August 6, 2025 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

“Pose” Actress and Transgender Rights Advocate Angelica Ross Among the Honorees Truth Awards

The Annual Awards Show to Honor and Recognize LGBTQ + African Americans and Their Allies

By Staff Writer

Better Brothers Los Angeles (BBLA) in association with award-winning actress/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph and her non-profit organization, The DIVA Foundation, are excited to announce that critically-acclaimed actress and transgender advocate Angelica Ross is among this year’s impressive list of award-winning honorees for the sixth annual Truth Awards.

The Truth Awards will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2020 at the Taglyan Cultural Complex, located at 1201 Vine Street in Los Angeles. The private and ticketed festivities will kick off at 6 p.m. with red carpet arrivals and a VIP reception. One of the most successful dance club artists in the history of US Hot Dance/Club Play Charts, CeCe Peniston will serve as the evening’s musical guest. She scored five major hit number one hits within a three-year span, including her signature dance hit, “Finally.”

The black-tie affair will honor trailblazing LGBTQ+ African-Americans whose personal and professional accomplishments have positively impacted the perception and image of the Black LGBTQ+ community. Also, BBLA will dole out scholarships to LGBTQ+ youth, pursuing vocational training and higher education. The Truth Awards embody the belief that members of the Black LGBTQ+ community and its allies who embrace and live their truth should be celebrated and honored.

Best known for her beloved breakthrough role of Candy Ferocity, co-founder of the House of Ferocity on the popular FX show, “Pose,” Angelica Ross will be feted with the Arts & Culture Award. A trendsetter and a trailblazer, she is the face of the new Louis Vuitton ad campaign. Plus, Ross is the first female transgender actress to land two series regular roles on television – that is, FX’s “Pose” and the current season of “American Horror Story: 1984,” both shows, helmed by the prolific creator/writer/producer Ryan Murphy.

Since studying theater at Florida Atlantic University, Ross has been featured in film, television, and live theatre. In addition to “Pose” and “American Horror Story,” her tv and film credits include the Emmy-winning series, “Her Story,” “Transparent,” and the short film, “Missed Connections.”

Her starring role in the Emmy-winning short form series “Her Story,” received Special Recognition at the GLAAD Media Awards, and her segment on “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah” won a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Talk Show Episode. Ross also works behind the camera. She executive produced and starred in the short film “Missed Connections,” which went on to be an official selection at Outfest, the La Femme International Film Festival and the Baltimore International Black Film Festival in 2017. Ross will continue to combine her passion for acting and her skills as a producer in her newest endeavor as executive producer for the “King Ester,” a short-form web series with filmmakers Dui Jarrod and Caralene Robinson.

Ross is also president of Miss Ross, Inc. and the founder of TransTech Social Enterprises, a program that helps people lift themselves out of poverty through technical training, digital work creating a social impact and bringing economic empowerment to marginalized communities.

From the boardroom to tv and films sets to the Obama White House, Ross is a leading figure of success and strength in the movement for trans and racial equality. Named the “1st Food Soldier of the Year” in 2015 by social/political commentator Melissa Harris Perry, and one of the Top10 LGBT+ Executives by Financial Times, Ross is dedicated to empowering trans and gender nonconforming people through TransTech.

In season 2 of “Pose,” Ross’ character dies, shedding a light on the violent plight of trans women, especially women of color. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HNC), 2019 saw at least 26 transgender or gender non-conforming people fatally shot or killed by other violent means. And the murder rate of transgender women continues to escalate.

Alongside Ross, the Truth Awards will honor celebrity stylist and interior designer power couple Jason Bolden and Adair Curtis, stars of Netflix’s “Styling Hollywood,” and owners of JSN Studio with a Business Leadership Award; producer/director Cheryl Dunye of OWN’s “Queen Sugar” with a Media & Arts Award; CNN political commentator and New York Times best-selling author Keith Boykin with the Advocate Award; Dr. Shaun Harper, director of USC Race & Equity Center, with the Excellence in Education Award, and finally, Jeffrey Wallace, president and CEO of LeadersUp with the Passing the Torch Award.

