March 31, 2016
Fans of actress and advocate Laverne Cox will be happy to hear the groundbreaking star is headed to Philadelphia this spring. Drexel University has announced that Cox is its 2016 Power of Inclusion speaker and that she will give a talk on campus Tuesday, May 10.
Cox first made waves for her turn in the popular Netflix series "Orange is the New Black," for which she's won a SAG Award alongside the ensemble cast and been nominated for an Emmy, a Critics' Choice Award and an NAACP Image Award for her portrayal of Sophia Burset. Since the series' premiere, she's used her voice to become a leading advocate for equal rights and a force for transgender awareness. She was also the first transgender actress to be featured on the cover of TIME Magazine, after speaking with the magazine for its story "The Transgender Tipping Point."
The goal of the Power of Inclusion Series, held by Drexel's Campus Activities Board and the Student Center for Inclusion and Culture, is to enrich the campus community with thought-provoking and stimulating programming that promotes diversity and inclusion. The speaking event will take place at 6 p.m. May 10 in Mandell Theater.
All proceeds from sales (tickets for both the general public and students quickly sold-out) benefit local nonprofit The Attic Youth Center, which creates opportunities for LGBTQ youth and promotes acceptance of LGBTQ youth in society at large.
