“Imma be honest, when I first heard about this award, I was on the fence about whether I should accept. Because, if I’m the people’s champ, I don’t need a trophy for championing people. You know what I’m saying?” stated Lizzo on the People’s Choice Award stage.
This past week Lizzo was named “The People’s Champion” at the 2022 People’s Choice Awards. Throughout her career, Lizzo has actively brought awareness to and a voice to people who need to be heard. She has used her platform to make changes and stand up for the marginalized and disregarded.
None of this was any different as Lizzo took the stage to receive her award. After being handed her award by her mother, Lizzo opened the stage to 17 activists and honored them with the award with her. Audiences were overtaken with chills, tears, and emotion as Lizzo shouted every single one of their names.
Lizzo’s speech continues as follows,
Amariyanna Copeny, also known as Little Miss Flint: A 15-year-old “who spent the past eight years fighting to ensure everyone in Flint [Mich.,] and in communities across the nation has access to safe drinking water.”
Shirley Raines: “Through her organization Beauty 2 the Streetz she makes the human connection with the unhoused people of Los Angeles and makes them feel loved and love what they see in the mirror.”
Yasmine Aker: An actor who’s also “an Iranian American grassroots activist. She is a voice for the voiceless and works with various organization supporting the Iranian women and the people’s fight for freedom.”
Emiliana Guereca: “If you’ve been to a Women’s March, she’s probably behind it. As the founder of the Women’s March Foundation, she helps amplify our voices.”
Esther Young Lim: “She’s the author of the booklet ‘How to Report a Hate Crime’ and seeks to eradicate barriers and empower the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.”
Felicia “Fe” Montes: The poet is “a Chicana Indigenous artist and activist, co-founder of the groundbreaking women’s collective Mujeres de Maiz. She has created a safe platform for Indigenous women of color to express themselves.”
Jayla Rose Sullivan: “A professionally trained dancer who is making sure there is space for transgender and nonbinary performers in the dance community. Watch out for that big girl!”
Kara Roselle Smith: Smith is a member of the Chappaquiddick Wampanoag Tribe. “She works tirelessly to seek justice for Black and Indigenous communities and is fighting for Land Back and reparations.”
Maggie Mireles: “Her sister Eva Mireles was a teacher and a hero who lost her life protecting her students during the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Maggie is continuing her fight against senseless and despicable gun violence that has become far too common,” Lizzo said through tears and with her voice cracking. “Make some noise.”
Amelia Bonow: The co-founder of Shout Your Abortion, which “is working to normalize abortion, increase awareness of abortion pills and motivate people to work and support abortion access in their communities.”
Odilia Romero: “An advocate and translator for the Indigenous peoples from Mexico and Central America who are now living in the United States. Her woman-led organization CIELO brings daily relief to her community in Los Angeles.”
Rabbi Tarlan Rabizadeh: The director of student life at UCLA and VP of Jewish engagement at American Jewish University is “committed to building a bridge between Jewish people of all colors and backgrounds and, as an Iranian American, she is fighting to amplify the plight of the Iranian people.”
Sahar Pirzada: The Heart to Grow activist is “working on behalf of Muslim women in America to advance reproductive justice and protect the community from gendered violence and oppressive systems.”
Chandi Moore: The HIV and trans rights activist is also a community health educator at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles who gives “trans and gender-nonconforming youth the tools they need to live their lives as their authentic selves.”
Crystal Echo Hawk: Hawk is a member of the Pawnee nation of Oklahoma who “seeks to amplify Native voices through her organization IllumiNative. She disrupts the invisibility of Native peoples here in America.”
Reshma Saujani: The author and CEO of Girls Who Code is also “advocating for the moms. As a founder of the Marshall Plan for Moms, she fights for paid family leave, affordable childcare and equal pay for all.”
Tamika Palmer: “She fights in honor of the memory of her daughter, Breonna Taylor — Say her name! — who was killed in an act of police violence. The Breonna Taylor Foundation has and will continue to focus on pursuing justice for Breonna.”
“Give them their flowers,” Lizzo concluded, “power will always be to the people!”