*In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, actress and TV personality Karlie Redd hosted the First Annual Courageous Awards on October 22, 2025, at Atlanta City Hall.
The event honored domestic abuse survivors and aimed to provide resources, support, and inspiration to those impacted by domestic violence. Redd partnered with MTV’s “Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta” co-star and entrepreneur Yandy Smith-Harris, along with Councilmember Andrea Boone, to bring the ceremony to life.
Over 100 guests, including survivors, advocates, and community leaders, attended the event to share stories, hear from inspirational speakers, and celebrate individuals transforming their pain into purpose. Performances by violinist Jayna Burton, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Travis Malloy, and a soulful choir added to the evening’s emotional resonance.
Speaking exclusively to EURweb ahead of the event, Karlie shared that her own experiences with domestic violence inspired her to create the awards.
Scroll to continue reading
“I’m a survivor myself. And when it came out that my husband got arrested for domestic violence, a lot of women reached out to me in the DMs and messaged me in support,” she explained, adding, “some just wanted a voice, some just wanted to talk. I opened up my messages and I started talking to everyone… Ever since then, I kept wanting to do something about it, but didn’t know how. I reached out to Yandy. I said, I want to do something, and she talked me through it. And next thing you know, we’re here.”
Yandy emphasized the importance of using their platform to support survivors. “I think that we are given this opportunity, Karlie and I, where we have a voice that people listen to, where we can create impact and we can create change… I think that this experience, her using her voice and her platform to show, like, I too, me too, have gone through this and dealing with this. I think it’s so powerful, and I wanted to make sure that I came on board to help in any way that I could.”
The awards aimed not only to highlight survivor stories but also to provide actionable resources for those in need. Karlie explained, “This is not just sharing stories. This is about sharing our resources… It’s about empowering each other – saying that you got this. You’re bigger than this. You’re strong. Look at you. You survived.”
Several organizations were honored at the awards show with proclamations recognizing their efforts in domestic violence prevention, including The Still Standing Alliance, Becoming the Change, Inc., The Vivian Neily Project, Think About It Inc., International Queendom, Inc., Alma Domestic Violence Foundation, Going Out Divine, Inc., and The Honorable Erica Thomas Adeyemi. The evening also featured survivor honorees, among them Schenika Quattlebaum, Sheena Myers, Grace Hamilton, and Maxine Mitchell, who received a $10,000 scholarship from Tiara’s Butterflies Scholarship Foundation.
In addition to advocacy, Karlie and Yandy shared insights into their entrepreneurial projects. Karlie, launching her Red Room Bistro in downtown Atlanta, said, “Just me and my brother. It’s a family restaurant. I’m happy to create a space where people can come together and just like a family… provide employment opportunities and a place where people can come eat, vibe and just have a great time.”
Yandy shared how her skincare brand YELLE empowers others. “We care about self-care. We care about women taking up space. And those are all the things that matter to me in creating this brand… A lot of times, your self-confidence is connected directly to how you feel about yourself when you look in the mirror.”
Karlie is also pursuing a law degree to support herself and others navigating legal challenges. Both Redd and Smith-Harris stressed that the Courageous Awards are about ongoing advocacy. Karlie said, “I want people to leave the event with… wow, this helped me. Wow, this, I want wows. I want, like, this, I can move forward. I’m a survivor. I have strength, but I’m powerful. I’m beautiful. I’m strong… I have some people to talk to now. I can’t, I don’t have to do this by myself.”
Yandy added, “I want people to walk away feeling empowered. I want them to walk away feeling like love doesn’t have to hurt me. Love does not have to cause me mental pain. And love most certainly does not leave bruises.”
The First Annual Courageous Awards highlighted the resilience of survivors while encouraging community-wide action and resource-sharing to address domestic violence. By combining personal testimony with advocacy and empowerment, Karlie Redd and Yandy Smith-Harris aim to ensure that this inaugural event serves as a foundation for an ongoing movement of support, awareness, and change.
*This interview was edited for length and clarity.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Dr. Leanne Woods-Burnham on Why Black Men Must Talk About Their Health | EUR Exclusive
Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
