ESSENCE magazine has announced the first annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon, taking place during Oscar Week on Thursday, February 21, in Los Angeles. The star-studded event will honor three of Hollywood's finest who have helped to change and inspire positive images of Black women in television and film - both in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes. The ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon commemorates ESSENCE magazine's annual Hollywood issue.

The lovely and talented actress, director, producer and screenwriter, Jada Pinkett Smith, will be one of the three extraordinary African-American women honored during the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon, and will receive an award in the Film category. Other honorees in the categories of Television and Lifetime Achievement will be announced in the near future.

Pinkett Smith is one of Hollywood's most versatile and gifted actresses, as well as a talented screenwriter/producer/director.

Pinkett Smith is developing several projects for her own production company, 100% Womon, as well as for Overbrook Entertainment. Chief among those is The Human Contract, which also marks the debut of Pinkett Smith as a writer/director. Pinkett Smith also created and executive produced the television sitcom All of Us on the CW Network with her husband and fellow actor Will Smith. Her work as an actress can be seen in a number of feature films, including The Matrix Reloaded, Matrix Revolutions, Collateral, Reign Over Me, Ali, The Nutty Professor, Set It Off , Menace II Society and the upcoming film The Women. Her big break came when she landed a role on the long-running NBC-TV series A Different World. In addition to being the lead singer of the pop/rock band Wicked Wisdom, author of the popular book, Girls Hold Up This World, and one of the primary investors in the skin-care line Carol's Daughter, the active wife and mother - along with her husband - also finds time for philanthropic pursuits through the couple's Will and Jada Smith Family Foundation.

"ESSENCE is pleased to honor Jada Pinkett Smith for her body of work in Hollywood and within the African-American community," said ESSENCE editor-in- chief Angela Burt-Murray. "The ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon will celebrate the talent, vision and legacy of Jada and all of our honorees. We hope this event will also inspire a new generation of African-American actresses and filmmakers in Hollywood."

Learn more by visiting www.essence.com.