And so as artists, I’m always interested in doing things that are apolitical, because we’re all as humans wanting to connect in some way. That’s why we experience things together.”
I love it when art suddenly becomes “apolitical” when a Republican is in office. Needless to say, that perspective didn’t exactly land quietly.
And Bush clearly sees things differently:
“White people need to show up for Black people the way they show up to be entertained by Black culture… So, given who’s in office and given what we’re seeing happening to Black and brown communities in our country, we’d better get our s–t together.”
You can watch the exchange below:
In other cases, celebrities have made gestures that raise more questions than answers.
At the Grammys, for example, producer Jack Antonoff wore an “ICE Out” pin on the red carpet, but when asked about it, he offered little explanation about the statement.
You can view the awkward moment here:
At a time when many white celebrities have faced criticism for staying silent, Bush’s remarks stood out—and viewers across social media quickly took notice.
You can read the reactions below:
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Bush’s appearance at the NAACP Image Awards, however, also highlighted someone she frequently centers in her work and advocacy: her longtime friend and business partner Nia Batts. Many viewers may not realize that Batts is a business investor and entrepreneur who has spent years working behind the scenes in media and philanthropy.
Their partnership dates back years. Bush and Batts regularly attended philanthropic events together, and through those experiences, they began noticing a frustrating pattern. The two women couldn’t get their hair done together without Batts—who is Black—being charged more or having fewer options available.
Instead of simply complaining about the issue, they decided to address it. Bush and Batts launched Detroit Blows, an inclusive finishing salon designed to serve women with all hair types.
Batts explained the vision behind Detroit Grows:
“How could we continue to invest in the community and women in the community that we’re growing in? So we were really passionate about making sure that there was a philanthropic effort, but also a reinvestment effort as well.”
Detroit Blows opened in fall 2017, just one block from Detroit’s historic Woodward Avenue.
Then 2020 changed everything. First came the COVID pandemic, which forced businesses across the country to rethink how they operated. Soon after, nationwide protests and renewed attention to the Black Lives Matter movement followed the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.
She reflected on navigating the pandemic and racial justice movements during that time:
“There was something very heart-wrenching about having to make these decisions with the COVID pandemic juxtaposed to this racial reckoning that we were having as well, because we knew how important the space was for people.”
Detroit Blows employed many women of color—some of them single mothers—and Bush and Batts ultimately pledged to help support their employees financially during the shutdowns.
In many ways, their partnership reflects the same message Bush shared on the NAACP red carpet: meaningful allyship isn’t just about speaking up, but also about putting words into action, and being intentional about who you choose to build with, invest in, and uplift.
@KeshaRose/X