Yara Shahidi, Ellen Pompeo, Will & Grace Co-Creators and 20th Century Fox Film to be Honored at 2018 GLSEN Respect Awards

GLSEN, the leading education organization working to create safe and inclusive K-12 schools for LGBTQ youth are hosting their 2018 GLSEN Respect Awards this October, and you can expect to see some of your favorite television stars headlining the event’s list of honorees.

Grown-ish star Yara Shahidi will be on-hand to collect her prize for the GLSEN Gamechanger Award, celebrating her work with girl’s education efforts at the Young Women’s Leadership Network and Let Girls Learn initiative, in addition to launching the Eighteen x ’18 youth vote promotion project.

Meanwhile, Grey’s Anatomy‘s Ellen Pompeo is being honored with the organization’s Inspiration Award for her work with organizations like the child provision charity Baby2Bay, the Children’s Defense Fund, and the disability employment advocacy service Lifeworks, as well as her open support for LGBTQ equality and the #TimesUp movement.

Will & Grace co-creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan will also be recognized for the show’s longstanding impact on LGBTQ representation in the entertainment industry, sharing the GLSEN Champion Award.

Last but not least, Fox 2000 Pictures President Elizabeth Gabler will accept the organization’s Visionary Award for the studio’s part in green-lighting films such as Love, Simon and the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation of The Hate U Give.

GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard said in a statement, “We are thrilled to announce these incredible honorees at this important moment in GLSEN’s history. They represent a diverse group of change makers supporting GLSEN’s mission to create safe and inclusive schools for all, and they are shaping the conversation on LGBTQ equality, gender issues, and a host of social movements. We look forward to celebrating their work and that of students and educators from across the country.”

Co-chairing the year’s event are celebrities such as Greg Berlanti and Robbie Rogers,
Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake, Matt Bomer and Simon Halls, Bruce Bozzi and Bryan Lourd, Jess Cagle and Matt Whitney, Connor Franta, Bob Greenblatt, Marilyn & Jeffrey Katzenberg, Jim Parsons and Todd Spiewak, as well as Julia Roberts and Danny Moder.

The event will take place in Los Angeles on Oct. 19 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.