Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph brought out Hollywood's brightest stars for her 35th annual DIVAS Simply Singing Awards Gala.
Ralph's former Dreamgirls costars, including Gina Taylor, Loretta Devine, and Jenifer Lewis, joined her on the red carpet for a night of entertainment, glamour, and philanthropy. Jennifer Hudson, who won an Oscar as Effie White in the 2006 film adaptation of the hit Broadway play,
Then star-studded Nov. 1 event, held at the Taglyan Complex in Los Angeles, served as a fundraiser for Ralph's DIVA foundation, a nonprofit organization that aims to raise resources and awareness about HIV and other health issues affecting underserved communities.
Ralph founded the organization in 1990 after losing several friends to HIV/AIDS, including Michael Bennett, the producer and director of Dreamgirls during its original Broadway run.
Lewis, who performed at the gala, reflected on her friendship with the Abbott Elementary star. "Sheryl and I have known each other since we were 19 years old. That was back in the 1800s," the Blackish star joked.
Honorees included Rev. Debra Fraser-Howze, who received the DIVA Honors Inaugural Visionary Award for her advocacy in HIV/AIDS awareness and health equity. The Legacy of Love Humanitarian Award went to husband-and-wife singers Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. for their decades-long commitment to philanthropy.
The foundation posthumously awarded Jewel Thais-Williams the Legend of Distinction Award, recognizing her as a community activist, wellness pioneer, and founder of the historic Catch One nightclub. Dr. Maya Green, Chief Medical Officer of Onyx Medical Wellness in Chicago, received the Honors Wellness Warrior Award. Lula Washington, choreographer and founder of the Lula Washington Dance Theatre, received the Artistic Activism Award for her lifelong commitment to using the arts as a platform for social change.
Performers included Laila Hathaway and Andra Day, who sang her inspirational hit "Rise Up." South Carolina native 803Fresh performed his summer anthem" Boots On The Ground."
Gina Taylor and her husband, James Pickens, performed a duet of "It Takes Two." They donated $10,000 to the foundation to fund a men's health initiative focused on prostate health. Ralph also took to the stage to perform "I Dream a Dream."
To learn more about the DIVA Foundation, visit the organization's website.