Singer, actor, and activist joins 19th annual 5k and beachside music festival benefiting 13 local HIV/AIDS nonprofit organizations
BY TALIA HORWICH
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest HIV/AIDS service organization, has added R&B singer, actor, and activist Eric Benét as a headliner for the 19th Annual Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival, an annual spring break event that attracts more than 2,000 attendees and raises $2 million for 13 local nonprofit organizations providing HIV/AIDS services in the South Florida community.
YouTube sensation Todrick Hall and international DJ/producer DJ Citizen Jane also will perform.
Eric Benét signed his first record deal with Warner Bros. Records in 1994 and released his first studio album, True to Myself, in 1996. His sophomore album, A Day in the Life, featured the hit single Spend My Life with You. Benét s acting career began when he guest starred on the sitcom For Your Love in 1999, and he appeared in the film Glitter in 2001. He released his third studio album, Hurricane, that same year under a new deal with Reprise Records. In 2005, he portrayed Reece Wilcox on the series Half & Half, and in 2007, he had a recurring role on the MTV scripted show Kaya. Other albums include Love & Life, Lost in Time, The One, and the self-titled Eric Benét. Benét has received four Grammy Award nominations. In 2000, he was awarded the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song for his performance of Spend My Life with You. S Benét and his business partner, music industry veteran Alison Ball, recently formed JBR Entertainment Group.
After the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Benét performed the song Heart of America with Wynonna Judd, Terry Dexter, and Michael McDonald to raise money for hurricane victims. He also co-founded Mission Save Her, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting human trafficking, slavery, and sexual abuse of women and girls around the world.
We are honored to have Eric Benét join Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival as a headlining artist,” said Tracy Jones, AHF Southern Bureau Chief. “This annual event raises critical funds for local HIV and AIDS nonprofit service organizations, and having Eric lend his voice and star power to the day’s festivities is a true gift.”
Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival also features informational booths on health and wellness services, children’s games, food trucks, and other family-focused activities. iHeartRadio is the official radio partner, and iHeartRadio host Kimmy B will emcee the event.
WHEN: Saturday, March 9, 2024
TIME: 8:00 a.m. – Site opens
9:45 a.m. – Formal ceremony
10:00 a.m. – Walk starts
11:00 a.m. – Music Festival starts
WHERE: Fort Lauderdale Beach
1100 Seabreeze Blvd
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
REGISTRATION:
www.FloridaAidsWalk.org.
2024 Beneficiaries: Afro Pride Florida, Aqua, Broward House, Equality Florida, Latinos Salud, The Pride Center at Equality Park, The McKenzie Project, Inc., Pridelines, Safe Schools South Florida, SAVE LGBTQ, SunServe, Transinclusive, and World AIDS Museum and Educational Center.
About HIV/AIDS in Florida according to recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
Florida ranks in the top five states in the number of new HIV diagnoses.
Three Florida cities made the nation’s top 15 when it comes to the number of people living with HIV. Miami is at the top of the list. Jacksonville and Orlando hold the 10th and 11th spots, respectively.
Broward is the number one county in Florida with the most new HIV diagnoses. Miami-Dade County is number three.
