The 7th annual "Native Son Awards" will take place on June 16 in New York, and it showcases the accomplishments of black gay men. Lemon received an award at the event in 2016. Journalist Emil Wilbekin stated that Lemon was partly chosen because he is a well-known black gay man.
"For this year's awards, we really wanted to shine a light on those who are using their platforms to bring visibility to all the beautiful ways in which Black, queer men show up in the world," Wilbekin said. "Having Don host this year's award feels like a full circle moment for Native Son."
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Wilbekin added, "He is one of the most visible Black gay men in media and his presence reinforces the importance and impact of our community."
Lemon was fired from CNN after commenting about GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley. In February, Lemon said, "I think that—I think it's the wrong road to go down, she says people—you know—politicians or something, are not in their prime. Nikki Haley isn't in her prime, sorry."
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Following this, he was forced to undergo formal training and was absent from CNN This Morning for several days. Female CNN staffers threatened to quit if Lemon was allowed back. Also, Lemon reportedly screamed at former co-host Kaitlan Collins off-camera and accused her of interrupting him on air. He also argued with Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy during a segment on the show regarding the Second Amendment and race. Despite these controversies, Lemon's selection as the host of the "Native Son Awards" highlights his status as a prominent figure in the black gay community.
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