Thursday, March 28, 2024

Gloria Carter: Jay-Z’s Mom Delivers Emotional Speech at GLAAD Media Awards

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*Jay-Z’s mom Gloria Carter delivered an emotional speech as she was honored at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York on Saturday.

Carter accepted a special recognition award from Robin Roberts for her contribution to Jay’s song “Smile” from his album “4:44.”

In her speech, Carter discussed the love and support she received from her son when she came out to him as gay.

She said: “’Smile’ became a reality because I shared with my son who I am… For me that was the first time I spoke to anyone about who I really am, my son cried and said, ‘It must have been horrible to live that way for so long.’ My life wasn’t horrible I chose to protect my family from ignorance.”

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Describing when she first met her partner, “Love gave me the courage to take the power that I allowed other people to have over my life for fear of them revealing my secret… I am a human being who has a right to love who I love. So everybody, just smile, be free.”

As noted by Page Six, in his song “Smile,” Jay-Z raps of his mother’s struggle and of his unwavering love for her: “Mama had four kids, but she’s a lesbian. Had to pretend so long that she’s a thespian. Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate. Society shame and the pain was too much to take. Cried tears of joy when you fell in love. Don’t matter to me if it’s a him or her. I just wanna see you smile through all the hate.”

Gloria is also heard on the song stating: “Living in the shadow. Can you imagine what kind of life it is to live? In the shadows people see you as happy and free. Because that’s what you want them to see. Living two lives, happy, but not free. …But life is short, and it’s time to be free. Love who you love, because life isn’t guaranteed. Smile.”

In an interview with David Letterman for his Netflix show “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” Jay-Z reflected: “Imagine having lived your life for someone else. And you think you’re protecting your kids. And for my mother to have to live as someone that she wasn’t and hide and, like, protect her kids — and didn’t want to embarrass her kids, and you know, for all this time.”

See the full list of GLAAD Media Award winners below:

Excellence in Media Award: Ava DuVernay

Vito Russo Award: Samira Wiley

Special Recognition Award: “Smile” by Jay-Z featuring Gloria Carter, 4:44 [accepted by Ms. Gloria Carter]

Outstanding Film – Wide Release: “Call Me By Your Name” (Sony Pictures Classics) [accepted by screenwriter James Ivory and producer Peter Spears]

Outstanding Documentary: “Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric” (National Geographic)

Outstanding Music Artist: Halsey, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom

Outstanding Talk Show Episode: “Australian Marriage Equality,” “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO)

Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine: “The Pulse of Orlando: Terror at the Nightclub,” “Anderson Cooper 360” (CNN)

Outstanding TV Journalism Segment: “Murders Raise Alarm for Transgender Community,” “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt” (NBC)

Outstanding Newspaper Article: “The Silent Epidemic: Black Gay Men and HIV” by Gracie Bonds Staples (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Outstanding Magazine Article: “Forbidden Lives: The Gay Men Who Fled Chechnya’s Purge” by Masha Gessen (The New Yorker)

Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage: Billboard

Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia: “’This Is How We Win’: Inside Danica Roem’s Historic Victory” by Diana Tourjée (Broadly.Vice.com)

Spanish-Language Winners:

Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine: “Pulse, Huellas de la Masacre.” Docufilms (CNN en Español)

Outstanding TV Journalism Segment: “Comunidad LGBTQ Vulnerable Bajo Nuevo Gobierno.” Perspectiva Nacional (Entravision)

For the list of winners announced at the Los Angeles Media Awards, click here.

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