Actress Salma Hayek slammed sexism in Hollywood in a powerful speech at Variety's Power of Women luncheon Friday. In her impassioned speech, the 49-year-old said that her generation of actresses refuses to disappear as they got older.
"We are the generation that said, 'We're not going away at 30.' They cannot ignore us anymore," she said to a room full of thunderous applause.
Hayek was introduced by her long-time friend Jada Pinkett Smith, who called her the "ultimate ride-or-die chick in Hollywood." The actress then went on to talk about how supported she felt by the women in the industry when she moved from Mexico to the U.S. decades ago.
"In the 20 years I have been an activist for women. I can smell the airs of change. Especially in this industry for the first time," Hayek said, according to the Daily Mail.
The actress was being honored at the event for her work with Chime for Change, which she co-founded with Beyonce and the fashion label Gucci, Access Hollywood reported. The campaign supports nongovernmental agencies with the mission of empowering women and girls around the world through education, health and justice. Chime for Change has helped over 400,000 girls and women around the world and has raised over $7.3 million.
"We are a fantastic generation," Hayek added. "I could not have made it without the women who gave me the strength today. For all of you who don't know what time for change is, it is a call for everyone to use social media for social justice."
