Pabllo Vittar Earns GLAAD Media Awards Nomination

Pabllo Vittar has extra reason to be gla(a)d

GLAAD has announced the nominees for the 32d GLAAD Media Awards, with the 26-year-old Brazilian drag queen, singer and songwriter earning a nod.

Pabllo Vittar 

Vittar is nominated in the Outstanding Music Artist for her album 111.

She’ll compete against Ricky Martin, nominated for Pausa, and then Kehlani for her album It Was Good Until It Wasn’t.

Arca has picked up a GLAAD nod…

The 31-year-old Venezuelan record producer, DJ, singer, and songwriter, whose full name is Alejandra Ghersi, is nominated in the Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist category for the album KiCk i.

Gloria Estefan’s daughter Emily Estefan is nominated in the Outstanding Variety or Talk Show episode for “Emily’s Coming Out Story” from Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk: The Estefans.

Jesse & Joy have earned a special callout…

The Mexican sibling duo will receive special recognition for their hit single “Love (Es Nuestro Idioma).”

Josie Totah , D.J.ShangelaPierce, and Jonathan Bennett took to GLAAD’s TikTok page to unveil the nominees. The winners will be announced during a virtual ceremony scheduled for April 2021.

The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues.

“During an unprecedented year of crises and isolation, the nominees for the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards reached LGBTQ people with powerful stories and inspired countless others around the world with bold looks at LGBTQ people and issues,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “As GLAAD continues to lead the fight for LGBTQ acceptance, this year’s nominees remind us that even in times of political and cultural division, diverse LGBTQ representation and visibility can enlighten, entertain, and create lasting change.”

Here’s the full list of nominees:

NOMINEES FOR THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Film – Wide Release
The Craft: Legacy (Sony Pictures)
Happiest Season (Hulu)
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
The Old Guard (Netflix)
The Prom (Netflix)

Outstanding Film – Limited Release
Ammonite (NEON)
And Then We Danced (Music Box Films)
The Boys in the Band (Netflix)
The Half of It (Netflix)
I Carry You With Me (Sony Pictures Classics)
Kajillionaire (Focus Features)
The Life Ahead (Netflix)
Lingua Franca (ARRAY/Netflix)
Monsoon (Strand Releasing)
The True Adventures of Wolfboy (Vertical Entertainment)

Outstanding Documentary
Circus of Books (Netflix) Disclosure (Netflix)
Equal (HBO Max)
For They Know Not What They Do (First Run Features)
Howard (Disney+)
Mucho Mucho Amor (Netflix)
Scream, Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street (Virgil FIlms/Shudder)
Visible: Out on Television (Apple TV+)
We Are The Radical Monarchs (PBS POV)
Welcome to Chechnya (HBO) 

Outstanding Comedy Series
Big Mouth (Netflix)
Dead to Me (Netflix)
Everything’s Gonna Be Okay (Freeform)
Harley Quinn (HBO Max)
Love, Victor (Hulu)
Saved by the Bell (Peacock)
Schitt’s Creek (Pop)
Sex Education (Netflix)
Superstore (NBC)
Twenties (BET) 

Outstanding Drama Series
9-1-1: Lone Star (FOX)
Killing Eve (BBC America)
P–Valley (Starz)
Ratched (Netflix)
Star Trek: Discovery (CBS All Access)
Supergirl (The CW)
The Umbrella Academy (Netflix)Vida (Starz)
The Wilds (Amazon)
Wynonna Earp (Syfy) 

Outstanding TV Movie
Alice Júnior (Netflix)
Bad Education (HBO)
The Christmas House (Hallmark Channel)
The Christmas Setup (Lifetime)
Dashing in December (Paramount Network)
The Thing About Harry (Freeform)
Uncle Frank (Amazon Studios)
Unpregnant (HBO Max)
Your Name Engraved Herein (Netflix) 

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Dispatches from Elsewhere (AMC)
The Haunting of Bly Manor (Netflix)
Hollywood (Netflix),
I May Destroy You (HBO)
Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu) 

Outstanding Reality Program
Deaf U (Netflix)
Legendary (HBO Max)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
We‘re Here (HBO)

