'Abbott Elementary's Sheryl Lee Ralph Awarded the Order of Jamaica
It's all coming up, Sheryl Lee Ralph! The Abbott Elementary star celebrated receiving another honor a little over a month after her momentous Emmy win.
On Monday, the 65-year-old shared a post on Instagram from the King's House, where she was recognized with the Honorary Order of Jamaica for her "sterling contribution as an actress, cultural ambassador of Jamaica and for contribution to the international film industry."
According to the Jamaica Observer, Ralph was one of 143 notable Jamaicans that the ceremony honored, including five-time World Champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, recording artist Agent Sasco, renowned jazz pianist Monty Alexander and others.
"Well, it is now official! I am The Honourable Sheryl Lee Ralph OJ," Ralph wrote in her caption. "Warrior Woman!"
Ralph's Abbott co-star, Lisa Ann Walter, congratulated her on the post, writing, "Absolute Legend. International legend."
Kerry Washington also left a sweet note, commenting, "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!!!!!", while Abbott creator and star Quinta Brunson and Jurnee Smollett celebrated with congratulatory emojis.
Ralph became the second Black actress to win the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her beloved role as Barbara Howard on Abbott.
Soon after that, the star attended the Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS at West Hollywood Park, where she was honored with the Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award. Ralph accepted the award for her 30 years of activist work in fighting the AIDS epidemic through her DIVA Foundation, which mounted the longest-running annual HIV/AIDS and health awareness benefit concerts in the United States.
"The truths are not easy and 40 years later people want to act like it didn't happen, but it did happen. It was horrible. It was ugly, and it was America. And it spread to the rest of the world," Ralph said while accepting her award onstage. "And when you used your voice to speak up, people wanted to tell you, 'You need to shut up.' Nobody wants to hear about that, even those who were infected told you, 'This is not your fight, stop it, you will make it worse for us,' and because some people did not use their voice, did not speak up, were silent, it has become, and still is, horrible for all of us."
"Forty years later, AIDS in America is still here. Raise your voice, do the work, decriminalize it, and open up your heart and your minds to people who do not look like you," she added.
RELATED CONTENT
Oprah Winfrey and Sheryl Lee Ralph Share Sweet Hug After Her Emmy Win
Sheryl Lee Ralph and Jennifer Hudson Team Up for Magical Performance
Sheryl Lee Ralph Honored for AIDS Activism Following Emmys Win
Jackée Harry Celebrates Sheryl Lee Ralph's Historic Emmy Win
