Sheryl Lee Ralph’s The D.I.V.A. Foundation and Gilead HIV join forces to Launch a VirtualTour to Support Women’s Health Awareness
- Written by News Co
Feb. 5, 2021 - (Los Angeles, California). This Women’s History Month, The D.I.V.A. Foundation will kick off a Virtual Women’s Health Awareness Tour on March 10 called “Sisters Circle: Know Your Status, Own Your Health.” Sisters Circle is powered by Gilead HIV through their Amplified Partnerships Initiative. The 90-minute is designed to foster a conversation, between sisters, about overall health, sexual health, and HIV for Black women.
Sisters Circle will be moderated by Tony Award nominated and Independent Spirit Award-winning actor, director, author and activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, Founding Director of The D.I.V.A. Foundation. Sheryl will be joined by co-moderator Bevy Smith, media personality, motivational speaker, and host of “Bevelations,” on SiriusXM Radio. Her new book “Bevelations: Lessons from a Mutha, Auntie, Bestie,” published in January 2021 is available now.
The D.I.V.A. Foundation’s “Sisters Circle” Women’s Health Awareness Tour will make three virtual stops in 2021. Each stop will feature three outstanding panelists who will have honest, open conversations around their unique stories, perspectives and approaches to owning their health in addition to a featured performance. The first stop will launch on March 10, 2021, which is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Interactive multimedia elements such as video interviews and polling questions will be incorporated throughout the meetings.
The Sisters Circle Virtual Women’s Health Awareness Tour offers several key messages that define and drive its purpose. Sheryl emotes, “I’m so excited to have Bevy Smith join me on this virtual tour to uplift and support women – our sisters!” She continued, “Sisters are doing it for themselves, but it seems like many are taking care of everyone and everything else and not taking care of themselves. Women and girls, especially persons of color, need to show up for themselves in all areas of life, but most importantly focus on their health.”
Sheryl Lee Ralph believes that societal ills like food insecurity, hunger, poverty, healthcare or lack thereof, racism, and lack of access to information and care have to be addressed when discussing health – it’s an intersectional conversation. The organization’s goal is to uniquely use the transformational power of the arts as a vehicle to raise awareness and erase the stigma still connected to HIV/AIDS, mental health, STI/STDs, Hepatitis C, and other life-threatening diseases.
“Women are owning their health and checking in with themselves like never before, but there is still work to do and many reasons to fight for those we love,” says Ralph, “This virtual event is free and online! Even if you don’t have HIV or know anyone with it, this is a wonderful opportunity to show up for your sisters and yourself when it comes to owning your health. Let’s support each other to raise awareness and reduce health disparities for Women and Girls of color.”
About the DIVA Foundation
The DIVA Foundation is a nonprofit 501c (3) charitable organization founded by Sheryl Lee Ralph in 1990 as a memorial to the many friends she lost to HIV/AIDS while in the original Broadway company of “Dreamgirls.” The organization focuses on generating resources and coordinating activities to create awareness of and combat against HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses. The DIVA Foundation produces and utilizes televised and digital health awareness content (music, entertainment, panels, and discussions) as vehicles to inform, educate and erase the stigma still attached to this disease. The crown jewel program of foundation is “DIVAS Simply Singing!” the longest consecutive running HIV/AIDS benefit in the United States – now in its 31st year of production. In 2005, Sheryl Lee Ralph and The D.I.V.A. Foundation received the first Red Ribbon Leadership Award at the United Nations on World AIDS Day for the unique use of the arts in fighting HIV/AIDS.
Social Media: Sheryl Lee RalphTW: @TheSherylRalph
FB/IG: @thesherylleeralph
Gilead HIV (www.gileadhiv.com)
IG: @gileadhivus
The D.I.V.A. Foundation (www.diva.foundation)
FB/IG: @thedivafoundation
DIVAS Simply Singing! (www.divassimplysinging.com)
TW: @divassimplysing
FB/IG: @DIVASSimplySinging