Outstanding Children’s Programming
“Challenge of the Senior Junior Woodchucks!” DuckTales (Disney XD)
“Dogbot” Clifford The Big Red Dog (PBS)
“Nancy Plays Dress Up” Fancy Nancy (Disney Junior)
The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo (HBO Max)
Summer Camp Island (HBO Max) 

Outstanding Kids & Family Programming
Craig of the Creek (Cartoon Network)
Diary of a Future President (Disney+)
First Day (Hulu)
Kipo and The Age of the Wonderbeasts (Dreamworks Animation/Netflix)
The Loud House (Nickelodeon)
“Mary Anne Saves the Day” The Baby-Sitters Club (Netflix)
“Obsidian” Adventure Time: Distant Lands (HBO Max)
The Owl House (Disney Channel)
She–Ra & The Princesses of Power (Dreamworks Animation/Netflix)
Steven Universe (Cartoon Network) 

Outstanding Music Artist
Adam Lambert, Velvet (More Is More/Empire)
Brandy Clark, Your Life Is a Record (Warner Records)
Halsey, Manic (Capitol)
Kehlani, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t (Atlantic)
Lady Gaga, Chromatica (Streamline/Interscope)
Miley Cyrus, Plastic Hearts (RCA)
Pabllo Vittar, 111 (BMT/Sony Music Brasil)
Peppermint, A Girl Like Me: Letters to My Lovers (Producer Entertainment Group)Ricky Martin, Pausa (Sony Latin)
Sam Smith, Love Goes (Capitol) 

Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist
Arca, KiCk i (XL)
Chika, Industry Games (Warner Records)
FLETCHER, The (S)ex Tapes (Capitol)
Keiynan Lonsdale, Rainbow Boy (Keiynan Lonsdale)
Kidd Kenn, Child’s Play (Island Records)
Orville Peck, Show Pony (Columbia/Sub Pop)
Phoebe Bridgers, Punisher (Dead Oceans)
Rina Sawayama, Sawayama (Dirty Hit/Avex Trax)
Trixie Mattel, Barbara (Producer Entertainment Group/ATO Records)
Victoria Monét, Jaguar (Tribe Records) 

Outstanding Video Game
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Ubisoft)
Borderlands 3: Guns, Love, and Tentacles (2K Games)
Bugsnax (Young Horses)
Hades (Supergiant Games)
If Found… (Annapurna Interactive)
Ikenfell (Humble Games)
Immortals Fenyx Rising (Ubisoft)
The Last of Us Part II (Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Tell Me Why (Xbox Game Studios)
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands (Blizzard Entertainment)

Outstanding Comic Book
Empyre, Lords of Empyre: Emperor Hulkling, Empyre: Aftermath Avengers, written by Al Ewing, Dan Slott, Chip Zdarsky, Anthony Oliveira (Marvel Comics)
Far Sector, written by N.K. Jemisin (DC Comics)
Guardians of the Galaxy, written by Al Ewing (Marvel Comics) Juliet Takes a Breath, written by Gabby Rivera (BOOM! Studios) Lois Lane, written by Greg Rucka (DC Comics)
The Magic Fish, written by Trung Le Nguyen (Random House Graphic)
Suicide Squad, written by Tom Taylor (DC Comics) Wynd, written by James Tynion IV (BOOM! Studios)
X-Factor, written by Leah Williams (Marvel Comics)
You Brought Me the Ocean, written by Alex Sanchez (DC Comics) 

Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode
“Andy Cohen Calls for Change So He Can Donate His Plasma” Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)
“Black Trans Lives Matter” Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
“Emily’s Coming Out Story” Red Table Talk: The Estefans (Facebook Watch)
“Laverne Cox – Exploring Trans Representation with ‘Disclosure’” The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)
“Lilly Responds to Comments About Her Sexuality” A Little Late With Lilly Singh (NBC)

Outstanding TV Journalism Segment
“Black Trans Activists on Being the ‘Blueprint for the Struggle for Black Freedom’” MSNBC Live with Hallie Jackson (MSNBC)
“Dwyane Wade One-On-One: Basketball Legend Opens Up About Supporting Transgender Daughter” Good Morning America (ABC)
“Faith, Foster Care and LGBTQ Rights Collide in Supreme Court” ABC News Prime (ABC News Live)
“One-on-One with Transportation Secretary Nominee Pete Buttigieg” State of the Union (CNN)
“Trans and Non-Binary People Face Voting Barriers Ahead of 2020 Election” (CBSN) 

