#Yara Shahidi to Be Honored With the Cameron Boyce Foundation Youth Empowerment Award

Yara Shahidi will be honored with the Youth Empowerment Award during The Cameron Boyce Foundation’s The Cam for a Cause Gala this June in Los Angeles.

Shahidi, who currently stars in Grown-ish and recently appeared as Tinkerbell in Disney+’s Peter Pan & Wendy, will be celebrated for her activism surrounding STEM awareness, women’s rights, civil rights and her countless acts of kindness towards others, according to the foundation. She is slated to receive the first iteration of the award at the second annual gala on June 1.

The event, which was established last year by the late actor Cameron Boyce’s parents, raises funds and awareness for epilepsy. (Boyce died in 2019 at the age of 20 due to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy following a seizure.)

“I met Cameron when we were 5 years old, and even then, his talent, his fearlessness and his belief in the power of his peers was evident,” Shahidi said in a statement. “It means so much to be recognized for my advocacy, and the work I continue to do to effect change. I’m grateful to my friends and family at The Cameron Boyce Foundation for thinking of me, as I will always be inspired and activated by their incredible work in the fight to end epilepsy.”

The Youth Empowerment Award aims to honor Boyce’s legacy by spotlighting one extraordinary young person dedicated to making a difference in the world. “Despite Cameron’s accomplishments during his short time here, he was at his core, a true philanthropist,” the foundation said in a release on Monday. “Aside from his countless acts of selflessness and dedication to bettering the lives of others, he also used his voice and platform to show other people how they too, could give back — even if they didn’t know how to.”

“In Cameron’s words: ‘The leaders of tomorrow are fierce and unafraid,” it continued. “Yara is a shining example of an extraordinary young leader who is undoubtedly fierce and fearless when it comes to using her voice for change.”

This year’s gala will be hosted by The Act and New Warriors actor Calum Worthy. Additional attendees include Kenny Ortega, Peter Facinelli, Missi Pyle, Lake Bell, Debby Ryan, Sofia Carson, Dove Cameron, Brenna D’Amico, Jackson White, Meg Donnelly, Paulina Char, Ryan Bathe, and Kevin Chamberlin, among other surprise guests and performances.

The second annual event’s host committee includes Karan Brar, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Salma Hayek, Kenny Ortega, Sophie Reynolds, Debby Ryan, Adam Sandler and Booboo Stewart. The 2023 Cam for a Cause Gala is sponsored by Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, NBC and HOAG.

The Cameron Boyce Foundation is a non-profit organization that has already raised over $1 million dollars for epilepsy research and other causes Boyce was passionate about, such as the creative arts and the global water crisis. The foundation has led successful awareness campaigns like #EpilepsyStrong and partnered with CURE Epilepsy to fund annual research grants. That includes the inaugural Cameron Boyce Foundation Taking Flight Award, a two-year research grant that went to Dr. Christina Reschke from the RCSI School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences and FutureNeuro.

“We have learned so much since its inception and are laser focused on epilepsy awareness. Epilepsy is underreported, under discussed and underfunded,” Libby and Victor Boyce said in a statement. “This disease has been stigmatized and brushed under the rug since the beginning of time and unfortunately, we experienced the worst of its wrath and understated cruelty. It is our mission to continue to bring awareness to epilepsy and its impact on people, their families, and the world.”