The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) honored the multitalented Jennifer Hudson and Gap Inc. president and CEO Richard Dickson at the fifth annual Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS fundraising gala.

 

 

Held September 27 at the Beverly Hills Hotel and sponsored by Gilead Sciences, the event was hosted by model, author, advocate and star of FX’s Pose Dominique Jackson, who has long uplifted the LGBTQ+ community and fought for equality. Jackson also hosted the New York installment of the ball earlier this year at the Rainbow Room.

 

 

At this year’s gala, Hudson was honored with the first-ever Elizabeth Taylor Rowdy Activist Award for her ongoing support of people living with HIV and her advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community.

 

“We all deserve to live our life with great purpose, and that is why I will always continue to advocate,” the EGOT winner said during her acceptance speech, according to an ETAF press release. “I will always use my platform to advocate for all of us, to end stigma, to end prejudice and anything that makes anyone feel less than anyone else.”

 

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For his contributions and support for people affected by HIV and AIDS, especially his work with the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, Dickson was honored with the Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award.

 

“Today, while we’ve made significant progress, we still have a fight. Right now, more than 9 million people still miss out on treatment, including 660,000 children who are living with HIV, and that’s just not acceptable,” Dickson said in his acceptance speech. “Together, we can bridge that gap.”

 

 

Dickson has also served on the board of directors for the UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and currently serves on the board of advisers for the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, according to Variety.

 

“It’s his purpose-driven leadership across business, brands and philanthropy that makes all the difference,” ETAF executive director Catherine Brown said in a statement.

 

In addition to a seated dinner, the gala featured a live performance by singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield, a live auction in partnership with Christie’s and an exclusive look at items from the Elizabeth Taylor Archive, including pieces from Taylor’s personal life, film career and philanthropy.

 

 

Established in 1991, ETAF carries out Elizabeth Taylor’s vision for an AIDS-free world. Through direct care and prevention efforts, advocacy, education and fundraising, ETAF supports the most marginalized and underserved populations affected by HIV and AIDS.

 

To read more about Taylor’s continued contributions to those living with HIV and AIDS, click #Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. There, you’ll find headlines such as “Lifebeat Is Now a Program of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation,” “Magic Johnson on HIV Awareness in 2023, Grandkids, Marriage” and “Remembering Actress and AIDS Activist Elizabeth Taylor.”