Outstanding TV Journalism – Long-Form

ABC News Joe Biden Town Hall” (ABC)
“The Deciders” (CBS)
“Pride and Protest: Being Black and Queer in America in 2020” (NBC News NOW)
“Pride on ABC News Live: The Landmark Decision” (ABC News Live)
“Prideland” (PBS) 

Outstanding Print Article
“20 LGBTQ+ People Working to Save Lives on the Frontline” by Diane Anderson-Minshall, David Artavia, Tracy Gilchrist, Desiree Guerrero, Jeffrey Masters, Donald Padgett, and Daniel Reynolds (The Advocate)
“The AIDS Quilt Marches Home” by Jason Sheeler (People)
“As Homeless Shelters Brace for Funding Cuts, LGBTQ Youths Take Desperate Measures to Get By” by Samantha Schmidt (The Washington Post)
“Delaware’s Sarah McBride Makes History as the Nation’s First Openly Transgender State Senator” by Meg Ryan (Delaware Today)
“How a March for Black Trans Lives Became a Huge Event” by Anushka Patil (The New York Times)
“It’s Time for a New Tipping Point for Transgender Folks in Hollywood” by Tre’vell Anderson (Out)
“LGBTQ Americans Are Getting Coronavirus, Losing Jobs. Anti-Gay Bias is Making it Worse for Them.” by Petruce Jean-Charles (USA Today)
“Lutheran High School Athletic Trainer, Coach Says She Was Fired for Being Gay” by Arika Herron (The Indianapolis Star)
“States Won’t Collect LGBTQ Data on COVID-19 — and Advocates Aren’t Happy” by Chris Johnson (Washington Blade)
“Why Billy Porter is a National Treasure” by Tre’vell Anderson (Essence) 

Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage
The Advocate
Billboard
People
Plus
Variety

Outstanding Online Journalism Article
“The Battle Over Title IX and Who Gets to be a Woman in Sports: Inside the Raging National Debate” by Katie Barnes (epsnW.com)
“Gay Men Speak Out After Being Turned Away from Donating Blood During Coronavirus Pandemic: ‘We are Turning Away Perfectly Healthy Donors’” by Tony Morrison and Joel Lyons (GoodMorningAmerica.com)
“Here’s how Reggie Greer Takes on LGBTQ Outreach for Joe Biden in this ‘Very Personal’ Election” by John Gallagher (LGBTQNation.com)
“No Medicine, No Food: Coronavirus Restrictions Amplify Health Risks to LGBT+ People with HIV” by Nita Bhalla and Oscar Lopez (Openlynews.com) “An Oral History of Fashion’s Response to the AIDS Epidemic” [series] by Phillip Picardi (VOGUE.com)
“Queer Spaces Project” [series] by Nico Lang, Samantha Allen, Marke B., Matt Baume, Steven Blum, Alexander Cheves, Devlyn Camp, Michael Cuby, James Factora, KC Hoard, Sophie Hurwitz, Michelle Kim, and Daniel Villareal (them.us)

“Trans Athletes’ Fight for Inclusion in World Rugby” [series] by Dawn Ennis, Alex Reimer, Karleigh Webb, and Cyd Zeigler (Outsports.com)
“Trans Freedom Fighters” [series] by Sam Levin (TheGuardian.com) “Trans, Imprisoned — and Trapped” by Kate Sosin (NBCNews.com)
“‘You Don’t Belong Here’: In Poland’s ‘LGBT-Free Zones’ Existing is an Act of Defiance” by Ivana Kottasová and Rob Picheta (CNN.com) 

Outstanding Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia
“A Closer Look: Transgender in Kashmir” by Robert Leslie (Business Insider)
“I’m an Immigrant Fighting for Queer Rights and Racial Justice” by Abigail E. Disney, Catherine King, Maria Nunez, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, Patty Quillin, Julie Parker Benello, Susan Sherrerd, and Lynda Weinman (Refinery29)
“Stop Killing Us: Black Transgender Women’s Lived Experiences” by Talibah Newman Ometu, Thomas Blount, Juliana Schatz Preston, and Mariah Dupont (Complex World)
“They Will See You: LGBTQ+ Visibility in Advertising” by Brent Miller, Otto Bell, and Jordan Shavarebi (Great Big Story)
“Why LGBTQ Rights Hinge on the Definition of ‘Sex’” by Laura Bult, Ranjani Chakraborty, Melissa Hirsch, and Sidnee King (Vox)

