Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence was one of three speakers to present $1 million in college scholarships to high school students from underserved communities across Los Angeles. Lawrence kicked off the scholarship's presentation, which were handed out to participants in THR's mentorship program, a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles.
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00:00Hello, everyone, and thank you so much for having me here today.
00:05I'm thrilled to be here to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Hollywood Reporter's Women
00:11in Entertainment Mentorship Program and Scholarship Fund.
00:15But before we get to that, I'd like to spend a moment to tell you about the incredible
00:21woman that you're about to meet, someone I am honored to share the stage with today.
00:26Her name is Amanda Zurofsky, and though she was forced to endure something no person should
00:32ever, she walked away from that experience with an unwavering commitment to justice and
00:38the resilience and strength to share her experiences in the hopes that other women wouldn't suffer
00:44the same way she did.
00:46By this definition, she and the other women in Zurofsky v. Texas are heroes.
00:52In an extraordinary effort to regain a woman's right to freedom, Amanda was the lead plaintiff
00:58in the legal fight against the state of Texas' abortion bans.
01:02The film follows Amanda Zurofsky, Samantha Cassiano, and Dr. Austin Denard, who have
01:08been denied essential medical care along with their heroic attorney, Molly Duane, from Center
01:14for Reproductive Rights, who is fighting tooth and nail on behalf of these women every day.
01:20Amanda's fight is more than just her own.
01:22It's a fight for all women who are powerless against an unjust system, for women who are
01:28victims to society's silence and apathy for women.
01:33Her bravery in the face of adversity reminds us all that one person, one woman, can spark
01:40the change we need to see in the world.
01:43There is nothing more deeply personal to a woman and to families than the birth or the
01:48loss of a child.
01:51Abortion is one of the most talked about issues in our country and yet the most confused and
01:55misunderstood.
01:56Today, Amanda is not just the subject of a documentary.
02:01She's a symbol of resilience and a beacon of hope.
02:05It is my absolute privilege to introduce you to Amanda Zurofsky.
02:27Thank you, Jennifer, Jennifer Lawrence, and thank you to all of you for being here today.
02:35I am deeply honored to stand before such a powerful group of women, many of whom have
02:43broken barriers and are continuing to pave the way for others.
02:48I'm here today to join in the celebration of the graduates of the Hollywood Reporters
02:53Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program.
03:00By sharing my personal story with all of you, I want you to know the power of your
03:06voice and your choices are never small.
03:11I was 18 weeks pregnant when my water broke and I was told my daughter wouldn't survive.
03:18Citing Texas's abortion laws, my doctors were unable to terminate the pregnancy until I
03:23eventually developed sepsis three days later.
03:27I nearly died.
03:30In that moment, I realized how essential it is to own our agency, especially as women,
03:37and how absolutely critical it is to stand up and fight for what's right.
03:44To the young women here today, especially those of you in the mentorship program, you
03:49have the potential to change everything.
03:53This program is surrounding you with those who are helping you to unlock your potential,
03:59giving you the tools you need, and reminding you that your voice can change the world.
04:06You have the power to demand more for your health, your education, your careers, your
04:13futures, and no one should ever take that power away from you.
04:26The women in this room are here to support you every step of the way, thanks to the Hollywood
04:31Reporter's Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program.
04:34Now, please join me in watching a brief film about it.
04:44I am powerful.
04:45I have my own path to follow.
04:47And I am worthy of every single one of my dreams.
04:51We all need mentors, no matter what age.
04:54We need somebody who cares profoundly about us and who will listen and give us advice
05:00without wanting anything from it.
05:03What if actually we open the doors to a whole generation of young women who want to be like
05:09the women in this room?
05:11The mission of the mentorship program is to create a pipeline of more diverse voices going
05:17into the entertainment industry.
05:20We're here to throw things out, change people's minds maybe, try things and have ideas, and
05:27not be frightened.
05:30A program like this that provides mentors at the highest level at the top of their game,
05:36giving them advice, guidance, opening doors for them is really important, particularly
05:40in an industry that's based on relationships.
05:43It's important to have an impact on the next generation of entertainment executives and
05:48to open doors.
05:50And that was done for me, so I was excited about it here.
05:53I'm just so happy I've grown because it really has just made my life better.
05:58You need a support system, and I didn't have that before.
06:01So I'm really glad that you pushed me to get that.
06:06This is our time, and you made it happen.
06:09And you really did.
06:11And all the girls that are the mentees, they're the future.
06:15And I know the future is in very good hands when I look at them.
06:20It's been about exposing you to as much of the things that you have interest in as possible
06:25so that you get to see what you connect to and what you don't, and ask the questions
06:29that you want.
06:31It's very cool.
06:32I feel like I've learned from Anna that I am allowed to dream big.
06:39Being able to freely be a creative person, surrounded by people who are also passionate
06:46about the things that I'm passionate about.
06:49Wherever we can share the knowledge that we have, the experience we have, and mostly the
06:54opportunity, we're really lucky.
06:55And so I want to create that opportunity for other people who are interested.
06:59Whether it's just a piece of advice or some kind of inspiration, you also have somebody
07:05that you can talk to and turn to.
07:07I'm there for you.
07:08She's like a confidant.
07:10Like I tell her everything.
07:11Like we've gone into pretty detailed stuff.
07:15And it's just nice knowing that she's been there supporting me through all this.
07:19And especially now through college app season, it's nice knowing that I have that support
07:23system and someone to lean on.
07:26The industry needs women that have grown up in Los Angeles from these communities.
07:31For so many of us in the media, what we think about and what we care about is what do young
07:36people think about the work that we're doing and how it impacts them.
