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| Cynthia Erivo |
To be different in today’s world is to carry both a burden and a responsibility. While diversity and inclusion should be fundamental values, they have instead become battlegrounds, with a vocal conservative minority wielding fear and misinformation to suppress progress. For those who dare to live authentically—whether in their race, gender, sexuality, or identity—visibility is an act of defiance, a refusal to conform to expectations designed to erase them. Yet history has shown that true progress is built on difference, not uniformity. Societies that embrace diversity thrive, benefiting from a wealth of perspectives, talents, and innovations that drive cultural and economic growth. Inclusion fuels creativity, strengthens communities, and fosters resilience, ensuring that no voice is silenced, and no person is left behind. The recognition of leaders like
Cynthia Erivo through honors such as the Stephen F. Kolzak Award is more than symbolic—it is a testament to the power of representation and the undeniable value of lifting up those who have been pushed to the margins.
GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, has announced that Cynthia Erivo will receive the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on March 27.
The Stephen F. Kolzak Award is presented to an LGBTQ media professional who has made a significant impact in raising visibility and advancing acceptance of LGBTQ people and issues. The award is named in honor of the late Los Angeles casting director Stephen F. Kolzak, who dedicated the final years of his life to fighting homophobia and HIV stigma within the entertainment industry. Previous recipients of the award include Niecy Nash-Betts, Jeremy Pope, Laverne Cox, Wanda Sykes, Jim Parsons, Ruby Rose, Chaz Bono, Melissa Etheridge, Ellen DeGeneres, and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez.
Cynthia Erivo is more than an artist—she is a force for change. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), she first gained widespread recognition for her Tony Award-winning portrayal of Celie in The Color Purple on Broadway. Her performance was a breakthrough moment, bringing visibility to one of the few leading African American queer characters in musical theater. In 2016, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, delivering a career-defining performance, particularly in the powerful ballad “I’m Here.” She later earned Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nominations for her portrayal of abolitionist Harriet Tubman in Harriet (2019).
But beyond her achievements on stage and screen, Erivo has used her platform to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities. At the 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in 2017, she delivered a stirring cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine” as a tribute to the 49 lives lost in the Pulse Nightclub shooting and transgender women murdered in hate crimes. Her performance was described by Vulture as “not even Lennon could have dreamed his song would sound this good one day.”
In 2022, Erivo publicly identified as queer in British Vogue’s Pride issue, making a powerful declaration of her intersectional identity as an African American queer woman in entertainment. Her unwavering advocacy has positioned her as a leader in the fight for equity and inclusion, consistently challenging systemic barriers in the industry.
During Pride Month in 2024, she headlined Stonewall Day, an event founded by Pride Live, commemorating the historic impact of the Stonewall uprising. Speaking at the event, she emphasized the resilience of the LGBTQ community, stating, “In the face of hate and discrimination, the queer community rose up together and fought for the spaces where we could be free through music and dance.”
Erivo will soon be seen as Elphaba in Wicked and its sequel, Wicked: For Good, both of which have received nominations at the 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. She recently reflected on her connection to the character in an interview with Out100, saying, “It’s hard to talk about Elphaba as an ‘other’ without linking it to being a woman who walks through the world as a queer, African American woman. Immediately, I understood what it meant for people to look at you and see you as not beautiful, not acceptable. And having to find a way to not necessarily be okay with it but be okay with yourself enough, so that when other people put that on you, you can still move through it.”
“From outspoken ally to trailblazing community member, Cynthia Erivo’s one-of-a-kind voice has been instrumental in accelerating acceptance for LGBTQ people since she emerged on the scene over a decade ago,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “Her legacy is not just in her numerous accolades but in how, with each new platform, she continues to show up for African American, queer, and other underrepresented communities amid her well-deserved success. As she continues to shatter glass ceilings, I am certain her commitment to showing up as her most intersectional and authentic self will never falter. It is a privilege to present her with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards.”
The GLAAD Media Awards, which support GLAAD’s year-round efforts to promote LGBTQ visibility and representation in media, will take place in Los Angeles on March 27.
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis serves as executive producer of the event, alongside GLAAD’s Rich Ferraro and Anthony Allen Ramos. The ceremony is produced in partnership with STAMP Event Co., with GLAAD’s Tony Morrison serving as supervising producer and Jose Useche as producer.
The 36th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are presented by official sponsors Delta Air Lines and Hornitos Tequila. For more information on corporate sponsorships or table purchases, contact partnerships@glaad.org.
Follow #GLAADawards and @glaad for updates, reactions, and coverage from the event.
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