Michaela Jaé Rodriguez will be honored by APLA Health later this month with its Voice of Visibility Award.
The “Pose” star will be presented by her “Loot” co-star Joel Kim Booster during the kickoff ceremony of the 42nd annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles.
“There is still a cruel distance between what medicine can do and who actually gets to benefit from it. We know access to testing, treatment, and consistent care saves lives, yet our most marginalized communities, especially Black and Brown trans women, continue to bear a disproportionate burden,” Rodriguez said in a statement Thursday. “Our lives cannot become negotiable when the political climate changes or when supporting us becomes inconvenient. If you stand with this community, that commitment has to remain when it is hardest. We are not disposable, and we deserve the same chance to live fully, love freely, dream boldly and grow old.”
This year’s walk theme is “Defend Care, Demand Action.”
Popular on Variety
Michaela Jaé is a powerful voice
“Michaela Jaé is a powerful voice for the community,” APLA Health CEO Craig E. Thompson said. “Voices like hers keep HIV and equity in the public conversation at a time when it would be easy to look away. HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was, but that progress depends on people being able to afford testing, treatment, and ongoing care.”
Rodriguez won a Golden Globe for best actress in a drama series for “Pose,” becoming the first openly transgender actress to win the award and was the first trans woman nominated for a Primetime Emmy in a leading acting category, also for “Pose.”
In addition to “Pose,” her credits include “Loot,” “American Horror Story,” “tick, tick… BOOMS!” and Broadway’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” She recently starred in Dano Cerny’s drama short, “Beba from 5 to 9.” Previous accolades include GLAAD’s Stephen F. Kolzak Award and being named The Advocate’s Person of the Year for her work promoting LGBTQ+ acceptance and HIV/AIDS awareness.
AIDS Walk Los Angeles kickoff will also include a performance by David Archuleta.
