Janelle Monáe has a date with Outfest on Oct. 22.
That’s when the actress, artist, author and singer will be feted with a Trailblazer Award at the org’s Outfest Legacy Awards presented by IMDb. Held at Paramount Studios, the event will also shine a light on Glamazon, Amazon’s diversity and inclusion network for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies, by delivering a Guardian Award to recognize the company’s commitment to the community.
Furthermore, Kerri Stoughton-Jackson will receive a Jonathan Howard Legacy Award for her efforts as Outfest’s deputy director and for serving the org for nearly 20 years. She began her Outfest run as a volunteer before going on to serve in various positions until she was hired full-time as the first year-round director of operations in January 2005.
Monáe, who next stars in Netflix’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, joins a list of previous Trailblazer recipients that includes Billy Porter, Tom Hanks, Judith Light, Rita Moreno, Lee Daniels, Elliot Page, Octavia Spencer, Hillary Swank, Sean Hayes, Laverne Cox, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Bruce Cohen, Lisa Cholodenko, Craig Zadan and Neil Merdon, Tanya Saracho, Victoria Alonso, Rain Valdez and more.
In addition to musical efforts like the critically acclaimed Dirty Computer, the openly pansexual artist has been seen in Antebellum, Harriet, Hidden Figures and Moonlight. Earlier this year, she served as the grand marshal of the West Hollywood Gay Pride Parade.
The 2022 Outfest Legacy Awards are presented by IMDb with additional support from sponsors Bank of America, Paramount Studios, ABC7 Los Angeles and On The Red Carpet, Variety, Equal Pride and Out Magazine.