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LOS ANGELES, September
19, 2025 — Last night, The
Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) welcomed
entrepreneur, author and philanthropist
Mrs. Cookie Johnson as ETAF’s
2025 Champion at The Elizabeth Taylor
Night of Compassion. She was
recognized for her work standing up for
people affected by HIV and AIDS, just as
Elizabeth Taylor did before. The
fundraising gala, generously supported
by Presenting Sponsor Gilead Sciences,
Inc., also featured a showstopping
performance by platinum-selling singer,
actress and songwriter Jordin Sparks.
Renowned businesswoman,
fashion designer, art collector,
activist and New York Times best-selling
author Tina Knowles was presented
with The Elizabeth Taylor Commitment
to End AIDS Award in recognition of
her ongoing support for people living
with HIV and her long-standing allyship
with the LGBTQ+ community.
Emmy award-winning TV
personality Melvin Robert hosted
the event, which included a reception
and culinary experience, a live
performance, and an exclusive look at
items from The Elizabeth Taylor Archive.
Event Highlights:
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On-stage while
accepting The Elizabeth Taylor
Commitment to End AIDS Award, Tina
Knowles said, “I would like to
thank The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS
Foundation for this great honor.
Thank you for all the tireless work
you do for those affected by
HIV/AIDS. I have been a longtime
admirer of the organization and its
founder, Elizabeth Taylor.” Knowles
continued, “Tonight, I ask you all
to stand for Elizabeth Taylor in
reverence and appreciation of her
commitment and impact on the world.
I dedicate this award to her.”
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Beyoncé narrated a
video chronicling her mother’s work
over the years on HIV/AIDS awareness
as Tina Knowles accepted The
Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End
AIDS Award. In the prerecorded
voiceover, Beyoncé said, “To
my mother and my hero, Tina Knowles,
we are all grateful for your
hardwork, love, empathy, acceptance
and belief in the human spirit to
thrive. Tonight we are proud to
honor you with the 2025 Elizabeth
Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award.”
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ETAF 2025 Champion Cookie
Johnson said, “This is of course
something that is very near to my
heart. This foundation has been
around almost as long as my husband
and I have been fighting against
this disease.” She continued,
“Elizabeth was so brave and stood up
and fought against this disease. She
stood by her friends and she stood
by the LGBTQ community.”
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Barbara Berkowitz,
Officer, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS
Foundation, shared, “If people know
only one thing about Elizabeth
Taylor, they know of her compassion,
and the leadership of ETAF strongly
believe we need more compassion at
this time in our country and in our
world.”
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ABOUT ETAF
In the 1980s, Elizabeth
Taylor worked tirelessly on the AIDS
crisis and founded The Elizabeth Taylor
AIDS Foundation (ETAF) in 1991 to
further her vision of an AIDS-free
world. ETAF provides support for direct
care and advocates on behalf of those
affected by HIV and AIDS with a
concentration on hard-to-reach
communities. Its advocacy initiatives
include HIV Is Not A Crime, which seeks
to overturn outdated laws that
criminalize people for their HIV status.
Additionally, ETAF promotes HIV
prevention, education, and treatment
access, with its latest program,
LIFEBEAT, mobilizing the music industry
to support at-risk youth in managing
their sexual health.
ABOUT GILEAD SCIENCES
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is
a biopharmaceutical company that has
pursued and achieved breakthroughs in
medicine for more than three decades,
with the goal of creating a healthier
world for all people. The company is
committed to advancing innovative
medicines to prevent and treat
life-threatening diseases, including
HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, cancer,
and inflammation. Gilead operates in
more than 35 countries worldwide, with
headquarters in Foster City, Calif.
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