Miley Cyrus Opts Out Of VMA Acceptance Speech To Advocate For Homeless Youth [UPDATE]

Miley Cyrus Advocates For Homeless Youth At VMAs

Miley Cyrus won Video of the Year at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, but she didn't accept the Moonman trophy herself. Instead, Cyrus sent a young man named Jesse to pick up the award and advocate on the behalf the United States' homeless youth population in the process.

"My name is Jesse and I am accepting this award on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth in the United States who are starving, lost and scared for their lives right now. I know this because I am one of these people,” Jesse, whose last name is still unknown at this time, read from a note card. "I survived in shelters all over the city. I've cleaned your hotel rooms, I've been an extra in your movies, I've been an extra in your life. Though I may have been invisible to you on the streets, I have a lot of the same dreams that brought many of you here tonight."

UPDATE: Jesse is actually Jesse Helt, a native Oregonian who moved to Los Angeles in 2013. He has a Facebook page. More on his identity can be found here.

Jesse directed fans and viewers to Miley Cyrus' Facebook page during the speech. There, Cyrus had her own note and video:

"Help me raise awareness and funds to end youth homelessness! This is just the beginning for me, but we're going to get started now by focusing on My Friend’s Place, a homeless center for young people in Hollywood," she wrote. More on Cyrus' initiative with My Friend's Place can be found here.

Before You Go

2014 MTV Video Music Awards - Red Carpet

2014 MTV Video Music Awards Red Carpet Arrivals

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot