Actress, Sheryl Lee Ralph, who is most noted for her role as “Dee” on the hit 90s sitcom “Moesha,” founded the DIVA Foundation in 1990. DIVA stands for “Divinely Inspired Victoriously AWARE.” Ralph created this non-profit foundation as a memorial to the many friends she lost to AIDS. The organization focuses on generating resources and producing events that raise awareness and educate millions of people who are affected by HIV/AIDS. The DIVA Foundation uses music, entertainment, and voice as a vehicle to inform and reduce the stigma attached to a disease that affects us ALL.
For over 20 years, the DIVA Foundation has presented “Diva’s Simply Singing!” which is a night of entertainment that was created to raise funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS. The DIVA Foundation has begun to include more HIV/AIDS programs around the country and globe and has been able to perform shows with sponsorship from caring companies.
Other awareness campaigns include Ralph’s one-woman show which she wrote and performs called “Sometimes I Cry,” town hall meetings, prevention seminars, free HIV testing and counseling, and free healthcare materials. The DIVA Foundation also hosts a sponsored luncheon with community leaders and health experts where gloves must be worn to promote the slogan: “No glove, no love!” The event provides a relaxed, intimate atmosphere where guests can get much needed information about HIV/AIDS.
The Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Home Fragrance Collection provides another way for others to provide to the HIV/AIDS cause. Partial proceeds from the sale of these candles go to support The DIVA Foundation and its programs. The Sisters Circle program in Ralph’s Foundation is an unprecedented four-day HIV/AIDS summit held in South Africa bringing together a community of infected and affected women of African descent to share their stories and plan action.
To learn more about the DIVA Foundation and how you can help out, you can check out www.thedivafoundation.org
