Billy Porter Dedicates Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award to Late Mother, Fights Back Tears During Acceptance Speech
Billy Porter accepts the Isabelle Stevenson Award at the 2024 Tony Awards held on Sunday evening (June 16) at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.
The 54-year-old entertainer received the special award during the Tony Awards: Act One pre-show ceremony, with Brian Stokes Mitchell presenting it to him.
During his speech, Billy fought back tears as he dedicated the award to his late mother, who passed away recently.
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“I grew up in a world where they told me that who I was was not worthy of anything. So the fact that I’m standing before you is a miracle,” Billy shared in his speeh.
“I came out as gay in 1985, when I was 16 years old. And as we all know, and many of us in this room experienced, we went straight to the frontlines to fight for our lives,” he added. “We got up in these streets and spoke truth to power and demanded our healing medications. We got up in these streets and demanded our equal rights — not just for queer people, but for all human beings, everywhere. Period.”
“As we find ourselves at another crossroads in America, a moment that will decide whether democracy lives or dies, I need to remind you all of what the late John Lewis told me: ‘Never give up hope, never give into hate, and go out there and get into some good trouble,’” his speech tontinued. “Love always wins. It takes time, it takes grace, it takes hope, it takes patience, it takes loving kindness and compassion. And we win. When we fight, we always win.”
He concluded his speech with his dedication to his mother, Cloerinda.
“I’d like to dedicate this moment to my mother, Cloerinda Jean Johnson Porter-Ford, who we lost this past February,” Billy said. “She believed in unconditional love and she instilled in my sister and I a purpose and a love greater than ourselves.”
“One of her favorite bible verses was Second Timothy, 1:7. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,’” he added. “Turn to your neighbor and tell him fear not! For the change has already happened. God bless y’all.”
The Isabelle Stevenson award is presented to “a member of the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of volunteered time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations.”
Browse through the gallery to see more photos of Billy Porter and Brian Stokes Mitchell at the Tony Awards…