For more about the 2020 Truth Awards honorees, visit https://pitchengine.com/wyllisa-bennett-publicist-du-jour/2020/02/26/living-our-truth/002518195537058020865

The DIVA Foundation and its founder Sheryl Lee Ralph are especially pleased to continue their partnership with Better Brothers Los Angeles (BBLA) on this effort. Both organizations believe a healthy Black community – one where individuals are allowed to live their truth, free of shame and stigma, and are recognized as equal and rightful members of the community – is a critical piece in the fight to also end HIV/AIDS. This year’s honorees were picked from various fields, including entertainment, fashion, beauty, business, finance and media.

“Times are certainly changing!” said Ralph. “In this current political environment, it’s important that we continue to support our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ+ community, and make it possible for them to live out loud and openly for the world to see.” She added, “Our acceptance and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community will encourage, inspire and motivate others to live their truth, unapologetically.

Related Posts

Woman Shot During Attempted Electric Bicycle Robbery in Culver City

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Suspects Remain at Large After Confrontation Ends in Gunfire Early Monday morning, gunfire erupted during an attempted robbery on Sepulveda...

Queer Singer Jess Glynne Calls Out White House for Weaponizing Her Music in ICE Propaganda

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Glynne and JET2 Voice Actor Zoe Lister Condemn Use of Viral Holiday Ad Audio Queer British singer Jess Glynne has...

Trump Administration Escalates Attacks on Trans Athletes with New Immigration Rules

August 5, 2025

August 5, 2025

Federal Guidance Aims to Block Trans Women from U.S. Sporting Events Transgender women seeking to compete in elite women’s sports...

Elvis Meets Oedipus at the Getty Villa in Fall Premiere of Oedipus the King, Mama!

August 4, 2025

August 4, 2025

Getty Villa Stages Rock-Fueled Oedipus Satire Under the Stars The Getty Villa Museum will bring the myth of Oedipus to...

Cary Grant’s Former Beverly Hills Estate Hits Market for $77.5M

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Rebuilt by His Widow, the Home Now Offers Sweeping Views Once owned by Hollywood legend Cary Grant, a Beverly Hills...

LA Housing Permits Rebound in Q2: Wildfire Rebuild and Fast-Tracked Reviews Spur Modest Growth

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

New Data Shows a 37% Quarterly Jump in Residential Permits, Long-Term Uncertainty Looms Residential development in Los Angeles picked up...

Federal Court Upholds Stay on Trump-Era Immigration Raids in California

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

Detention Horror Stories and Legal Pressure Keep Feds at Bay  A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a temporary order...

Attorney General Bonta Leads Lawsuit Against Trump Admin’s Trans Healthcare Crackdown

August 3, 2025

August 3, 2025

21 States Sue to Block Federal Order Targeting Gender-Affirming Care for Minors California Attorney General Rob Bonta led a multistate...

Metro Releases Draft Environmental Report for Sepulveda Transit Project, Public Comment Now Open

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

Six Route Alternatives Under Review for Valley-To-Westside Connection The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has released its Draft...

Trump Administration Freezes $200M in UCLA Research Funds Over Student Protests

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

UCLA Says Freeze Harms Life-Saving Research With No Connection to Stated Reason Donald Trump’s administration has blocked $200 million in...

World Athletics Rule Reignites Gender Verification Debate Ahead of Tokyo Championships

August 2, 2025

August 2, 2025

Critics Warn of Harmful Consequences for Gender-Diverse Athletes Female athletes aiming to compete in international women’s track and field events...

City Installs Crosswalks In Sawtelle District After Residents Paint Their Own

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Los Angeles Begins Official Safety Upgrades Near Stoner Park City crews began installing official crosswalks Friday near Stoner Park in...

HARD Summer Returns This Weekend With New Sound Strategy After 2024 Noise Complaints

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Sold-Out EDM and Hip-Hop Festival Runs Saturday and Sunday at Hollywood Park The HARD Summer music festival is set to...

Precinct DTLA Faces Financial Crisis Amid Lawsuit, Launches Fundraiser to Stay Open

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

LGBTQ Bar Warns of Possible Closure, Cites Legal Battle and Rising Costs Precinct DTLA, a longtime fixture in downtown Los...

Supreme Court Preserves Free PrEP Access in ACA Ruling, Safeguarding LGBTQ Health Coverage

August 1, 2025

August 1, 2025

Justices Reject Challenge From Anti-LGBTQ Business Owners Free preventive health services for more than 150 million Americans will remain intact...