Elton John AIDS Foundation to Honor Darren Walker, Patricia Hearst, and Joe McMillan at its 2018 New York Fall Gala

Featuring a Special Performance by 9-time Grammy Award Winning Singer, Songwriter Sheryl Crow

Journalist and CBS This Morning Co-Anchor Gayle King Will Host the Event

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Sep 12, 2018, 08:00 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, November 5, 2018, the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) will host its annual New York Fall Gala at Cipriani 42^nd Street in New York City. At this year's gala, EJAF Founder Sir Elton John and Chairman David Furnish will honor Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, philanthropist Patricia Hearst, and long-time advocate Joe McMillan, CEO and Chairman of DDG, with EJAF's Enduring Vision Award. Nine-time Grammy Award Winning singer, songwriter Sheryl Crow will be the special musical guest, and Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) and the new National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, will be the featured speaker. CBS This Morning co-anchor and journalist Gayle King will host the event.

"At this time of great uncertainty in the world, EJAF's work is more important than ever, and we remain steadfastly committed to addressing the unmet needs of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS and fighting stigma as a major driver of the global AIDS epidemic," said EJAF Founder Sir Elton John. "We believe everyone living with HIV/AIDS should have immediate access to high quality medical care and all people at risk of HIV should be empowered with the best knowledge and tools available to prevent transmission no matter who they are, who they love, what they believe, where they come from, or what they do."

EJAF is also delighted to announce American Airlines, BVLGARI, Robert K. Kraft, and the Leonard and Judy Lauder Fund as the Presenting Sponsors for this year's gala.

The Co-Sponsors for this year's gala are Gilead Sciences and The John R. Eckel, Jr. Foundation. Gold Sponsors are the Hearst Foundation and M•A•C Viva Glam. Silver Sponsors are Salah Bachir and Jacob Yerex, Merck, and James L. and Margo Nederlander.

Event Chairs for the Gala are: Marina Abramović, Hilton Als, Gregg Alton, Aaron Appel, Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen, Jean-Christophe Babin, Alec and Hilaria Baldwin, Joseph W. Blount, Charles Blow, Sandra Brant, Jon Bon Jovi, Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal, Andy Cohen, Sheryl Crow, Alan Cumming, Peter D'Arcy, John Demsey, Jennifer Kelly Dominiquini, Ava DuVernay, Jordan and Marie-Ange Girard, Agnes Gund, Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka, Gillian Hearst, Lydia Hearst and Chris Hardwick, Charlie and Cynthia Hendon, Glenn H. Hutchins, Cheyenne Jackson, Abbi Jacobson, Caitlyn Jenner, Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, Heidi Klum, Justine and Jeff Koons, Robert K. Kraft, Padma Lakshmi, Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder, Leonard A. Lauder, Cyndi Lauper, Douglas Lawing, Spike and Tonya Lee, Judith Light, Susan Lucci, Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, Michael and Elizabeth Maher, Gino Martocci, Jay and Anne Hearst McInerney, Suzanne and Patrick McGee, Terrence Meck, Bette Midler, Julianne Moore and Bart Freundlich, Thomas E. Moore III and Mark Reynolds, Matthew Morrison, Mike Myers and Kelly Tisdale, James L. and Margo Nederlander, Sarah Jessica Parker, Benj Pasek, Ryan Pedlow and Cameron Kessel, Katy Perry, Holly Peterson, Andrew Rannells, Kimberly and Steven Rockefeller, Sir Evelyn and Lady De Rothschild, Mercedes Ruehl, Lily Safra, Pablo and Nathalie Salame, Cindy Sherman, Anna Deavere Smith, Gloria Steinem, Michael Stipe, Sharon Stone, Trudie Styler and Sting, Steven Tyler, Michael Urie, and John Waters.

For ticket information, please contact Andreas Schwarz at the Elton John AIDS Foundation, 212.219.0670 or [email protected].

American Airlines is the official airline of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

About EJAF
At the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), we believe AIDS can be beaten. We act on that belief by raising funds for evidence-based programs and policies and also by speaking out with honesty and compassion about the realities of people's lives. Sir Elton John created EJAF more than 25 years ago, first in the United States in 1992 and then in the United Kingdom in 1993. Through hard work and with the help of our generous friends and supporters, the two foundations together have raised more than $400 million over the past quarter century to challenge discrimination against people affected by the epidemic, prevent infections, provide treatment and services, and motivate governments to end AIDS. The U.S. foundation focuses its efforts on programs in the United States, the Americas, and the Caribbean, while the U.K. foundation funds HIV-related work in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Join us in speaking out, taking action, and contributing to our efforts to achieve a world without AIDS. For more information, please visit www.ejaf.org.