American actress, dancer, and singer Ariana DeBose has been named in Time’s 100 most influential people in the world 2022 list. The 31-year-old star started her career as part of the original cast of Lin Manuel Miranda’s ‘Hamilton’. She got huge fame for it. Ariana also achieved a Tony nomination for her portrayal of Disco Donna in ‘The Donna Summer Musical‘. Her credits include Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars for her role in ‘West Side Story’. Ariana made history as the first queer woman of color to win an acting Oscar. Recently, the actress opened up about the importance of celebrating the LGBTQ community at the 2022 TIME100 Gala.
After two long years of pause, the TIME100 Gala is back once again. It is an influential union of icons, leaders, change-makers, and celebrities from across industries and nations.
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“You Do Belong”: Ariana DeBose To LGBTQ Community
Ariana DeBose voiced her support for the LGBTQ Community. It was in a toast at the 2022 TIME100 Gala in New York City. “I’m so incredibly proud to be part of a community that is resilient, that values empathy, that empowers one another to stand up for who we are,” the TIME100 honoree 2022 said.
She continued, “In a world where ‘Don’t Say Gay’ is quite literally being written into law because of other people’s power and influence… or perhaps the loss of those things, I want every single person who identifies as LGBTQ to know you do belong.”
“Our youth face unimaginable challenges, too many to name, but we all know, see and feel them. With the power and influence those of us in this room have, it’s so important that we not only show up for them and empower them, but that we also protect them… so they have the space to use their voices and live in a world that celebrates and uplifts all that they are and have the potential to achieve,” the actress added.
DeBose’s Hopes For The Future
It was the gala’s cocktail hour and DeBose expressed her desire about what this year’s group of Time100 honorees will do with their influence.
“I’ve always looked to past groups to see what they want and what they were doing. And I asked the same question about this group that I get to be a part of: What are we doing?” she said. “There’s so much going on in the world. So many things are important, whether it’s keeping our young people safe, fighting for our rights, taking stronger steps towards saving the planet, or just keeping our humanity alive. Maybe that’s what we’re focused on as a group, our humanity.”
This year, the Gala featured live performances by Miranda Lambert and Mary J. Blige. They are already on the 2022 list. The other attendees were actors Andrew Garfield, Amanda Seyfried, musicians Jazmine Sullivan, Jon Batiste, Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson, athlete Eileen Gu, director Taika Waititi, and legal activist Chase Strangio. TIME100: The World’s Most Influential People airs Sunday, June 12 at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.
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