On Tuesday, 11Alive’s very own Brenda Wood received the City of Atlanta's highest honor.
The Phoenix Award is the equivalent of the key to the city, and it was awarded to Brenda by the Atlanta City Council after spending 40 years in the television news business, 20 of them spent right here in Atlanta as anchor for 11Alive.
Wood is in her last month at 11Alive before retiring in February, and over the next few weeks 11Alive will be honoring the veteran anchor and her storied career.
In a special meeting, where the city council declared Jan. 17 as Brenda Wood Day and bestowed her with the award, she was recognized as a “woman of great distinction.”
“She represents the best of journalism and the best in our community," Mayor Kasim Reed said.
Throughout the years, Brenda Wood has hosted and co-produced several award-winning prime time specials – including “Remembering the 1996 Olympics,” “A Conversation Across America,” “50 Years of Change,” “Mission of Hope.” She has also witnessed history by covering monumental national and international stories, including the inauguration of President Barack Obama, the death of South African President Nelson Mandela, and countless Olympics.
But even after interviewing the most recognizable names – Former President Jimmy Carter, Ambassador Andrew Young, Congressman John Lewis, Cher, Rapper T.I. – she has “always been approachable, you have always been gracious, and you haven't changed a bit in terms of your spirit," said Councilman Ceasar Mitchell.
PHOTOS: 11Alive's Brenda Wood honored with Phoenix Award
In 2014, Brenda Wood was inducted in the Atlanta Press Club Hall of Fame. That same year she was named a “HISTORYMAKER,” a distinct national honor recognizing African American trailblazers. Her career story is recorded in the national archives in Washington, D.C.
Councilmembers and co-workers alike, including 11Alive’s Jeff Hullinger, paid tribute to Wood. Hullinger, who has worked with Wood for many years, praised her journalistic integrity: "Brenda has always put the community first. She has always put people first."
But it was a tribute from those who know her best, her daughters, that tell truly the impact this Atlanta icon has had.
"We are very thankful to have not only a wonderful mother but a wonderful role model," said daughter Kristen Wood Burke.
"Through everything she did every day,” said daughter Kandis Wood Jackson, “(you showed) that being a woman of color, that being a woman, was enough. You can be a leader. You can be whatever you wanted to be."
Over the next few weeks, 11Alive viewers will hear, on air, plenty about Brenda’s four distinguished decades in TV news a career coming to an end in the next few weeks. But in those few weeks, you will hear words like the ones shared today, and you should know, they will all be true.
