Laverne Cox, Emmy award-winning producer, actress and LBGTQ+ advocate, was honored at City College of New York as part of their, “There are Things to Do” celebration of the Stonewall Museum exhibition on May 7.
The traveling exhibition, “Standing on the Shoulders of Heroes,” debuted in Philadelphia and was on display at the City University of New York’s School of Labor and Urban Studies where the celebration took place.
“There are Things to Do” began with a screening of the documentary film of the same name, honoring the life of Indian-American LGBTQ+ activist Urvashi Vaid and her work in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The film was made with comedian Kate Clinton, Vaid’s longtime partner.
Following the screening, filmmaker Mike Syers spoke to CCNY Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership Dean Andrew Rich about the documentary.
“[Urvashi] was all about building community,” Syers said. “And what comes across from a local Provincetown perspective is that she built a community center. It was all about bringing people together, it was all about recognizing people.”
The event also honored inaugural recipients of CCNY’s Urvashi Vaid Award for LGBTQ+ Advocacy: student Shantal Rodriguez and alum Blaze Levario.
Rich said the award “honors student leaders who represent the best values that [Vaid] represented in our society,” through both social justice and leadership.
Executive Director of the Stonewall National Museum & Archives Robert Kesten gave special remarks about the “Standing on the Shoulders of Heroes” exhibition and its newest addition, Laverne Cox.
Kesten also highlighted sister exhibition “Never Silent,” which was created with a grant from PEN America, a literature and human rights advocacy organization. “Never Silent” highlights the relationship between our understanding of history and the obstacles we face.
“What’s significant about these panels is that as we put the exhibit together, it became clear to us that the LGBTQ+ movement happened because people from all walks of life came together,” Kesten said. “That’s because this community is in every other community. This exhibit will continue to seek out people who brought beyond what is expected of them.”
Kesten then revealed the newest panel of the exhibition highlighting Cox’s achievements before ending the event with remarks from Cox about her advocacy and experiences.
Cox shared the importance of centering authentic LGBTQ+ voices and narratives in movements towards equality and heightened representation, which has been reflected in her career as the first openly transgender actress to receive a Primetime Emmy nomination.
“We must set the terms of our liberation and our humanity and go for it,” Cox said. “And when we do it with love and empathy and togetherness, we cannot lose because there are too many of us.”
