Oprah Winfrey and Niecy Nash-Betts to be honored at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards

GLAAD has announced that Oprah Winfrey will receive GLAAD’s Vanguard Award.

PUBLISHED FEB 20, 2024

: (L-R) Gayle King and Oprah Winfrey attend the 66th GRAMMY Awards on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Los Angeles, California (Release): GLAAD has announced that Oprah Winfrey will receive GLAAD’s Vanguard Award and Emmy Award-winning actress and producer Niecy Nash-Betts will receive the Stephen F Kolzak Award, which goes to members of the LGBTQ community, at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles.

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies, which fund GLAAD's work to accelerate LGBTQ acceptance and visibility in media, will be held this year in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 14, 2024 and in New York City on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

Oprah attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Hosted by Wayne Brady, special guests include: Alexandra Shipp, Daniel Franzese, Heather Dubrow, Jason Sudeikis and the cast from 'Ted Lasso', Jonathan Bailey among others.

GLAAD’s Vanguard Award is presented to allies who have made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people and issues. Previous honorees include Bad Bunny, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Kerry Washington, Cher, Janet Jackson, Elizabeth Taylor, Kacey Musgraves and Antonio Banderas.

Niecy Nash attends the 66th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

GLAAD’s Stephen F Kolzak Award is presented to a LGBTQ media professional who has made a significant difference in raising visibility and promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people and issues. It is named in honor of the Los Angeles casting director who devoted the last part of his life to fighting homophobia and HIV stigma within the entertainment industry. Previous recipients of the Stephen F Kolzak Award include: Jeremy Pope, Laverne Cox, Wanda Sykes, Jim Parsons, Ruby Rose, Chaz Bono, Melissa Etheridge, Ellen DeGeneres, Michaela Jae Rodriguez and more.