Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PRNewswire - November 10, 2004
The 2004 Heroes in the Struggle honorees are:
* Coretta Scott King, Human Rights Activist and Leader
* Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders, First African-American US Surgeon General
* Jenifer Lewis, Acclaimed television and movie actress
* Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald
* Gwendolyn E. Boyd, 22nd National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
* Stuart Burden, Director of Community Affairs, The Americas, Levi Strauss & Company
* Jerry Lopes, President of American Urban Radio Networks
* Patricia Nalls, Founder and Executive Director, The Woman's Collective
* Dr. M. Keith Rawlings, Medical Director of Peabody Health Center in Dallas, Texas
* Dr. Ron Simmons, Executive Director, Us Helping Us
* The 2004 Corporate Hero is Merck & Co., Inc.
Current and past presenters include ESSENCE Magazine's Susan L. Taylor, award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, actor Hill Harper, Mo' Nique (Hair Show, The Parkers), Matthew St. Patrick (HBO's Six Feet Under), Hip Hop Recording Artist Common (Universal Music), Rockmond Dunbar (Soul Food), Emmy-award winning producer and director Paris Barclay, Michael Chinyamurindi (West Wing, ER), Wren Brown (Whoopi), Tami Anderson (Hair Show), Malik Yoba, Rae Dawn Chong, Malinda Williams (Soul Food), Kel Mitchell (The Parkers), Khamani Griffin (All of Us), Terri Vaughn (All of Us, The Steve Harvey Show), Tichina Arnold (Martin) and more.
Ticket prices range from $75 to $250. For complete information on Heroes in the Struggle including purchasing tickets, please visit http://www.blackaids.org or call 213-353-3610.
Seven of the most celebrated Black photographers in America have been commissioned to shoot the exhibit-Kwaku Alston, Barron Claiborne, Duane Cramer, Darien Davis, Jim Dennis, Greg McNeal, and Matthew Jordan Smith. These artists have profiled many of today's most acclaimed personalities for leading magazines ranging from GQ to Essence.
HIV/AIDS continues to devastate Black communities across the globe. AIDS remains the leading cause of death for African-Americans between the ages of 24 and 44. Heroes in the Struggle is an opportunity for Americans to continue their common struggle against HIV/AIDS in Black communities. Paralysis, stigma and denial have often hampered efforts to beat back AIDS in Black communities. By showcasing examples of heroism from within communities of African descent, Heroes in the Struggle, as it travels around the country, galvanizes African-Americans and others to refocus and recommit to overcoming this epidemic.
Last year 3 million people were killed by AIDS and over 20 million people have died worldwide from the disease since 1981. The vast majority of them were Black. Heroes in the Struggle sends a message to Black communities that HIV/AIDS is a Black issue. Over the last three years, the exhibit has traveled to Black museums, historically Black colleges and universities, and other similar venues around the country, where it has raised awareness, challenged individuals to get involved in their communities, and generated critical conversation about HIV testing and treatment.
Honoree Quotes
* "AIDS is a human crisis, no matter where you live. Anyone who sincerely cares about the future of Black America had better be speaking out about AIDS, calling for preventive measures and increased funding for research and treatment." -- Coretta Scott King
* "We need to get everybody involved. It's all our disease. We all have a stake in it. We need to get churches involved, schools involved, media involved, families involved, communities involved -- all pushing, all saying the right things." -- Dr. M. Joycelyn Elders
* "I'd go to places like New Orleans to do a show, call up a hairdresser I liked there, and find out he's dead. I'd go to Buffalo and look up a makeup artist to do my makeup and hear: 'oh, he died the year before.' One time I lost three friends in one day. How people don't think this is not going to come into their own backyard is beyond me." -- Jenifer Lewis
Press Credentials
Applications for media credentials for the 2004 Heroes in the Struggle event must be received no later than November 8, 2004. In order to apply for media credentials, the following are required:
* Completed media credential application. One application per person, including all electronic crew members. Please be sure to fill out the form completely.
* A letter, on company letterhead, from your editor/producer assigning you to cover the 2004 Heroes in the Struggle event.
* A recent copy of the publication or program you represent. Please include circulation/audience information.
You will be notified of your status by November 10, 2004.
Media Credentials Application can be downloaded at: http://blackaids.org/2004mediacredentials.pdf
Director's Guild of America
7920 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood, CA
* 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. - VIP Reception
* 6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. - Press Call / Red Carpet
* 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. - Silent Auction Opens
* 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. - Awards Ceremony
About the Black AIDS Institute
The Black AIDS Institute is the only national HIV/AIDS public policy, training and mobilization center in the United States focused exclusively on Black people. The Institute's mission is to stop the AIDS pandemic in Black communities by engaging and mobilizing Black institutions and individuals in efforts to confront HIV. The Institute develops and interprets public and private sector HIV policies, conducts trainings, offers technical assistance, disseminates information and provides advocacy from a uniquely and unapologetically Black point of view.
Website: http://www.blackaids.org
SOURCE Black AIDS Institute
041110
PR041113
Copyright © 2004 - PRNewswire. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through PRNewswire, Permissions, 810 Seventh Ave., 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10019 http://www.prnewswire.com.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2004. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2004. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .