One word. Five letters: U. N. I. T. Y. In addition to being Queen Latifah’s anthem it’s also her guiding principle. In addition to rocking the stage at the Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival on Saturday, she delivered a very personal five-minute speech that few artists share with a crowd of fans. 

“I was around when [HIV/AIDS] first came around. Some of my classmates disappeared in no time. Some of my really good friends. My family members. I couldn’t believe it.” 

Latifah may have gained prominence in the 90s but many of the people who supported her in the 80s never lived to see her blow up. In the early eighties even the medical community struggled to understand the virus. By the mid-80s it was branded as a “gay disease” and the ultra-conservative Reagan administration wouldn’t even say the word AIDS. 

It was a death sentence. 

“It’s there for the grace of god go I because I don’t know how I dodged that bullet. Because nobody knew.” 

Latifah and others had a front row seat to the evolution of understanding and treatment. “There was continued education that helped us to understand what was going on and not being segmented or segregated from the population.” 

Then she issued a call to arms. “We gotta tighten up. We gotta lock arms. To educate each other. To keep each other up on the latest technology. Whatever you can do to protect each other. Be honest with yourselves.” 

“If you can do something as beautiful as what we’re doing today, which is put one foot in front of the other, know that you have done more than what many can do.” 

Funding cuts at federal and state levels are putting thousands of lives at risk, especially in South Florida where new infection rates are among the highest in the country. 

“It’s all the more important we support each other. We support organizations such as [AIDS Walk organization AHF] and that we spread the word.” 

Her words connected with the crowd and the crowd connected back. When someone in the crowd yelled “You’re beautiful,” she acknowledged him with a smile and said “Thank you. You’re beautiful back.” 

While we may be in dark days, Queen Latifah implored the crowd to walk on. “As much as we come here for fun, we have a purpose. Our life has a purpose.”

Photo by JR Davis.