Laverne Cox will be honored as advocate of the year at the upcoming 2022 Webby Awards.
The actor and producer will be recognized by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS) for her LGBTQ advocacy work around Black trans lives and rights.
“Laverne Cox understands the true power of showing up by example,” Webby Awards president Claire Graves told Variety exclusively on Tuesday morning. “She is a clear, consistent and powerful voice advocating in defense of Black trans lives, and we are so proud to recognize her as the 2022 Webby Advocate of the Year, selected by a committee chaired by the NAACP and IADAS.”
Hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr., the Webby Awards will take place May 16 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. The ceremony will be presented by Verizon.
The evening will feature the awards’ signature five-word winner speeches.
Cox, best known for work as Sophia on “Orange Is the New Black,” is an Emmy nominee who has also been honored by GLAAD, The Transgender Law Center, Out, Time, Glamour and Ebony.
In addition to Cox, others special achievement honorees include Megan Thee Stallion, Drew Barrymore, Takashi Murakami, “Severance” star Adam Scott, organizers of Florida’s “Say Gay” movement and NFT inventors Anil Dash and Kevin McCoy.
Previously announced Webby Award winners include Savage x Fenty, Gordon Ramsay, “Sesame Street’s” YouTube channel, the Smartless podcast, The 1619 Project, “The Laverne Cox Show,” “The Queen of Basketball,” Billie Eilish x Beat Saber for Oculus Quest 2, “The Roxanne Gay Agenda,” “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” “Lilly Singh Celebrates Diwali Traditions and New Beginnings With Johnnie Walker,” The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live! Mean Tweets” and “The Problem With Jon Stewart.”
Show highlights will be available on webbyawards.com and on Twitter and Instagram using #Webbys.
