Good Morning America's Robin
Roberts presented Jay-Z's mother Gloria Carter with a special
recognition award at the 29th annual GLAAD Media Awards in
New York on Saturday.
Carter's struggle to come out is
documented in Jay-Z's song “Smile.”
Jay-Z raps on the track: “Mama had
four kids, but she's a lesbian; Had to pretend so long that she's a
thespian; Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate; Society shame
and the pain was too much to take; Cried tears of joy when you fell
in love; Don't matter to me if it's a him or her.”
Carter also talks on the track about
her struggle and decision to “be free.” “Love who you love,”
she says, “because life isn't guaranteed. Smile.”
In introducing Carter, Roberts praised
her for starting “a global conversation [about lesbian women of
color] that has helped countless women.”
In accepting her award, Carter recalled
the conversation that led to the song.
“'Smile' became a reality because I
shared with my son who I am,” Carter
said. “For me, this was the first time I spoke to anyone about
who I really am. My son cried and said, 'It must have been horrible
to live that way for so long.'”
“My life wasn't horrible. I chose to
protect my family from ignorance. I was happy, but I was not free.”
“Love gave me the courage to take the
power that I allowed other people to have over my life for fear of
them revealing a secret that wasn't really a secret.”
In ending her speech, Carter echoed a
message from the song she inspired.
“Here I am,” she said. “I'm
loving. I'm respectful. I'm productive. And I'm a human being who
has a right to love who I love. So everybody: Just smile, be free.”
Also at Saturday's event, actress
Samira Wiley and director Ava DuVernay were honored, and Melissa
Etheridge and Adam Lambert performed a duet of “I'm the Only One.”
(Related: GLAAD
Media Awards: Samira Wiley, Jay-Z, Ava DuVernay honored.)