Lizzo picked up the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award at this weekend’s Black Music Action Coalition gala.
The Grammy Award-winning pop star gave a riveting speech on Thursday (September 21) while accepting the coveted award alongside cast members from her reality show, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.
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“I needed this right now,” Lizzo said. “God’s timing is always on time! I’ve been blessed to receive a lot of incredible awards. But this one truly hits different because humanitarianism is selfless. And to be kind to someone isn’t a talent. Everyone can do it.
“It’s a gift that you give. In all my years of activism and outreach, I have witnessed at the core of every organization, every movement, every march is just people helping people.”
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She added: “I’m going to continue to put on and represent, and create safe spaces for Black, fat, woman because that’s what the fuck I do!”
Lizzo was honored due to her philanthropic work and commitment to social justice.
this is what I do. Thank you BMAC💖 pic.twitter.com/c1KEWT3AQQ
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) September 22, 2023
Prior to Lizzo receiving the BMAC Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award, a second lawsuit was brought forth against her by a former member of her wardrobe design team.
On Thursday (September 21), TMZ obtained the legal documents filed by Asha Daniels, who claimed she heard “fatphobic” and “racist” comments from members of the “Good As Hell” singer’s team, while also being forced to work unconscionable hours.
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According to Daniels, Amanda Nomura was the worst offender. Nomura allegedly called Black women “dumb,” “useless,” and “fat.” Daniels also claimed that she was forbidden from “dressing sexy” because Lizzo would get jealous if her boyfriend was around other beautiful women.
Daniels, who is suing for an undisclosed amount, claims that her experience on the tour left her with PTSD, as well as “migraines, ocular distortions, brain fog and fatigue.”
However, a representative for Lizzo vehemently refuted Daniels’ claims.
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“As Lizzo receives a Humanitarian Award tonight from the Black Music Action Coalition for the incredible charitable work she has done to lift up all people, an ambulance-chasing lawyer tries to sully this honor by recruiting someone to file a bogus, absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit who, wait for it, never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo,” said Stefan Friedman, on behalf of the singer at the time. “We will pay this as much attention as it deserves. None.”
Last month, the “About Damn Time” hitmaker’s attorney, Marty Singer, issued a statement to TMZ, telling the outlet that Lizzo plans on suing her backup dancers and that newly surfaced photos of her accusers “happily carousing” and “gleefully reveling” backstage with nude performers in Paris should help her case.
Lizzo, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, and her dance captain, Shirlene Quigley were all sued back in August by three former dancers — Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez — who alleged that the singer weight-shamed and sexually harassed them.
In the suit, obtained by Variety, Lizzo is accused of pressuring Davis into touching a nude performer at an Amsterdam club in February 2023.
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However, Singer believes the newly surfaced Paris photos, which were taken on March 5 — a month after the alleged Amsterdam club incident — will help Lizzo’s case.
