GRAMMY winners Beyoncé and Jay-Z, musically together known as the Carters, received GLAAD Media Award's the Vanguard Award Thursday night (3/29) in Los Angeles and paid tribute to the LGBTQI community through the stories of their loved ones during their acceptance speech.
"I want to dedicate this award to my uncle Johnny, the most fabulous gay man I've ever known who helped raise me and my sister," Beyoncé said. "He lived his truth. He was brave and unapologetic during a time when this country wasn't as accepting. And witnessing his battle with HIV was one of the most painful experiences I've ever lived. I'm hopeful that his struggles serve to open pathways for other young people to live more freely. LGBTQI rights are human rights."
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Jay-Z, meanwhile, honored his mother, Gloria Carter, who accepted a special recognition award on behalf of the rapper during the awards last year for his song "Smile" from the album 4:44. The song tells the story of Gloria's struggles as a member of the LGBTQI community and features her voice on the track sharing her own message.
"I also wanna ... honor my mother who received the award last year," he said. "I get to follow in her footsteps of spreading love and acceptance and her beautiful speech at the end of the song 'Smile' and for her allowing me to tell her story, so I want everyone to acknowledge her today."
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