Outstanding Blog
Gays With Kids
JoeMyGod
Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
The Reckoning
TransGriot 

Special Recognition
After Forever (Amazon)
Deadline’s New Hollywood Podcast
Happiest Season Soundtrack (Facet/Warner Records)
Noah’s Arc: The ‘Rona Chronicles (Patrik Ian-Polk Entertainment)
Out (Pixar/Disney+)
Razor Tongue (YouTube)
“The Son” Little America (Apple TV+)

NOMINEES FOR THE SPANISH-LANGUAGE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Spanish-Language Scripted Television Series
Ana (Amazon/Comedy Central/Pantaya)
Élite (Netflix)
#Luimelia (Atresplayer Premium)
Someone Has to Die (Netflix)
Veneno (HBO Max) 

Outstanding Spanish-Language TV Journalism
“Decisión de la Corte Suprema Para Comunidad LGBTQ” Un Nuevo Día (Telemundo)
“La Hermana de Aleyda Ortiz Narra Cómo Salió del Clóset y Cómo se lo Comunicó a su Familia” Despierta América (Univision)
“Proyecto ser Humano: La Terapia del Engaño” Camilo (CNN en Español)
“Refugio para Pacientes de COVID-19 y Comunidad LGBTI en México” Un Nuevo Día (Telemundo)
“Sanación Milagrosa” Despierta América (Univision)

Outstanding Spanish-Language Online Journalism Article
“El Brutal Asesinato de una Mujer Transgénero Conmociona a Puerto Rico y Renueva una Conversación Sobre la Transfobia” por Harmeet Kaur y Rafy Rivera (CNNEspañol.com)
“Desapareció en México, Solo se Hallaron sus Restos: La Historia de la Doctora María Elizabeth Montaño y su Importancia para la Comunidad Trans” por Albinson Linares y Marina E. Franco (Telemundo.com)
“Entrevistas para el mes del Orgullo LGBT+” por Paula Velasco, Aurora Villaseñor, y Sofía Viramontes (Gatopardo.com)
“Elliot Page y el Dilema Social del Género” por Marcos Billy Guzmán (ElNuevoDía.com) “La Historia de un Amor Moderno” por María Torres Clausell (Quién.com)

Outstanding Spanish-Language Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia
“Abril Zamora: Sin Filtros” (Elle España)
“Ciudad de México Prohibe las ‘Terapias’ Contra la Homosexualidad” por Elías Camhaji, Jonás Cortés, y Rodrigo Floriano (El País)
“La Liga Deportiva de la Diversidad” por Lucía Anaya (VICE en Español) “Mujeres LGBT+ en México: Ari Vera” (Homosensual)
“Soy Trans: El Camino a un Nuevo Despertar” por Sarah Moreno, Esther Piccolino, y José Sepúlveda (El Nuevo Herald)

Special Recognition (Spanish-Language)
Jesse & Joy, “Love (Es Nuestro Idioma)”

Tanya Saracho Signs Development Deal with UCP

Things are developing nicely for Tanya Saracho

The Mexican screenwriterand Vida creator has signed a development deal with UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Tanya Saracho

As part of the deal, Saracho will develop and create original content for television, as well as podcasts via the studio’s UCP Audio extension. She’ll also establish a lab and incubator program for Latinx voices.

“To say that I’m immensely enthusiastic about this union is not enough. This partnership with UCP is a vital opportunity to keep amplifying the voices and stories that matter to me – those brown, queer narratives which have been missing from the landscape, and which are so important to tell,” said Saracho.

 “I’m also elated and looking forward to establishing a lab and incubator program aimed to nurture, amplify and empower intersectional Latinx voices,” Saracho added. “And on a personal level, it is greatly gratifying to find a home where I already feel so seen and supported.”

