Congresswoman Barbara Lee Releases Statement Following the Passing of Elizabeth Taylor
Media Contact: Ricci Graham, (510) 763-0370
“Today, I offer my condolences as the nation mourns the passing of Elizabeth Taylor, an Academy Award-winning actress and pioneering activist in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“Ms. Taylor’s work against HIV/AIDS began following the death of her longtime friend Rock Hudson, who died of HIV/AIDS in 1985, a time when few understood the insidious nature of the disease. Ms. Taylor used her celebrity to bring widespread attention to HIV/AIDS and became one of the first public voices to bring this disease to the forefront, both nationally and internationally.
“In the ensuing years, Ms. Taylor donated and raised millions of dollars in her effort to fight the disease, founding the American Foundation for AIDS Research and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.
“Ms. Taylor’s work in the fight against HIV/AIDS and for those living with the disease is as great a part of her legacy as her legendary acting career, and she will long be remembered for her inspiring activism. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family as they grieve the loss of this talented artist and leader and the many activists who joined her in the fight to eradicate the HIV/AIDS virus.”
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