March 04, 2026
Dan MacMedan/Imagn Images
‘Abbott Elementary’ showrunner Quinta Brunson will be this year's recipient of GLAAD’s Vanguard Award, which recognizes stars who have made a difference in promoting acceptance of LGBTQ+ people and issues.
Quinta Brunson will receive an award from advocacy group GLAAD for her strong support of the LGBTQ+ community.
The West Philly native and "Abbott Elementary" showrunner will be honored during the organization's 37th annual Media Awards, which takes place in Los Angeles on Thursday and will be available for streaming on Hulu on March 21.
MORE: 'Spirit' docuseries on Philly high school cheer team is now streaming
GLAAD announced Tuesday that Brunson will be the recipient of this year's Vanguard Award, which since 1993 has been given to members of the entertainment industry who don't identify as LGBTQ+ but have made a significant difference in promoting acceptance of queer people and issues. Previous honorees include Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson and Oprah Winfrey.
Brunson has been an ally to the community through her inclusive storytelling on “Abbott Elementary,” the organization said.
The ABC show’s depiction of LGBTQ storylines and one of its main characters, Jacob (Chris Perfetti), has been heralded by GLAAD and other advocates for the casual references of sexuality, a choice that Brunson has said was deliberate.
"There are so many queer people in my life, and they never had to come out to me,” she said in 2022 to the Hollywood Reporter. “I wanted the audience to feel that way."
A GLAAD representative wrote in a statement: “Brunson has brought queer representation into the heart of mainstream broadcast television with the character of Jacob Hill, a fully realized and dedicated history teacher whose sexual orientation is a natural facet of his identity — rather than a trope of a plot device. By weaving Jacob’s personal life and relationships into the show’s everyday rhythm, Brunson has proved that television is most powerful when it mirrors the reality of the world, redefining how LGBTQ characters exist in the sitcom landscape.”
The Vanguard Award is the latest in a string of recent honors for Brunson. On Saturday, she took home NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on “Abbott Elementary.” She was also recently announced as the keynote speaker for the American Film Institute’s Directing Workshop for Women.
