Russell Simmons to be Honored at 27th Annual EMA Awards, Jaden Smith to Host

Tony Award-winning producer Russell Simmons will be honored with the Environmental Media Association (EMA)'s Missions in Music Award at the 27th Annual EMA Awards on Sept. 23 at the historic Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport. Actor, musician, entrepreneur, and EMA Board Member Jaden Smith will be coming on as the host for the evening. The EMA Awards annually recognize and honor environmental influencers and leaders who exemplify the commitment and effort to raise awareness of environmental issues.

"Russell exemplifies the spirit of our work at EMA and we are honored to be celebrating him this year," said EMA President & CEO Debbie Levin. "Through his continuous engagement, Russell has promoted sustainable plant-based diets, generously donated to educational programs with climate-based campaigns, and fought to abolish animal cruelty. We couldn't be more proud to honor him with the 2017 EMA Missions in Music Award."

Simmons will receive the award which is reserved for influencers who have demonstrated decades of leadership, experience, and dedication to protecting the planet, and using their voice to educate the public about solutions for a more sustainable earth.

Recipient of the 2016 Male EMA Futures Award, Smith will return to the EMA Awards this year as host.

"We can think of no better person to host the EMA Awards than our very own Jaden Smith," said Levin. "As a member of our Board of Directors, Jaden embodies the values, dedication, and commitment it takes to make meaningful change. He's the role model for responsible and conscious sustainable actions for his generation. In a year that feels like our progress on environmental issues are being threatened, we couldn't be more grateful to have Jaden bring his authentic passion to the EMA stage."

Smith will return as host after receiving the 2016 Male EMA Futures Award for his involvement with JUST water, an impact business venture that is changing the bottled water model by rethinking how it's sourced, delivered and consumed.

"The future of the environment is the responsibility of the youth," said Smith.

This year's EMA Awards will celebrate the 27th anniversary by looking toward the future, honoring exciting and innovative voices in the environmental world, and promoting solutions in innovation and activism to combat the current administration's rollback on funding. The 27th annual EMA Awards will be presented by the Toyota Mirai, a hydrogen-fueled vehicle that's only emission is water.

About the Environmental Media Association

The Environmental Media Association (EMA) is a Non-Profit 501(c)3 organization founded in 1989 to inspire solutions for the environment through our impact in media and pop culture.

The organization has grown into a diverse subsection of entertainment industry tastemakers, entrepreneurs in finance and technology, and green icons dedicated to the mission of promoting environmental progress and innovations through celebrity role modeling, campaign work, year-round programs and our two large scale annual events, The EMA Awards (http://www.green4ema.org/ema-awards/) and the EMA Impact Summit (http://www.makeanimpact2017.com/).

EMA serves as a valuable link between the world of media and the environmental community, working tirelessly to bring the planet's most pressing issues to the forefront of pop culture and make true change by inspiring the next generation of filmmakers and entrepreneurs. To find out more about our programs and events visit us at www.green4ema.org and www.facebook.com/EMAOnline, Hashtag: #Green4EMA, Instagram @green4ema and Twitter @green4ema.