Saracho most recently served as creator, showrunner, and executive producer of Starz’s critically-acclaimed Vida, which aired its third and final season this spring. The series featured all Latinx directors in season one, and all Latina directors in seasons two and three, including Saracho, who made her television directorial debut last year. The series had an all-Latinx writers room for seasons one and two, and in season three, the room was composed of all Latina writers.

Vida won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and was also honored by the National Hispanic Media Coalition with the 2019 Impact Award. The series won the Audience Award at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival and made its season two premiere as an Official Selection of the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

“Tanya came on the scene like a comet with such a strong point of view and a drive to tell culturally diverse stories that push boundaries and open our imaginations. Oh, the places we will go with Tanya’s deep curiosity, experience, commitment, enthusiasm, joy and fervor to tell the diverse stories we haven’t explored on television yet. We are such fans of her work on Vida and are thrilled to partner with her,” said Dawn Olmstead, president, UCP.

“One of our goals at Universal Studio Group is to provide access through on the job training and opportunities to empower the next generation of culturally diverse storytellers. Tanya’s program fully embodies that intention and we look forward to supporting her as she mentors aspiring Latinx writers,” said Bonnie Hammer, chairman, Universal Studio Group. “This is the first of many programs we will be backing across our three studios.”

Saracho was recently honored by the LGBTQ California Legislative Caucus as their 2020 Pride Month Honoree. She received the Rising Star Award at the Outfest Legacy Awards, and was awarded the New Voice Award by Final Draft.

She’s the founder of Teatro Luna, the first all-Latina theatre company in the country, as well as the founder of ALTA (Alliance of Latino Theatre Artists).

Saracho’s other television writing/producing credits include Devious Maids, Looking and How to Get Away with Murder.

Demi Lovato to Make Special Appearance During This Week’s Virtual GLAAD Media Awards

Demi Lovato’s GLAAD to accept the invitation…

The 27-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress will be taking part in this year’s GLAAD Media Awards.

Demi Lovato

Lovato, who recently announced her engagement to fiancé Max Ehrich, will make a special appearance during the virtual ceremony.

The organization announced that along with a special musical performance from Chloe x Halle, the show will also now feature two new performers; actor and singer Ben Platt, and singer-songwriter Shea Diamond.

In addition to Lovato, stars like Jennifer GarnerLilly SinghCharli XCX, Kandi BurrussTheo GermaineAugust GettyGigi Gorgeous GettyNats GettyHarvey Guillén and Darryl Stephens will also appear throughout the event.

“Among this year’s nominees are a wide range of stories and narratives about LGBTQ people of different races, ethnicities, genders, religions, and other identities that demonstrate the power of inclusion and diversity in fostering positive cultural change,” GLAAD president & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “As this year’s Media Awards go virtual, we hope to send a powerful message to LGBTQ people that in the midst of this culturally and politically divisive time, our visibility and voices have never been more important.” 

Ahead of Thursday’s ceremony, GLAAD is already beginning to announce select winners, including Transparent: Musicale Finale for Outstanding TV Movie

The organization will continue to announce winners on their Twitter account leading right up to the start of the ceremony.

The show will be livestreamed on Thursday, July 30 at 8:00 pm ET via GLAAD’s YouTube and Facebook pages.

HBO Max Developing Claudia Forestieri’s “The Gordita Chronicles”

Claudia Forestieri is getting personal on her next project…

HBO Max has put in development The Gordita Chroniclesa coming-of-age kids and family comedy from the half-Dominican writer, Josh Berman’s Osprey ProductionsZoe Saldana’s Cinestar Pictures and Sony Pictures Television, where Osprey is under a deal.

Claudia Forestieri

Written by Forestieri, The Gordita Chronicles, loosely inspired by Forestieri’s life, centers around a Latina reporter looking back on her childhood as a chubby, willful and reluctant Dominican immigrant growing up with her eccentric family in 1980s Miami.

Berman and Chris Kingexecutive produce for Osprey Productions. Zoe Saldana, Mariel Saldanaand Cisely Saldanaexecutive produce for Cinestar Pictures. Forestieri is co-executive producer. Sony Pictures Television is the studio.

