Photo courtesy: Wikipedia.
Hidden Figures star Octavia Spencer will be honoured by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) with its Inspiration Award at a gala in October.
“GLSEN is deeply honored to present the Inspiration Award to Octavia Spencer, an actor who has devoted her career to diverse storytelling, promoting social good, and is a steadfast ally for the LGBTQ community,” Eliza Byard, Executive Director of GLSEN, said in a statement. “Octavia is a role model for combining art with activism and a true embodiment of the Inspiration Award.”
Spencer is an advocate of LGBTQ+ rights, speaking out about homophobia and marriage equality. Her role as Dorothy Vaughan, one of the three lead mathematicians at NASA during the space race, shone an international spotlight on the STEM contributions made by Black women.
On Tuesday, Spencer said she was “humbled” by the nomination.
GLSEN was founded in 1990 to address LGBT issues in K-12 education in the U.S. school system. It began presenting awards in 2004.