Jamaican-American actress Sheryl Lee Ralph was recently honoured by the Harvard Foundation with the 2026 Cultural Impact Award during the university’s 40th Annual Cultural Rhythms Festival.
“Thank you to Harvard and the Harvard Foundation for such a beautiful evening at the 40th Annual Cultural Rhythms Festival, and for the incredible honor of receiving the 2026 Cultural Impact Award. To all the students, performers, and organisers, thank you for reminding us that culture connects us, inspires us, and carries us forward,” Ralph said in a captioned post on Instagram.
According to Harvard, in a publication on its website, the award recognized Ralph’s artistic career spanning more than 40 years, as well as her advocacy through the DIVA Foundation, which promotes HIV/AIDS awareness, health equity, LGBTQ+ rights, and the empowerment of women and girls.
“The greatest way to spend your life is becoming a better you, because the better you are to yourself is the best you can be to everyone else,” Ralph was quoted by the university as saying. “Be good. Be kind. Share that with other people, because we are living in times where people need better from each other.”
Ralph, who recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, continues to be a staple in the entertainment industry. She currently stars in the hit Abbott Elementary, where her portrayal of “Barbara Howard” earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, along with the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Sheryl Lee Ralph first gained widespread recognition starring in more than 100 episodes of Moesha and has appeared in feature films such as A Piece of the Action, The Mighty Quinn, and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.
On stage, Ralph is known for her award-winning performances, including creating the role of “Deena Jones” in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, which earned her Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations. She also recently appeared as Madame Morrible in Wicked, becoming the first African American actress to take on the classic role.
Beyond her work on screen and stage, Ralph is a passionate health advocate and nationally recognized AIDS activist. In 1990, she founded the DIVA Foundation, a nonprofit organization established in memory of friends she lost to HIV/AIDS. The foundation focuses on improving health outcomes across communities through innovative programming that harnesses the transformative power of the arts.
