May 3, 2024
Quinta Brunson To Accept 2024 Peabody Trailblazer Award
The Peabody Awards says Brunson is the internet star who saved the "most traditional of 20th-century media forms."
Quinta Brunson has been announced as the esteemed recipient of the 2024 Peabody Trailblazer Award, a unanimous decision determined by the Peabody Board of Jurors.
Brunson’s accolade stems from her resounding success in the digital and entertainment realms, most notably through her work on the Peabody Award-winning mockumentary Abbott Elementary. According to Vibe, “Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Peabody Executive Director Jeffrey Jones.
The board proudly honors the comedian for her extraordinary storytelling and ability to merge comedy with real-life matters, which has paved the way for the next generation of Black creatives in the industry. The Peabody Awards lauded Brunson’s accomplishments as the series’s showrunner, stating on its website, “The broadcast network sitcom is not dead, and we have one person to thank: Quinta Brunson…it took an internet star to save this most traditional of 20th-century media forms.”
“Brunson has used the heartwarming format to gently spotlight real issues facing today’s teachers, particularly in underfunded poor, nonwhite public-school districts, along the way becoming a trailblazing Black female creator, showrunner, and star,” her Peabody profile states. The Peabody Awards acknowledged the producer’s advocacy for teachers through her outstanding achievements. In episode 2 of “We Disrupt This Broadcast,” the writer discussed her acclaimed ABC series and delved into topics like Black 90s sitcoms, issues with humor, and staying optimistic.
“In Abbott, it’s really, we really do come in starting with comedy first,” she said. “I like that Abbott gives me the opportunity to touch on a lot without trying. But I think that’s also just what happens when you’re making a show about a mockumentary, in particular, about a public school, a Black public school. Those things are just going to start to come out.”
The Emmy Award-winning actress will be honored live in Los Angeles at the Peabody Awards’ 84th Annual ceremony on June 9.
Brunson’s recognition follows in the footsteps of actress Issa Rae, who received the award in 2023. The award celebrates visionary storytellers using their innovative strategies to impact the culture and affect social change. Brunson was named one of BE‘s 2023 “40 Under 40” trailblazers.