"OPRAH'S THE LIFE YOU WANT WEEKEND" HONORS LOCAL ATLANTA WOMEN WITH THE TOYOTA "STANDING O-VATION" AWARD

Black Girls RUN! Founders Ashley Hicks and Toni Carey Recognized for Their Outstanding Commitment to Get Women Running

Los Angeles - "Oprah's The Life You Want Weekend," Oprah Winfrey's eight-city arena tour and transformational weekend, announced the first recipients of The Toyota "Standing O-Vation" award on Saturday, September 6 in Atlanta, the first of eight awards to be presented at tour stops this fall. The Toyota "Standing O-Vation" recognizes extraordinary people who are making positive changes in their communities and inspiring others to do the same. Oprah Winfrey and Team Toyota brand ambassador Amy Purdy honored Ashley Hicks and Toni Carey, the founders of Black Girls RUN!, an Atlanta-based national running group created to combat obesity among women in the African-American community. As the first "Standing O-Vation" recipients, Black Girls RUN! will receive a $25,000 grant from Toyota in support of its continuing efforts to get women running.

Click here to see Ashley Hicks and Toni Carey's story (with embed code): www.oprah.com/toyotastandingovation

Black Girls RUN! was formed by Carey and Hicks to increase the number of African-American women who run, improving their fitness, quality of life, and ultimately decreasing the number of African-American women who are overweight. What began with a blog and two women in Atlanta has grown into a network of more than seventy groups and hundreds of thousands of members across the nation. For more information, visit www.blackgirlsrun.com

"We are still in shock at what happened tonight and cannot believe we were chosen to receive this once-in-a-lifetime honor," said Hicks. "Eighty percent of African-American women suffer from obesity, and this group was a way to get women moving. This honor gives us the opportunity to take Black Girls RUN! to the next level, allowing us to serve our community even further," added Carey.

The driving force behind The Toyota "Standing O-Vation" stems from the automaker's commitment to fostering women's interests. While reflecting the kind of stories that define the brand, The Toyota "Standing O-Vation" is an opportunity to celebrate remarkable women who are not only making the world a better place, but also motivating others to spark their own journey of personal change.

"Oprah's The Life You Want Weekend" will include additional presentations of Toyota's "Standing O-Vation" awards during the following tour stops:

Sept. 12-13 Auburn Hills, Michigan The Palace of Auburn Hills

Sept. 19-20 Washington D.C. Verizon Center

Sept. 26-27 Newark, New Jersey Prudential Center

Oct. 17-18 Houston, Texas Toyota Center

Oct. 24-25 Miami, Florida American Airlines Arena

Nov. 7-8 Seattle, Washington KeyArena at Seattle Center

Nov. 14-15 San Jose, California SAP Center at San Jose

About "Oprah's The Life You Want" Weekend:

"Oprah's The Life You Want" Weekend is an eight-city arena tour and transformational weekend featuring Oprah Winfrey and a team of special guests, sponsored by Toyota and Olay. Each tour stop spans two days. On Friday nights, Oprah takes the stage, bringing her personal story and insights to life in a one of a kind intimate evening. Then on Saturdays, Oprah leads a day-long gathering of thousands with handpicked thought leaders and pop culture icons including Iyanla Vanzant, star of OWN's hit series "Iyanla Fix My Life," regular O Magazine contributor, best-selling author and spiritual life coach; best-selling author of Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert; and one of Time 100's Most Influential people, Pastor Rob Bell. Additionally, world-renowned author and pioneer in mind-body medicine Deepak Chopra will take the stage in select cities. "Oprah's The Life You Want Weekend" is produced by Harpo Studios, O, The Oprah Magazine, OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and WME Live, and is presented by Toyota and Olay.

For more information on the tour, please visit www.oprahweekend.com and follow on Twitter/Instagram @LifeYouWantTour #LifeYouWantTour