Sheryl Lee Ralph on the ‘Uptick’ in Women of Color Contracting HIV: ‘It Is Something That Needs to Be Paid Attention to’

Mar 17, 2026 12:56pm PT Sheryl Lee Ralph on the ‘Uptick’ in Women of Color Contracting HIV: ‘It Is Something That Needs to Be Paid Attention to’ The 'Abbott Elementary' star attended Elton John's annual Oscar viewing party on Sunday By Rance Collins Plus Icon Rance Collins Latest Pamela Anderson Teases Role in Michael Cera’s Absurdist Comedy ‘Love Is Not the Answer’: ‘I Got to Play a Really Interesting Woman’ 2 months ago Jamie Lee Curtis Celebrates Election Day Democratic Sweep: ‘The Repudiation of the Authoritative Regime’ 4 months ago Mia Goth on Starring in ‘Frankenstein’: ‘I’ve Never Been So Scared Stepping Into a Movie’ 5 months ago See All For more than 40 years, Sheryl Lee Ralph has been on the frontlines helping raise funds and awareness in the fight against HIV/AIDS. She continued that work Sunday night as a guest at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party. “I’m here because, believe it or not, HIV and AIDS is not a dead issue in America right now,” Ralph, a producer on Zeberiah Newman’s “Unexpected” documentary anthology about Black women living with HIV , told Variety on the red carpet. “It is spreading. We are still seeing upticks across the south, especially in women of color, and it is something that needs to be paid attention to. And also, I think about the fact that as we spread awareness, so many women have no idea that PrEP is also for them. It’s not just for men. So there’s so many reasons to be here at the Elton John event as we continue to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.” The annual viewing party, which was hosted by John and his husband David Furnish along with Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka and took place in West Hollywood Park, netted $10.6 million for EJAF. Popular on Variety “The Academy Awards Viewing Party reflects why we started this foundation 34 years ago: to honor the friends we lost and advocate for the people still vulnerable,” John said in a statement following the gala. “Every year we come together, ...