07:40And media has changed so much and so quickly, and their voices really do matter.
07:47The most incredible thing is when you see these teenagers, and then a year later, you
07:54see how they've grown and how they've changed.
07:57And the single biggest thing that changes is their belief in themselves.
08:02What I've learned most from Lara is that, you know, women in male dominated fields have
08:07the possibility to be successful.
08:10You can be yourself and thrive.
08:12You can find success through the strangest winding roads.
08:19And you never know what's around the corner.
08:22You just never know.
08:23So hang in there.
08:25Ha ha ha ha ha.
08:27Guys, take one.
08:28I don't need to fit into anyone else's idea of what a leader should look like.
08:33It's about being true to myself, about using my voice to inspire others, and showing people
08:38what's possible.
08:39And even if the world doesn't see it yet, I know I'm going to make a difference.
08:43I can feel it.
08:44I will be a trailblazer, the one who makes it easier for others to follow.
08:49This world is ready for me.
08:50Together, we're unstoppable.
08:53This is our time.
08:54Get ready for us.
09:13Thank you Lifetime and A&E Networks for telling the story of this incredible program.
09:18Lifetime has generously supported the mentorship program since its inception.
09:23And I'm thrilled to share that Lifetime is giving a $10,000 scholarship to every woman
09:28graduating from the program to the school of their choice.
09:31And Selena Gomez is giving a billion.
09:44This year, the Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program has become a fiscally sponsored fund
09:50of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
09:53EIF is joining big brothers, big sisters in oversight of the mentorship program with the
09:58Hollywood Reporter and will help these young women become career ready while they pursue
10:03their education.
10:05Now, before we announce our scholarship winners, I'd like to welcome the incoming class of
10:112025 mentees.
10:13The prompter said, wave, and I was like, we have a little surprise for you to help you
10:21get started on the journey.
10:22And we put on my Oprah voice to support up and coming young business creatives exactly
10:28like you.
10:29Every new member of the mentorship program will receive a brand new Apple MacBook Air,
10:35and we're going to give them to you right now.
10:37You get a computer.
10:39You get a computer.
10:43Oh, I thought he was like, ma'am, stop.
10:45Ma'am, ew.
10:57Leslie Rodriguez, Lawndale High School.
11:00Thanks to our donors this year, representing more than $1 million in scholarships to Chapman
11:06and Loyola Monument, Marymount University, and Amanda, and I will be presenting the first
11:11two.
11:11That's what's happening.
11:12Thank you to Chapman, Danielle Struppa, and Stephen Galloway, and LMU's Tim Snyder, and
11:18Joanne Moore for making college education more accessible for all of us.
11:23And thank you to our donors this year, representing more than $1 million in scholarships to Chapman
11:29and Loyola Monument, Marymount University, and Amanda, and Joanne Moore for making college
11:35education more accessible to all.
11:37I'm sorry.
11:39The first of four scholarships we are giving today is to Chapman University.
11:45They will all be humiliated one by one.
11:47As generously provided by the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation.
11:51When I announce the name of the winner, I'd like you and your mentor to please come join
11:57me on stage.
12:01And the winner is Leslie Rodriguez-London.
12:03Leslie Rodriguez-London.
12:05So I didn't prepare a speech because I was in denial.
12:34But I want to say, like, thank you to the mentorship program, Big Brothers, Big Sisters
12:42of LA Women's Entertainment.
12:44Thank you to our coordinators, Alma and Lizette, who helped us with the whole journey.
12:48And to my mentor, Sasha Silver.
12:50I learned a lot about myself through this mentorship program.
12:56Growing up, I was very shy and quiet.
13:00I still kind of am.
13:02But I guess I've learned a lot of life lessons I could take away from here and apply it in
13:08the future to try and make a more inclusive entertainment world.
13:16I guess thank you so much to getting this scholarship.
13:24And thank you to everybody, all the women here.
13:26You guys have inspired me a lot.
13:28Like Selena Gomez and Jennifer Lawrence, I looked up to them a lot since I was young.
13:32And I would like to thank my parents and my family for always believing in me.
13:36And all my friends that I made in the Women's Entertainment Program.
13:40I couldn't have done it without them.
13:42Yeah.
13:44I'm trying not to cry.
13:58Good?
14:00Okay.
14:02I'm so inspired by all of you.
14:04Thank you to the Chuck Lorre and Tricia Cardoso families for your generous spirit and unwavering
14:18support.
14:20For the past eight years, the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation has provided scholarships
14:24for graduates of our mentorship program.
14:26Today, they are going to give one more scholarship for one deserving woman to attend Loyola Marymount
14:32University.
14:34I'd like the winner of the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation Scholarship to LMU and her mentor
14:38to come on stage when I say her name.
14:42The winner is...
14:44Not before.
14:46Josie Piberal-Racinos, Carson Senior High School.
15:22It's so scary up here.
15:24My mentor couldn't be here today, but I'll keep her updated and let her know what happened.
15:34I just want to say thank you to LMU, Ms. Moore, Chuck Lorre Family Foundation.
15:44Thank you so much.
15:46WIE Alma, thank you so much.
15:48My cohort, you guys are so amazing.
15:52It's been an amazing year with this program.
15:56I want to thank my support.
15:58Mr. Rodriguez, I'm going to show you this video when I go to school.
16:02Ms. Rendon, Ms. Malfajo, Ms. Harris.
16:06I want to thank my grandma.
16:08She was praying for this moment, and her prayers came true.
16:12I really want to thank my dad, who has pushed me to do the best.
16:18I love him so much.
16:20Thank you, everyone.