Emmy-winning Broadway legend Sheryl Lee Ralph received The Advocate of the Year award at the Out100 event Wednesday night where she spoke of being inspired by the LGBTQ+ community and shared wisdom about what advocacy means to her.
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The Out100, proudly sponsored by Lexus, honored distinguished celebrities, politicians, activists, and more who are making a difference in the lives of LGBTQ+ people. While Ralph received The Advocate of the Year, Wicked’s queer star Cynthia Erivo was named Out100 Icon of the Year.
Ralph, who co-stars in the hit sitcom Abbott Elementary, graced a recent digital cover for The Advocate. The longtime activist took the stage Wednesday night reaffirming her commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. Her Abbott Elementary fellow actors Chris Perfetti and Lisa Ann Walter presented her with the award.
She began her speech with a verse from "Endangered Species" a song off Dianne Reeves' 1994 album, Art & Survival. The same song she iconically sang when she won her Emmy.
“To be named Advocate of the Year is an honor I carry on behalf of every individual who has fought for love, for identity, for visibility, and for freedom,” Ralph said.
The acclaimed singer and actress went on to describe her views on advocacy.
“Advocacy is not a solo journey — it is a collective movement. It is the bravery of those who came before us, the courage of those who stand with us, and the hope of those who will follow.”
Ralph took time to honor the trailblazers who came before her. She also took a moment to share how she’s been motivated by queer people’s experiences.
“I have been inspired over the years by so many in this community — by those who refuse to stay silent in the face of injustice, by those who live their truth unapologetically, and by those who show us that joy is also an act of resistance,” she said.
She also cautioned that there’s more to do.
“I am a believer in the power of unity. The world may try to divide us, but our strength has always been in our ability to stand together, to lift one another, and to remind each other that love — at its core — is unstoppable,” Ralph said.
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