11 Celebrities and Activists Leading The Fight Against AIDS In The Black Community And The World
Earvin “Magic” Johnson
Magic Johnson was on top of the world as the star point guard who helped the Los Angeles Lakers acquire five championships during the 1980s until his career came to an abrupt halt. In Nov. 1991, Johnson called a press conference to announce he was retiring from the game because he was HIV-positive. After retiring from basketball, Johnson became a national spokesman on HIV and urged young people to practice safe sex. Also that year, he established the Magic Johnson Foundation to help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and improve the quality of life for individuals and families who have been affected by the disease. In 2006, Johnson entered a $60 million partnership with Abbott Laboratories to cut AIDS rates in African American communities by 50% within five years.
