Karine Jean-Pierre, Former Press Secretary, to Host AAFCA Awards

Karine Jean-Pierre is prepared to take the stage.

The former White House press secretary for President Joe Biden is stepping right into a new form of highlight as the host of this yr’s seventeenth annual African American Film Critics Awards, revealed solely to Variety.

Jean-Pierre, 51, joins a formidable roster of earlier AAFCA emcees, following last yr’s Amber Ruffin, the comic who led the movie ceremony, and “American Idol” Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks, who hosted the group’s 2025 tv honors. The ceremony, celebrating achievements in filmmaking, will happen Feb. 8 in Los Angeles.

Honorees this yr embrace Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson and director Ryan Coogler, alongside animated feature breakout “KPop Demon Hunters.” Winners are chosen by more than 100 members of the African American Film Critics Association.

Jean-Pierre is not any stranger to making historical past. She served as the thirty fifth White House press secretary from 2022 to 2025, changing into the first Black individual and the first overtly LGBTQ particular person to maintain the position. Hosting the awards marks a notable shift in trajectory for the veteran political adviser, and one she doesn’t take flippantly.

“I don’t want it to be about me,” Jean-Pierre tells Variety. “I’m playing a tiny part here. My job is to honor, celebrate and lift the brilliant artists who are being recognized.”

Jean-Pierre has lengthy admired AAFCA’s mission and management, making it “an easy yes” to settle for the internet hosting gig. “The AAFCA Awards have spent 17 years celebrating extraordinary contributions in film, and I am just so in awe of Gil Robertson and the team,” she says. “The mission is to honor storytellers who explore the many faces of humanity through diverse perspectives. Why not help lift that up?”

Despite being certainly one of the most recognizable communicators in American politics, Jean-Pierre is adamant that the night will stay centered on the artists. “One of the things I learned in the press comms world is don’t make yourself the news,” she says. “I want it to be light, enjoyable, smooth and let the stars shine.”

With politics touching practically every aspect of daily life, Jean-Pierre’s post-White House profession has differed from her predecessors. One would have anticipated her to pivot into cable news or grow to be a political pundit, a typical next step for former press secretaries. When requested about whether or not that absence was a aware alternative, Jean-Pierre is direct, describing her profession as one that has never been about following a prescribed route.

“I’ve always seen myself as someone who does things differently,” she says. “I don’t follow a set path or look at the people before me and copy their trajectory — that’s just never been who I am. I like to do things my own way and ask myself, ‘How can I make an impact? How can I be different?’”

Among those she’s excited to meet are a number of of the night time’s honorees, notably the solid and filmmakers behind “Sinners,” which she calls “one of the most brilliant pieces of work I’ve seen in a long time.”

“I’ve never met Michael B. Jordan,” she says with pleasure. “And Ryan Coogler — just touching him would be amazing. He’s so incredibly brilliant.”

Jean-Pierre, who just lately revealed her memoir “Independent,” says internet hosting aligns with a broader need to inform tales past the political area. While she plans to stay engaged in civic discourse after twenty years in politics, she views this next chapter as a possibility to develop her affect via storytelling and mentorship.

After spending 20 years in politics, Jean-Pierre says her focus is now on lifting up communities she cares about. Most just lately, she acquired the rights to the tales of Alice Dunnigan and Ethel Payne, the first two Black women to serve in the White House press corps, and needs Hollywood to inform their tales. “The women asked presidents questions and were often ignored by the boys’ club, and yet so few people know their names,” Jean-Pierre says with ardour. “I recently acquired their books, and I want to help bring their stories to life.”

In November 2023, while still serving as press secretary, she honored their legacy by dedicating the White House lectern of their names.

Her next profession chapter, she says, will deal with telling tales that matter — doubtlessly as a producer and author — while persevering with to mentor younger people and develop new writing initiatives.

“My career has always been a zigzag,” she says. “I move toward what excites me and what feels meaningful, and that’s how I want to continue doing things: my way.”

Still, Jean-Pierre acknowledges that internet hosting an awards ceremony during a second of political and cultural turbulence carries added weight.

“We need this right now,” she asserts. “We need an opportunity and a space to celebrate ourselves — to be seen in this way, and for little boys and girls in our community to see us in this way.”

As conversations round variety and inclusion stay fraught, Jean-Pierre views occasions like the AAFCA Awards as important.

“We cannot let our stories die. We must continue to be bold and tell those stories. There is real value in telling our journeys so that generations to come can see how brilliant we are.”

Gil Robertson, AAFCA president and co-founder, said he’s “elated” to welcome Jean-Pierre into the group’s household.

“She’s current, credible and brilliant,” Robertson says. “She has a background in journalism and has occupied positions at the very center of popular events. We love her energy and her vibe, and it’s what people expect from us — smart hosts who are part of the conversation.”

As Jean-Pierre prepares to take the stage, her method stays rooted in service, just because it was behind the White House podium.

“My message is to continue to hold each other,” she says. “Telling our stories is more important now than it has ever been before.”