*On December 1, 2016 EURweb celebrated World Aids Day along side some amazing heroes in the struggle for the 2016 “Heroes in the Struggle Awards” reception and Gala in support of the Black AIDS Institute.
The night kicked off with red carpet arrivals ranging from Phylicia Rashad to award winning producer, writer and director, Lee Daniels of the latest hit series, “Empire” and so many more!
Master of ceremonies for the evening and son of music king Lucious Lyon on Lee Daniel’s “Empire” series, Jussie Smollet, spoke with us about how much of an honor it was to attend the event, telling EURweb correspondent Loren LoRosa that the fight is not over the epidemic is still very real.
“To honor Lee is top notch, but I would be here regardless! We are just not done yet, we cant sit back. We are going into a new administration , we’re fighters and sometimes you have to pick yourself up and remind yourself how much of a fighter you really are!”
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If you have been tuning in to the hit music drama series where Jussie plays Jamal, a talented music artist and fighter against all human injustices you know that both on and off camera his passion for human rights is anything but an act!
The Empire cast was not to far behind Lee in support of the cause, we also caught a few words with Bree-Z, music artist and actress who made who Empire debut not too long ago as Freda Gattz.
“For our show overall our goal is to keep these conversations like this one real, keep these conversations relevant thats how you get people to understand that these issues are real.”
Along side Lee Daniels stood an impeccable line up of honorees for the evening, all of which have helped to progress the fight surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Douglas Brooks the former director of the White House Office of National AIDS policy under President Obama, Dazon Dixon-Diallo, president and CEO of Sister Love Inc. a corporation designed to advocate on behalf of women living with and at risk of HIV infection, Marc Meacham, Director of External Affairs for ViiV Healthcare, The Honorable Mark Ridley-Thomas (LA County Supervisor) and the only corporation in the line up of the night, Gilead Sciences, a company responsible for the development in several AIDS/HIV treatments were all celebrated, presented with plaques and metals as a small token on a large spectrum, a token of gratitude and appreciation.
“This is so important! Everything about HIV/AIDS is personal and this is a movement about making the personal political. I got involved because it was personal all of my friends were sick and dying, for me it was personal!” – Phill Wilson, President & CEO of the Black AIDS Institute
Today, there are over 1.1 million people living with HIV in the U.S, of the 1.1 million 44% are African Americans. Do you know your status? For more information on the Black AIDS Institute, getting tested or how you can get involved in the fight
Visit https://www.blackaids.org/index.php today!
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