“GMHC was always there. Fighting, screaming, yelling—wanting more, wanting more answers, wanting better for humanity.”
-Michelle Visage, 2024 Community Advocate Award recipient
At GMHC’s 2024 Gala, we reflected on our past while looking toward a future free of stigma. This memorable evening on Sept. 30 at Tribeca Rooftop was a chance for our community to come together and reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going.
The theme of the evening was “For All, End Stigma,” a reminder that compounding stigmatizing factors must be tackled from multiple angles. We honored healthcare and community leaders who have made impactful contributions to HIV/AIDS research & care and combating stigma.
Twin sisters Oni Blackstock, M.D., M.H.Sc & Uché Blackstock, M.D. received the Judith Peabody Humanitarian Award. The Blackstocks are both doctors and HIV/AIDS advocates leading at the intersection of medicine, health equity and systemic racism.
We were proud to present Betty Chiang, M.D. the Vice President of US Medical Affairs & Virology at Gilead Sciences with the Corporate Impact Award. Gilead Sciences has been a leader in HIV/AIDS research, treatment, and prevention for 35 years.
Television & Radio Personality, Actress, Singer, Activist & Author Michelle Visage received the Community Advocate Award, presented to her by her dear friend RuPaul Charles. Michelle has been a steadfast supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and advocate for HIV/AIDS support and care for her entire career. In her speech, Michelle discussed the importance of advocacy in the fight against stigma.
Our community came together to honor these outstanding individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to ending the HIV epidemic, thank our supporters, and raise critical funds for GMHC’s vital services. We heard inspiring stories from clients, beautiful songs from our host extraordinaire Cacophony Daniels, and danced the night away with members of the House of Miyake Mugler to DJ sets by Joey with the Mustache and Michelle Visage!
Check out more photos from the wonderful night here.
