Brittney Griner and her wife Cherelle receive a standing ovation.

“Let us continue to fight to bring home every American still detained overseas,” Britney Griner said during a brief speech at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday evening.

Following the WNBA star’s release from a Russian prison in December, Brittney Griner and her wife Cherelle attend the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday.

At the annual event at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California. The couple took the stage to a standing ovation from stars such as Dwayne Wade, Gabrielle Union, and Tracee Ellis Ross, to name a few.

“Thank you for that wonderful applause,” Cherelle, 30, said following the standing ovation.

Britney, 32, also share her thoughts, saying it felt “so good to be here, especially with my beautiful, amazing wife and all of y’all here today.”

“I’d like to thank everyone. And let us continue fighting to bring home every American still detained abroad “She said. “I appreciate it.”

The couple’s appearance was precess by an introduction from show host Queen Latifah. Who said that Black people “keep overcoming because that’s what we do.”

“As we gather here tonight, in the spirit of overcoming adversity. I’d like to take this opportunity to recognise someone who has done just that,” she said in her opening remarks.

Britney was release from a Russian prison in a prisoner swap in December after nearly ten months in detention.

The basketball player was release in a one-for-one prisoner swap for international arms dealer Viktor Bout. After being sentence to nine years in a Russian prison on drug smuggling charges earlier last year, News report, citing a U.S. official. Another American detain in Russia, Paul Whelan was not include in the exchange.

Cherelle opened up about the advocacy work that went into securing her wife’s freedom after Britney’s release in December. Writing that her “heart was made whole thanks to the collective efforts of MANY. As she share a collage of faces who help her wife get back.