Every year, we look forward to the Bill of Rights Awards, where we honor celebrities, activists, and leaders for their courage and commitment to social justice. But this year, in lieu of the awards and the red carpet, we went virtual and invited past honorees and long-time friends to mark the critical moment we're in and celebrate the tremendous work of the ACLU of Southern California.
Watch the 2020 Bill of Rights Awards Virtual Gala.
Last Sunday, Billy Porter hosted the hour-long event, which included appearances by Barbra Streisand, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen, Sam Waterston, Judd Apatow, Diane Warren, David Byrne, Jason George, Tom Morello, Rita Moreno, Norman Lear, Aaron Sorkin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Khzir Khan.
Each presenter spoke on a critical issue or campaign that the ACLU is hard at work, touching upon the theme of the evening: The Future is Ours. The Moment is Now.
"The here and now of America is overwhelming," said our Executive Director Hector Villagra in his address. "This moment is a call to action but it's also a chance to celebrate and renew our commitment to each other, to things we believe in together, to the strength and joy we feel in uniting together."