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Padma Lakshmi Just Received a Major Honor
The Top Chef host is being recognized for her advocacy work.
Padma Lakshmi is being recognized for her advocacy work. The Top Chef host has just earned the honor of being named the United Nations Correspondents Association’s (UNCA) 2021 Advocate of the Year.
Padma, who was appointed the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador in March 2019, received the incredible distinction after spearheading the agency’s #HalfTheWorld campaign, which helped raise awareness of the rate at which COVID-19 has exacerbated inequalities around the world.
Padma spoke out about receiving the honor on Twitter on December 8, sharing several photos from the celebratory UNCA Awards gala.
“Thank you so much @UN for the Global Advocate of the Year Award,” she captioned a photo of herself holding the award. “I am deep humbled. I don’t feel I’ve even begun to really do as much as I’d like, but I promise to continue to do as much as I can in my role as a UN Goodwill Ambassador.”
She went on to add, “We all have the ability to tear each other down or lift each other up. Today and every day, we choose the latter. Thank you so much, @UN.”
Padma brought along some of her family members to the event, as she also captured on Twitter.
“Fighting inequality is one of the main reasons why I joined forces with UNDP to fight for a future, where everyone—regardless of their income, gender or place of birth—is empowered to live the life they want,” Padma said in a statement to the UNDP.
She also opened up about the honor on Instagram, where she shared highlights from the event. "Thank you so much to the @UnitedNations Correspondents Association for this incredible honor. I am deeply humbled to receive the Global Advocate of The Year Award. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I’d be involved in something so-much-bigger than I am,:" she wrote, in part.
