Watch JAY-Z’s Mother Gloria Carter’s Moving GLAAD Media Awards Speech

JAY-Z’s mother Gloria Carter was honored at last night’s GLAAD Media Awards in New York City. Gloria Carter was there to accept her “Special Recognition” award for the 4:44 track “Smile.” She delivered a moving speech where she discussed coming out to her son and falling in love with her partner. “Here I am. I’m loving, I’m respectful, I’m productive, and I’m a human being who has a right to love who I love,” she said. “So everybody, just smile, be free.” Watch the full speech below via Entertainment Weekly.

In “Smile,” JAY-Z revealed for the first time that his mother was a lesbian. (“Mama had four kids, but she’s a lesbian/Had to pretend so long that she’s a thespian.”) The song closes with a poem from Gloria Carter. In his interview with David Letterman, JAY-Z opened up about his mother coming out to him. “I cried because I was so happy for her that she was free,” he said.