Magic & Cookie Johnson Are Honored By The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

Photo Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS FoundationOn Thursday night, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) honored NBA Hall of Fame legend, philanthropist, and businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson and philanthropist and entrepreneur Cookie Johnson at the Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS fundraising gala held at The Beverly Hills Hotel. Award-winning actors Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance presented the Johnsons with the Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award at the fourth annual event.

Photo Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

The gala – presented by Bulgari and Gilead Sciences, Inc.— included a seated dinner and a live auction in partnership with Christie’s featuring unique works of art and luxury experiences. Guests were given an up-close look at exclusive items from The Elizabeth Taylor Archive including highlights from Elizabeth Taylor’s personal life, film career, and philanthropy.

Photo Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

Co-Chairs for this year’s Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS included musician, model, actor and ETAF Ambassador Paris Jackson as well as entrepreneur, producer, ETAF friend and longtime supporter Christine Chiu.

Photo Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

The star-studded evening featured an unforgettable performance by seven-time GRAMMY® Award-winning ‘Empress of Soul’ Gladys Knight.

Photo Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

Event Highlights:

On-stage while accepting the Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award, Earvin “Magic” Johnson said, “When I think about my journey 32 years ago, when people say I wouldn’t be here, it’s companies like Gilead and others who provided [an opportunity]. At that time there was only one drug, but the blessing is, now there are over 40. We made some great strides. Now we can have dinners and talk openly about HIV and AIDS where back then we couldn’t.”

Photo Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

Event host Angela Bassett said, “When Elizabeth Taylor founded The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation decades ago, she knew what is still so clear today. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is not just a health crisis. It is also a social justice and health equity crisis. Even though we’ve made so much scientific progress, people living with HIV still face stigma, discrimination, criminalization, and profound inequities.”

Photo Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

Courtney B. Vance read a letter on-stage from former President Barack Obama congratulating the Johnsons on the award that said, “They didn’t just help raise research dollars or educate the public. They moved us to think in an entirely new way about a condition affecting millions of people around the world – changing attitudes with the kind of grace and encouragement that only true leaders can display. It was the same grace and courage Elizabeth Taylor displayed when she became the first globally recognized HIV and AIDS activist. Work that has been carried on in so many ways by the foundation that bears her name. Magic’s pragmatic, optimistic approach to his diagnosis ended up changing the way the world saw the disease.”

Photo Credit: Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation