The 2018 NAACP Image Awards kicked off on Monday night with a powerful message that went straight to the point: black women always show up and show out for change.

After 300 prominent movers and shakers in the Hollywood industry joined together to form the #TimesUp initiative a few weeks ago to fight against sexual harassment in Hollywood and elswhere, the group set up a legal defense fund and lobbied for legislation to crack down on NDAs that enables silence and supported equal pay amongst male and female workers. 

On Monday, Kerry Washington, Lena Waithe, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laverne Cox and Jurnee Smollett took the Image Awards stage in support of the Time's Up initiative.

"Times up on complaining about an imperfect system if we aren't willing to fix it," exclaimed Washington. 

"Times up on our silence," said Ross.

"Times up on the abuse of power," said Waithe.

Halle Berry also took the stage to make her own powerful statement: "We shall never be silenced again."

TIMES UP, indeed! 

Photo: GIPHY

#TimesUPNAACP Image Awards