With great respect...

I want to honor Elizabeth Taylor. She was an incredible actress, but I think of her as a pioneer activist. She endured death threats and the scorn of others in her industry to do something about the AIDS crisis, when Ronald Reagan would not even publicly acknowledge AIDS. She was a hero. She saved lives and helped decrease stigma and shame.

“I have to show up because it galvanizes people. [They] know . . . I’m not there to sell or gain anything. I’m there for the same reason they are: to get something done.” The discovery of HIV/AIDS not only changed the world forever, but also the life and purpose of Dame Elizabeth Taylor. Elizabeth was the first person in the entertainment industry to stand up and take charge when few were willing to listen, and even fewer were willing to help. “Elizabeth did something when it required real courage,” said Elton John. Since then she has remained at the forefront of the battle against this disease, a loyalty that has earned her the name the “Joan of Arc of AIDS.”