The 26th Annual Webby Awards is honored to recognize Laverne Cox with the second annual Webby Special Achievement Award selected by a committee chaired by the NAACP and the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences! Cox will accept the honor for her tireless efforts championing for awareness and equal rights.

As an actress, film producer and equal rights advocate, Laverne Cox’s career is a form of advocacy in itself, full of firsts. As the first black transgender person to create and star in her own television show, TRANSform Me. She has starred in the critically acclaimed, award-winning Netflix series Orange is the New Black, portraying a multidimensional black trans character on-screen, and executive produced the documentary Disclosure: Trans Lives Onscreen. Cox understands the true power of empathy and showing by example and a clear, consistent and powerful voice advocating in defense of Black trans lives.

This second-annual special achievement award was selected by a committee chaired by the NAACP and IADAS, The Webby Awards judging committee. The Webby Advocate of the Year Award aims to honor a recipient who uses their online platform to amplify their commitment to social justice advocacy. From using social media to disseminate poignant messages to activating a movement by using digital tools, the recipient of this award embodies a drive to energize diverse communities, and create lasting social change for the betterment of society.

Read more about the award in our exclusive feature in Variety this morning.

Follow #Webbys to watch Laverne Cox take the stage at the 26th Annual Webby Awards, hosted by Roy Wood Jr. Catch all the moments from the show as they happen on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok on Monday, May 16 at 9pm EDT. Watch the show at webbyawards.com starting at 9 pm ET | 6 pm PT.

Stay tuned for more breaking news from The Webby Awards leading up to the show next Monday, May 16.