The Lux Blog & 2BeatHIV present "Red is the New Black" Fashion Show with host acclaimed actress and HIV activist, Sheryl Lee Ralph, on Saturday, June 4, 2016 from 1-4PM at North Carolina Central University in the Miller-Morgan Auditorium. The inaugural “Red is the New Black” fashion show will feature clothing from Mrs. Ralph’s DIVA Foundation t-shirt line, as well as corporate and local sponsors such as Cato's Women's Wear, Lovely Lady Shoetique, CAPS Menswear, and Bobo's Menswear. The event will feature poetry by Greater Than AIDS Ambassador, Stephanie Brown, and live performances by artists Juzt KP, Quentin Rashard, and Jas Natasha on the main stage. The 2BeatHIV project will discuss the importance of HIV cure research happening at UNC Chapel Hill and across the world. Free and confidential HIV testing will be provided by the Alliance of AIDS Services - Carolina.

The collaboration between Kimberly Knight, founder of the Lux Blog, and Dr. Allison Mathews, founder of the 2BeatHIV project, began in early December after World AIDS Day 2015. They were both feature interviewees on Radio One Raleigh’s K97.5 (see Kimberly Knight’s interview here and Allison Mathews’ interview here) and began a budding friendship over their common passion for HIV/AIDS activism. Kimberly Knight lost her husband to complications with AIDS in 2012 and dedicated her life to combating HIV-related stigma. She became a well sought after speaker and writer, and the story of her husband’s death and her subsequent forgiveness was featured in Sheen Magazine and Substantial Magazine. After attending one of 2BeatHIV’s many community events, Dr. Mathews and Ms. Knight became friends and decided to use the “Red is the New Black” fashion show as an opportunity to bring Sheryl Lee Ralph to Durham, NC. The 2BeatHIV project focuses on empowering local and global communities to shape the future of HIV cure research, and serves as a prototype for HIV cure community engagement projects in Cape Town, South Africa and Guangzhou, China. The project hosts a series of crowd sourced innovation contests that encourage community members to use art, technology, and music to develop HIV cure marketing campaigns. 2BeatHIV’s most recent contest, Pitch Perfect, was a pitch competition for groups to develop a business model that addressed a social issue in the community and improve HIV cure community engagement. The Pitch Perfect contest was a part of the Innovate Your Cool Conference at the Art of Cool Festival and received national attention.

Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill are global leaders in efforts to find a cure for HIV, yet the involvement of community leaders is also necessary to reach the goal of an HIV free society. This event will provide the space for community members to learn about ways to get involved in HIV community-based organizations, learn more about HIV cure research, and celebrate fashion designers from the Triangle region of North Carolina.

For more information and tickets for this event -- https://www.eventbrite.com/e/red-is-the-new-black-fashion-show-tickets-24669158116?aff=erellivmlt