Gabrielle Union was recently honored in Dallas, TX with the Lexus Pursuit of Perfection Award in recognition of her numerous philanthropic endeavors. The luxury auto brand feted the talented and beautiful actress as part of their tour for Verses & Flow, the hit spoken word and music show that airs on TV One.
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LA: You were recently in Dallas for Verses & Flow Live. Tell us what it meant to receive the LEXUS Pursuit of Perfection award.
GU: I love Dallas, and it’s good to be back here on good terms, especially after being here for Game 5 [of the 2011 NBA Finals] wasn’t such a good time [laughs]. It’s a great city and I have some really good friends here. And as for the award, it’s always weird for me to be recognized for being a human being, for doing things that we should do. It’s very, very humbling.
But seriously, you’ve done a lot of good work. Like your work as an ambassador for the Susan G. Komen Foundation and its Komen’s Circle of Promise. When speaking with others, though, what are some facts about which people are most misinformed?
There’s so many things that women need to know. Every time I speak to a group, the most important thing I tell them is that early detection is key. And that’s especially true for women of color, since they’re 37% more likely to die from breast cancer than their White counterparts. Another thing I can’t stress enough is the importance of being your own best advocate. Be proactive, go for annual mammograms. And if breast cancer is in your family history, don’t wait until you turn 40. You should definitely go sooner rather than later.
Its nice when celebs are honored for the good they do instead of being criticized and ripped apart.
Gabrielle seemed to take whatever heckling she may have endured last year at Dallas’ American Airlines Arena in stride. I wonder how they will treat her in Indiana and subsequent cities this time around. Who knew supporting your man (Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat) during the NBA playoffs could be so “adventurous?”
Photo courtesy of Walton Isaacson.
