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Norfolk State University announced Abbott Elementary actress, Sheryl Lee Ralph as the keynote speaker for their fall commencement ceremony.
Norfolk State University has announced Emmy- Award-winning actress, producer, best-selling author, and philanthropist Sheryl Lee Ralph as the keynote speaker for their fall commencement ceremony.
The 111th Commencement ceremony will take place on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at 9 a.m. on the campus of Norfolk State University. Approximately, 500 students are set to graduate from the university this fall.
Ralph, whose career has spanned over 40 years has made a name for herself performing on Broadway, on television, and in films. Ralph currently stars on the ABC’s award-winning show, Abbott Elementary.
She has captured the hearts of millions with her role as Barbra Howard, a well-respected veteran teacher at Abbott. During its first season, Abbott Elementary won three Emmys Awards including Ralph earning an award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
The Hollywood heroine has worked with some of the most talented men on the big screen including Denzel Washington, Robert De Niro, Eddie Murphy, and Danny Glover. She is also well known for her role opposite Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act II. In 1990, Ralph won Best Supporting Actress at the Independent Spirit Awards for her performance in To Sleep with Anger, alongside Danny Glover.
In addition to her many movie credits, Ralph has starred in numerous television shows throughout her career including, her role as Deidra “Dee” Mitchell on the UPN hit show Moesha, Instant Mom, Ray Donovan, and appearances on Barbershop, ER, It’s a Living, New Attitude, George, Designing Women, Two Broke Girls, Smash, Criminal Minds, MacGyver, One Mississippi, and Claws.
One of Ralph’s earliest and most iconic roles was her role as Deena Jones in the original cast of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls alongside Loretta Divine and Jennifer Holiday. Her performance as Deena earned her both Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations.
Ralph recently appeared on Broadway as Madame Morrible in Wicked, making her the first African-American actress to be cast in the role. Ralph also served as the producer of the Broadway play Thoughts of Colored Man.
When she is not taking the acting world by storm, Ralph is a benevolent philanthropist. Ralph who is a committed health advocate and AIDS activist, founded the nonprofit DIVA (Divinely Inspired, Victoriously Anointed) Foundation, an organization dedicated to her friends whom she had lost to HIV/AIDs.
She was also inducted as an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. for her HIV/AIDS activism in 2004. She is also the creator of Divas Simply Singing!, the longest-running AIDS benefit in the country.
Ralph’s commitment and passion for HIV/AIDS awareness have earned her the first Red Ribbon Award at the United Nations and was appointed as an AIDS Ambassador for Jamaica’s Ministry of Health.
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