The tenth Annual Heroes in the Struggle Gala concert and awards presented by the Black AIDS Institute and the Magic Johnson Foundation will take place at the Avalon Hollywood on World AIDS Day, December 1.
The invitation-only event will honor Bill Clinton, award-winning actor Blair Underwood, academy award winning producer and director Lee Daniels, award winning CNN correspondent and producer Soledad O'Brien, AIDS activist Marvelyn Brown, billionaire philanthropist, co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, owner of WNBA’s Washington Mystics Sheila C. Johnson, award winning producer and casting director, “For Color Girls”, Robi Reed and HIV/AIDS trailblazer Frank Oldham. This year’s corporate hero is the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Cookie and Magic Johnson are this year’s co-chairs. CNN’s Roland Martin and actor/comedian Sinbad are the co-hosts. Presenters this year include TV Guide’s Tanika Ray, Hill Harper, Vanessa Williams, Tasha Smith, Danny Glover, Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier, cast members from Grey’s Anatomy, Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson and many more.
Founded in 1999, The Black AIDS Institute is the only HIV/AIDS think tank 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 leaders, celebrities, elected officials, clergy, traditional Black institutions and individuals in efforts to confront HIV. The Institute conducts HIV policy research, interprets public and private sector HIV policies, conducts trainings, builds capacity, disseminates information, and provides advocacy and mobilization from a uniquely and unapologetically Black point of view.
The Magic Johnson Foundation was established in 1991 as a single-disease organization that worked to raise funds for community-based organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs. The Foundation has since expanded the mission to focus on developing programs and supporting community-based organizations that address broader educational, health and social needs of ethnically diverse, urban communities.
Find out more about the event here.
