The Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ civil rights organization, is set to honor actors Jean Smart and Sterling K. Brown at their upcoming Los Angeles gala. Variety reports that Smart is set to be recognized with the “National Equality Award” while Brown is set to receive the “Ally for Equality Award.”
“It’s such a joy to be recognizing some incredible advocates and allies who have provided so much support in the fight for equal rights,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, “Sterling K. Brown has made diversity and inclusion pillars of his work. Jean Smart has championed LGBTQ+ rights and equal representation over a decades-long career in television and film.”
Jean Smart, known for her roles in Hacks, Mare of Easttown, and Designing Women said, “I’m unbelievably honored to be receiving the National Equality Award and I stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. I’ll continue to do my part so LGBTQ+ people can have equal opportunities on and off screen.”
Brown, who is known for This is Us, Black Panther, The People v O.J. Simpson, and an Oscar-nominated performance in American Fiction said “Injustice for one is injustice for all—the path towards freedom and equality for Black and Brown people is intertwined with the fight for LGBTQ+ justice, so we must stand together to create a more equitable world…To be receiving the Ally for Equality Award and to be recognized for my LGBTQ+ allyship is truly an honor—I look forward to continuing this fight alongside my fellow advocates as we advance equal rights for everyone, everywhere.”
First Lady Jill Biden will give the keynote address at the March 23, 2024 gala. To learn more about the event and buy tickets, go to hrc.org.
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