Annette Bening, Kumail Nanjiani to Headline THR’s Third Annual Raising Our Voices Event

Annette Bening, Kumail Nanjiani and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez are among the notable talent headlining The Hollywood Reporter’s third annual Raising Our Voices luncheon on Sept. 11. The event will highlight and celebrate some of the industry’s most powerful voices in the diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility space.

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Raising Our Voices presenting sponsor STARZ #TakeTheLead will showcase one of its signature Transparency Talks at the event, centered on gender equity and female representation in entertainment. Through its #TakeTheLead commitment, STARZ amplifies narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences with authentic storytelling and representation on and off the screen.

The panel will feature THR contributing editor Stacey Wilson Hunt moderating a conversation among leading Hollywood women including producer Nina Yang Bongiovi ( Fruitvale Station, Passing, Fancy Dance), documentary filmmaker Carla Gutierrez (Frida ), Kirsten Schaffer (executive director, Women in Film) and others to be announced.

The ACLU, an event partner, will present a second panel called “Freedom to Be: The Future of Trans Visibility.”

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Moderated by Oscar-nominated actor and LGTBQ+ advocate Bening, the conversation will include high-profile trans performers such as Emmy-nominated Rodriguez ( Loot ), Emmy-nominated Nava Mau ( Baby Reindeer ) and Brian Michael Smith ( 9-1-1: Lonestar ) and the ACLU’s leading attorney for LGTBQ+ legal cases, Chase Strangio.

The invitation-only event will also showcase a keynote address delivered by comedian, Oscar-nominated screenwriter and Emmy-nominated actor Nanjiani.

Co-sponsored by East West Bank, Raising Our Voices will take place at Spago in Beverly Hills.

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