Forestieri was a producer for Telemundo’s L.A. affiliate where she earned five local Emmys and a GLAAD Media award for her work covering the Latino community. She is an alumnus of HBO’s Access Writing FellowshipNALIP’s Latino Writers Lab and NBC’s Writers on the Vergeprogram. Forestieri is a writer on the upcoming Selena: The Seriesfor Netflix and previously wrote on Freeform’s Good Trouble.

Saldana is next set to star and executive produce From Scratch, a limited series from Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshinefor Netflix.

Lovato to Receive Vanguard Award at This Year’s GLAAD Media Awards

There’s no denying Demi Lovato is a vanguard… And, now she’ll have the award to prove it.

The 23-year-old part-Mexican American actress will be honored with the Vanguard Award at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards.

Demi Lovato

Lovato is being feted for her commitment to supporting LGBT youth.

In 2013, the “Cool for the Summer” singer was the GLAAD ambassador for Spirit Day, part of their anti-bullying campaign. Additionally, Lovato’s was applauded for filming the official music video for her single “Really Don’t Care at the annual L.A. Pride parade in West Hollywood.

Previous honorees have included Jennifer LopezJanet Jackson, Kerry Washington and others.

A few of this year’s nominees include Adam Lambert and Le1f for outstanding music artist; Caitlyn Jenner’s I Am Cait for outstanding reality series; and the documentary Mala Mala for outstanding documentary.

The 27th annual GLAAD Media Awards will be held at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on April 2.

Los Tigres del Norte Receive Special GLAAD Award for “Era Diferente”

Los Tigres del Norte have plenty of reason to be GLAAD

The norteño band received the Special Recognition (Spanish Language) Award at the 26th annual GLAAD Media Awards, held on March 21 at Los Angeles’ Beverly Hilton.

Los Tigres del Norte

Los Tigres del Norte  earned the award for their single “Era Diferente,” the first gay love song in the band’s 47-year history. The story of a young girl who falls in love with her female best friend, it’s also the first song of its kind in the genre.

Bandleader Jorge Hernandez, who wrote the lyrics while his brothers worked on the music, was surprised by the honor.

“I thought that no one would notice this song,” he told The Advocate. “[But now] people request it. The community is coming out to see us and this brings us great pride that these songs connect with them and brings them closer to us.”

Hernandez has said the idea for “Era Diferente,” from their most recent album Realidades, was born out of conversations with devout fans in the LGBT community over the years who wondered when they would write a corrido (a sung narrative) about them. “This interaction always stayed with me,” added Hernandez, “and I had the idea that one day I would write a song that would talk about this type of relationship.”

The five-member band, which recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, hopes to continue to reflect the stories of all Latinos.

“Sometimes in the Latino community we see machismo and problems with acceptance, but this is an area where acceptance is the most important because this is such a large community and we must accept people who love each other and live normal, happy lives,” Hernandez told The Advocate.

Lopez to Receive Vanguard Award at the GLAAD Media Awards

It’s a Vanguard moment for Jennifer Lopez 

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican singer-actress and American Idol judge will be feted at the GLAAD Media Awards next month, the LGBT advocacy organization announced Monday.

Jennifer Lopez

Lopez, an executive producer on ABC Family’s The Fosters, will be recognized with the Vanguard Award at the ceremony, which will take place at the Beverly Hilton on April 12.

The Vanguard Award is presented to artists and media professionals who, through their work, have increased the visibility and understanding of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Along with her strong support of LGBT issues in the media, Lopez is being recognized for her work on The Fosters, a GLAAD Media Award-nominated drama series about a lesbian couple raising a family of biological, adopted and foster children. Lopez’s inspiration for producing The Fosters came from her late aunt, who faced prejudice because of her sexual orientation and was unable to have her own family.

“Through her work to bring The Fosters to life and by consistently speaking out as a powerful ally, Jennifer Lopez has not only sent a message of acceptance to LGBT adults and young people, but inspired new support for our community among her many fans around the globe,” said GLAAD CEO and president Sarah Kate Ellis. “Family is about love, and that’s a message Jennifer has shared with millions through her groundbreaking work on The Fosters.”

Previous Vanguard honorees include Antonio Banderas, Drew Barrymore, Kristin Chenoweth, Whoopi Goldberg, Josh Hutcherson, Janet Jackson, Eric McCormack, Liza Minnelli, Sharon Stone and Elizabeth Taylor.