JoJo Siwa will be hailed as a gamechanger at GLSEN’s upcoming Respect Los Angeles gala on Oct. 14.

At the event, set for the Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills, Siwa will receive an official Gamechanger Award “for her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and focus on anti-bullying and kindness,” per the nonprofit. That work kicked into high gear after Siwa came out in January 2021.

“She’s a fierce advocate for kindness, self-acceptance and for the LGBTQ+ community,” said GLSEN executive director Melanie Willingham-Jaggers. “She handled her coming out with such grace and continues to tell her story in ways that lift up and inspire LGBTQ+ youth around the world.”

Related Stories

For her part, Siwa said she’s honored to receive the shine. “I’ve always tried to make spreading positivity, self love, inclusivity and acceptance central to everything I do, and I am so excited to support GLSEN’s incredible mission to ensure safe and inclusive school experiences for LGBTQ+ youth.”

The GLSEN Respect Awards, introduced in 2004 and held annually in Los Angeles and New York, showcase the work of students, educators, community leaders and corporations who serve as exemplary role models and have made a significant impact on the lives of LGBTQ+ youth. Honorary co-chairs of the event include Jennifer Beals, Greg Berlanti and Robbie Rogers, Matt Bomer and Simon Halls, Jess Cagle and Matt Whitney, Rosario Dawson, Connor Franta, Bob Greenblatt and Stephen Loguidice, Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg, Ellen Pompeo, Shonda Rhimes, Julia Roberts and Danny Moder, and Octavia Spencer.

Siwa recently competed on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, making history as the first to dance with a same-sex partner. Currently, she is shepherding or starring in Siwa’s Dance Pop Revolution, now on Peacock, The J Team, a live-action musical on Paramount+, Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, and JoJo Goes on Facebook Watch.