Kevin Hart, Dawn Staley, and WURD are among Philadelphia area NAACP Award nominees
WURD is the only local radio station nominated in the outstanding podcast category
Several Philadelphia-connected entertainers have been nominated for the 57th NAACP Image Awards.
The nominees, announced on Monday, include Philly-based filmmaker Chisom Chieke and WURD Radio.
Chieke, whose projects explore romance and identity across Black diasporic communities, earned a nomination for outstanding short form (live action) for her film, Food for the Soul.
The film, which follows a couple navigating the challenges of their relationship amid family pressures, premiered at the BlackStar Film Festival in August 2025. It won favorite short narrative award at the annual festival.
“Receiving this nomination is indescribable,” Chieke said. “I’m so grateful to BlackStar for giving me the opportunity and trusting the vision. They really are the foundation of the project. I’m doubly grateful for my crew, the support I got from Philly, and just being able to grow my network of collaborators.”
WURD, the only Black-owned and operated talk radio station in the state, was nominated in the outstanding podcast - scripted/limited series/short form category for its six-part podcast series, Exonerated: The Cost of Wrongful Conviction. WURD is the only local radio station nominated in the category.
“We’re in a category that has some real heavy hitters, but we’re telling the story of everyday Philadelphians who have overcome extraordinary barriers and obstacles, and still are,” WURD president and CEO Sara Lomax said.
The podcast series, hosted by author, consultant, and educator James Peterson, highlights the experiences of wrongfully incarcerated people and the support they draw from their own communities.
The series also spotlights the work of the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, which has secured the release of more than 30 people and provides re-entry support and advocacy.
Peterson said the nomination is a credit to Lomax and others’ hardwork, but also to the Philadelphians who have supported the station over the years.
“It’s validation for the people who listen to WURD when they wake up in the morning and until they go to sleep at night,” he said. “And there’s a level of dedication from some of our listeners that sets the bar for what we’ve done throughout the years. It’s a team win and team effort, but it’s really a community win.”
Other Philly-connected nominees include Temple University graduate Jalen Blot, whose film, Before You Let Go, was also nominated for outstanding short form (live action). Also nominated in the same category is Ella, starring Jill Scott, who’s affectionately called “Jilly from Philly.”
The Kevin Hart-produced Kingsland, was also nominated in the outstanding podcast category. Hart, who grew up in North Philadelphia, also stars in the animated sitcom Lil Kev, which isnominated for outstanding animated series.
Other Philly-linked nominees include Colman Domingo for outstanding directing in a comedy series for Netflix’s The Four Seasons. And Boyz II Men’s Shawn Stockman, whose podcast Shawn Stockman’s On That Note, was nominated in the outstanding podcast – arts, sports and entertainment category.
Philly’s own Dawn Staley received a nod for outstanding literary work - biography/autobiography for her memoir, Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, And The Life Lessons I Learned From All Three.
The winners will be announced on Feb. 28. Public voting is available through early February.
The 57th NAACP Image Awards will be telecast live on BET and CBS on Feb. 28.