By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Writer
The Better Brothers LA Truth Awards, co-founded by Scott Hamilton and Vincent Holmes, is a prestigious event celebrating Black LGBTQ+ excellence.
This year’s Better Brothers Los Angeles ceremony, presented in partnership with Emmy Award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph’s DIVA Foundation, took place over two days March 14-15, in two acts.
Act 1, the “Passing the Torch” awards ceremony, which recognizes rising talent in the Black LGBTQ+ community, took place March 14 at The Aster in Hollywood.
The event paid homage to the next generation by celebrating four emerging leaders — James Bland, Preston Mitchum, Amber Whittington and Terell Grice — who Hamilton and Holmes say exemplify excellence in their respective fields.
Act II, the celebration of excellence, occurred March 15, with the 11th annual Truth Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.
The Truth Award is a tribute to resilience, authenticity and community spirit. It has a decade-long history of honoring trailblazers and providing scholarships to Black LGBTQ+ students pursuing higher education.
Over the years, the event has recognized more than 60 individuals and awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships. Scholarships from $3,000 to $5,000 were awarded during the event.
This year’s honorees included Emmy Award-winning actress Wendy Raquel Robinson (“The Steve Harvey Show,” “The Game,” “Poppa’s House”), who received the Ally Award; Larry Sims (style innovator) who received the Business Leadership Award; Gil Robertson (founder/president of the African American Film Critics Association) was awarded the Media & Arts Award; Brittani Nichols (co-executive producer of “Abbott Elementary”) received the Breakout Star award; Dr. Kimberly Smith (ViiV Healthcare) was awarded the History Maker Award; Dr. Leo Moore (Clinic Services, Los Angeles County) received the Rustin Advocacy Award; Wayman + Micah (Hollywood stylists) were awarded the Andre Leon Talley Style Purveyor Award; and Academy Award nominated filmmaker Lee Daniels (“Precious,” “Empire,” and “Star”) received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to entertainment and storytelling.
“Lee Daniels is an out and proud Black man who creates stories,” Hamilton said. “He puts the community at the forefront and creates roles that shine a lot on talent. He shows that we’re all human. Wendy has been an advocate for our community for a while. Her Amazing Grace Conservatory allows kids to be themselves.”
Robinson, who hosted the Truth Awards in 2024, received the Ally Award this year for her commitment to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights.
“It’s a heavy room of dynamic people,” said Robinson, co-founder of the Amazing Grace Conservatory. “What’s interesting is that at Amazing Grace and throughout my life, not knowing that people were LGBTQ+, I’ve just been seeing people for who they are and loving them regardless. Be who you are without apologies and without condemnations.”
Robinson, a two-time Emmy Award-winning producer, actress, philanthropist, and recipient of the NAACP Image Award, calls the Truth Awards “Black excellence.”
“It was the room you need to be in,” she said. “It’s warm, colorful, and a room full of lots of energy. I encourage everyone to talk in your truth. I’ve been a supporter. I feel seen.”
“The narratives we choose to elevate shape how society perceives reality,” said Hamilton, co-founder and program director of Better Brothers Los Angeles. “The Truth Awards are not just a ceremony; they are a manifestation of our commitment to recognizing those who bravely refuse to conform, instead choosing to redefine excellence by living their truths without apology.”
“In honoring these extraordinary visionaries, we’re not merely acknowledging their achievements; we are celebrating the essence of courage in its most authentic form,” said Sheryl Lee Ralph, founder of the DIVA Foundation. “Their groundbreaking work transcends limitations and invites all of us to envision a world where inclusivity reigns supreme.”
The Truth Awards has become a signature event in the Black LGBTQ+ community, providing a platform for celebration, empowerment and recognition.
Hamilton and Holmes said that as the event continues to grow, it remains committed to promoting excellence and supporting the next generation of leaders.
The mission of Better Brothers Los Angeles is to create safe and inviting spaces for members of the Black LGBTQ+ community.
“The goal of Truth is to create a visible public acknowledgment of Black Queer individuals and their accomplishments,” Holmes said.
“I look at the mission statement and the organization’s history and what it stands for,” Robinson said. “Better Brothers puts their money where their mouth is.”
The Truth Awards has grown since its initial launch. Hamilton and Holmes met 20 years ago and said the event came to fruition out of “a need.”
“Vincent [Holmes] reached out to me after our initial meeting about an idea he had of going on a trip out of the country with a group of guys,” Hamilton said. “Since no one knew us, we decided to do something locally to establish trust and consistency.”
For a while, Hamilton and Holmes hosted monthly happy hours at McCormick and Schmick’s in downtown Los Angeles.
“The attendees started asking for other stuff,” Hamilton said. “We did hikes, went to the [Hollywood] Bowl, did seminars on estate planning, etc. One day, while watching the People’s Choice Awards, there was an actor who was LGBTQ+ who didn’t acknowledge his partner. That’s when we came up with the Truth Awards. That was in 2014. During that time, people still weren’t comfortable being out.”
The first Truth Awards was held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre.
“During the first event, it told us that people appreciate being recognized,” Holmes said. “It meant something to them. We realized we had created something bigger than us. We can sense that it’s making an impact. Half of the attendees come from out of town — places like Atlanta, New York, Chicago, D.C., and Houston. This event moves a lot of people. Sheryl Lee Ralph helped us move it forward.”
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com
