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THE FOURTH ANNUAL
ELIZABETH TAYLOR BALL TO END AIDS
TO HONOR EARVIN “MAGIC” AND COOKIE JOHNSON
ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2023
Presenting Sponsor Gilead Sciences
LOS
ANGELES -
The
Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF)
today announced NBA Hall of Fame legend,
philanthropist and businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson
and philanthropist and entrepreneur Cookie Johnson
will be honored with The Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to
End AIDS Award at the fourth annual Elizabeth
Taylor Ball to End AIDS on September 21, 2023 at The
Beverly Hills Hotel. The evening will be generously
supported by Presenting Sponsor Gilead Sciences.
Co-Chairs for this year’s gala include musician, model,
actor and ETAF Ambassador Paris Jackson as well as
entrepreneur, producer, ETAF friend and longtime supporter
Christine Chiu. The Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End
AIDS will include a seated dinner for 270 guests, an
exciting live auction in partnership with Christie’s
featuring unique works of art and luxury experiences, a live
performance, and an exclusive look at items from The
Elizabeth Taylor Archive including highlights from Elizabeth
Taylor’s personal life, film career, and philanthropy.
“We loved Elizabeth Taylor’s passion, activism, and the work
we did together in the fight against HIV and AIDS,” said
Earvin “Magic” and Cookie Johnson. “Since beginning this
journey in the early 90’s, we’ve dedicated our lives to
raising awareness and funding programs to stop the spread of
HIV and AIDS. We would like to thank The Elizabeth Taylor
AIDS Foundation for recognizing our commitment to an
AIDS-free world by honoring us with The Elizabeth Taylor
Commitment to End AIDS Award at this year’s gala. Although
there is still work to be done, we appreciate the
acknowledgement and look forward to continuing to advocate
for those who need it most.”
Following Mr. Johnson’s announcement, the Magic Johnson
Foundation (MJF) granted $2.3 million to HIV/AIDS
organizations within the first two years. Today, more than
$14 million has been given to more than 80 community
organizations and the Foundation has reached millions of
Americans through awareness and education campaigns.
Through their “I Stand with Magic” program, from
2006-2009, MJF provided free HIV/AIDS testing to nearly
80,000 Americans in 16 major cities. Additionally, the
program educated more than 622,000 people about HIV, risk
factors associated with the disease, and the importance of
testing.
Earvin “Magic” Johnson currently serves as Chairman and CEO
of Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE), which provides
high-quality products and services that focus primarily on
ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities.
Johnson made history in 2012 when he became co-owner of
MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers. He also co-owns the Los Angeles
Sparks of the WNBA, Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles
Football Club, and eSports franchise Team Liquid. He
continues to expand his influence through his many
businesses that include: EquiTrust Life Insurance Company,
and SodexoMAGIC, a food service and facilities management
company.
Through a joint-venture fund, JLC Infrastructure, Johnson is
investing millions of dollars on infrastructure improvement
across the United States. Johnson currently serves on the
board of directors for Fanatics, a sports licensing company.
Cookie Johnson is a successful businesswoman, author and
devoted philanthropist who uses her voice and platform to
raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, women’s health, and advocate
for the LGBTQIA+ community by speaking to women’s groups,
community organizations, local schools, and churches. A
businesswoman at heart, in 2009 Cookie launched her premium
denim line, CJ by Cookie Johnson, which was an aspirational
collection of premium denim that combined style AND comfort
with a sophisticated edge.
After closing her premium denim company, Cookie ventured on
to become a New York Times bestselling author, with her
memoir Believing in Magic. Believing in Magic was released
in September 2016 and is her story about love, overcoming
adversity, and keeping God’s faith. She serves on the board
of SodexoMAGIC, and she is proud to be a member of the
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and
Culture Council.
“The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation is grateful to Earvin
“Magic” & Cookie Johnson for agreeing to be honored with The
Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award at this year’s
gala. The courage, compassion, and empathy of the Johnsons
over the last 30 years have resulted in a tremendous
positive impact on people living with HIV and AIDS.” said
Catherine Brown, Executive Director, The Elizabeth Taylor
AIDS Foundation.
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ABOUT ETAF
Working tirelessly on the AIDS crisis throughout the 1980s,
Elizabeth Taylor established The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS
Foundation (ETAF) in 1991 to carry out her vision for an
AIDS-free world. ETAF works to provide the direct care
needed for people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.
Emphasizing Elizabeth's voice, commitment, and concentration
on hard-to-reach communities, ETAF's domestic advocacy
initiatives remain a priority. ETAF's programs have also
expanded to ensure that HIV prevention education and access
to treatment are available through domestic and
international initiatives.
For more information, visit
ETAF.org
or contact Cathy Brown, ETAF, at
cbrown@etaf.org.
ABOUT GILEAD SCIENCES
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical
company that discovers, develops, and commercializes
innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. Gilead
is dedicated to transforming and simplifying care for people
with life-threatening illnesses around the world. We also
recognize that it takes more than medicine to address
challenges patients and communities face in accessing the
best possible care, and we know that passion for scientific
discovery alone — and that Gilead alone — cannot solve these
challenges. Gilead applies the same values of partnership,
integrity, and dedication to our work tackling the social
and structural challenges that patients, healthcare
providers and other partners must overcome to identify and
elevate the best possible solutions.
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