Popularly known for her role as Rue in Hunger Games (2016);
Madeline Whittier in Everything, Everything (2017); and
Starr Carter in The Hate U Give (2018), Amandla Sternberg is a 20-year-old American actress.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC); the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans, will be honouring Amandla with the Visibility Award in February.
“Amandla Stenberg is captivating audiences with her incredible talent while using her public platform to spark conversations on the importance of intersectionality and advancing fairness and equality for all,” HRC President Chad Griffin said in the announcement on Wednesday, 9th January. “An out and proud member of the LGBTQ community, Amandla is a passionate, bold and compelling voice in the fight for LGBTQ equality. HRC is proud to honour Amandla Stenberg with the HRC Visibility Award at the 2019 HRC Greater New York Gala.”
Amandla was also commended for “her crusade towards sparking thoughtful conversation using social media as a platform to spread awareness and knowledge on topics such as cultural appropriation, intersectional feminism, mindfulness, biracial identity, sexual identity, equality, LGBTQIA acceptance, gender and beauty standards to name a few.”
Ever since Amandla came out as bisexual and gender non-binary in 2016, they have been firm in their stance for LGBTQ equality and representation.
In 2018, however, Amandla in a 2018 interview with Wonderland magazine, Amandla Sternberg came out as gay.Talking about her sexuality during the interview, Amandla Sternberg said “I’m grateful for how being gay has afforded me this ability to experience and understand love and sex, and therefore life, in an expansive and infinite way. The continual process of unlearning heteronormativity and internalized homophobia can be difficult, but one of the biggest blessings lies in the magic that comes from having to understand love outside the confines of learned heterosexual roles.”
But Amandla is not the only recipient of the 2019 Visibility Award by the HRC. Theatre Owner, Jordan Roth who has presented inclusive musicals including Kinky Boots, will be awarded too. In the statement, Griffin also noted Jordan Roth’s Role in the fight for equality.
“For years, Jordan Roth has expertly shaped Broadway musicals and plays in a way that stirs imaginations and speaks to the heart of the human experience. “Jordan has harnessed the power of storytelling and changed countless hearts and minds in support of LGBTQ equality and for all people to live open and authentic lives. HRC is proud to recognize Jordan Roth with the HRC Legacy Award at the 2019 HRC Greater New York Gala.” he said
The 2019 HRC Greater New York Gala will be held at the New York Marriott Marquis and tickets are available at www.HRCGreaterNY.org
