How ‘The Root’ Team Geared up for The Root 100 Celebration

In a whirlwind week of The Root 100 Honoree Event festivities, event collaborator and automaker Genesis rolled out the red carpet.

The Root 100 2024 Honoree Event was an evening to remember! Our annual gala spotlighting the 100 most influential Black Americans just went down at New York City’s Apollo Theater. We laughed, we posted on socials, we were moved by speeches and musical numbers.

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Just as moving were the vehicles that got us there: the Genesis GV80.

On the red carpet, the Genesis GV80 made a stunning cameo. Attendees, influencers, and notable talent posed with the vehicle, sliding into the elegant cabin to soak up luxurious details from every angle. From the car’s panoramic sunroof, the lights of uptown New York shone brightly, almost as brightly as the GV80’s standard 27-inch OLED navigation display. The interior ambient lighting and open-pore wood accents set the mood for a night blending modern and classic styles. In summary, the GV80 stole the spotlight.

When it was time to head to the afters, a fleet of Genesis vehicles chauffeured our celebrity guests, hosts, and influencers there in safety and style.

It was the perfect cherry on top of a week of The Root and Genesis collaboration, which began with a visit to Genesis Studio at Hudson Yards where we got to test drive the vehicles. This was followed by a trip to Genesis House, the automaker’s NYC-based cultural space curating design, hospitality, and technology. Alongside Friends of Genesis guests, we were hosted as “son-nim”, which means “honored guest” in Korean, and enjoyed a dinner inspired by recipes of ancient Korean royalty at their in-house restaurant, and visited the immersive light installation STARSCAPE inspired by “Dongji,” the Korean celebration of the Winter Solstice.

We captured some of the standout moments from this week’s festivities. Click to check them out!

Kicking off the week with a gourmet dinner

Photo: RobinLori Photography for Genesis USA

Jocelyn “Joz” Wang, Head of Multicultural Marketing and Corporate Branding at Genesis Motor America, Michael Clark, Head of Multicultural Partnerships at G/O Media and celebrity guests at The Root 100 reception dinner. In attendance were actor and comedian Flex Alexander, actress Carla Renata, chef Esther Choi, comedian and Executive Producer of SHERRI with Sherri Shepherd Jawn Murray, celebrity stylist Paul Wharton, actor and content creator Ryan Alexander Holmes, TV producer and entrepreneur Mona Scott-Young, actor Alyx Fabrega, and athlete and entrepreneur Josh Dixon.

Mixing and mingling

Photo: RobinLori Photography for Genesis USA

Joz Wang and Jawn Murray explore the selection of art books at Genesis House.

Taking the Genesis GV60 for a spin

Photo: RobinLori Photography for Genesis USA

Actress, film critic, and singer Carla Renata gets behind the wheel of a Genesis GV60.

Pulling up to the function

Photo: RobinLori Photography for Genesis USA

A cavalcade of Genesis sedans and SUVs chauffeured notable attendees to the Apollo Theater for showtime at The Root 100.

Snapping the perfect pic

Photo: RobinLori Photography for Genesis USA

Mona Scott-Young and Paul Wharton arrive in style with the Uyuni White Genesis GV80 on the red carpet of The Root 100 gala.

Always looking fresh

Photo: RobinLori Photography for Genesis USA

Jawn Murray makes himself comfy lounging against a Uyuni White GV80 with the Apollo Marquee making a cameo.

In the club, we all fam

Photo: RobinLori Photography for Genesis USA

Team Genesis and team The Root have a lovely pow wow just before showtime.

Serving pap walk realness

Photo: RobinLori Photography for Genesis USA

Mona Scott-Young and Paul Wharton stepping out of a Genesis sedan and onto the red carpet at The Root 100 Honoree Event. The perfect throwback aughts paparazzi photo.

After the show it’s the afterparty

Photo: RobinLori Photography for Genesis USA

Kyle Hiroto and Joz Wang from Team Genesis enjoying a post-show moment at The Red Rooster in Harlem.

This article is a collaboration between Genesis and G/O Media Studios.

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