Mara Brock Akil is finally receiving the kind of industry-wide recognition her influence has long deserved. The Producers Guild of America has named the award-winning writer and showrunner the 2026 recipient of the Norman Lear Achievement Award, which will be presented at the 37th annual Producers Guild Awards on Feb. 28 in Los Angeles.
For so many viewers, Brock Akil’s work was not just television. It was cultural genealogy. It was the first time Black women saw their friendships, frustrations, ambition, heartbreak, and brilliance reflected on screen with care and nuance. That journey began when she joined Fox’s “South Central” at just 23 years old, but she made history by the time she was 30, becoming the youngest African American showrunner on broadcast television with UPN’s “Girlfriends.” The series, led by Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks, and Persia White, became a blueprint for the modern ensemble cast of Black women.
Throughout the 2000s, Brock Akil stood alone as the only African American showrunner with a series on the air every single year, a reminder of both her talent and the industry’s barriers. She followed with BET’s first drama, “Being Mary Jane,” and expanded the “The Game” universe into its Paramount Plus revival. With her husband, Salim Akil, she also brought “Black Lightning” to The CW, continuing to push Black characters into spaces where they had long been missing.
Her most recent project, Netflix’s “Forever,” a contemporary adaptation of Judy Blume’s novel, brought a grounded, Black led teen romance to the platform. It was renewed for a second season in May.
PGA Presidents Donald De Line and Stephanie Allain praised Brock Akil’s impact, calling her a producer who brings stories to life “with purpose and imagination,” adding that her work “set a standard for excellence” that continues today.
In her statement, Brock Akil reflected on being honored with an award named for Norman Lear, who used television to move culture forward. “His work taught us that storytelling can move culture, challenge assumptions and create community,” she said. “This acknowledgment inspires me to continue championing characters and worlds that reflect the complexity, beauty and courage of our lives.”
