Photo: Photoshot/Getty
Over three decades ago,Elizabeth Taylorfirst used her voice and her fame to bring attention to those afflicted with the AIDS virus. When she died in 2011, she left behind a legacy ofAIDS activismand using her voice on behalf of those who did not have one. Now, her family, includingchildrenMichael Wilding Jr. and Liza Todd-Tivey and grandchildren Quinn Tivey and Naomi Wilding, are continuing her fight asThe Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundationlaunches an online art auction to benefit its efforts toeradicate the disease
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The three-time Oscar winner, whose father was an art dealer, not only influenced her children with her passion for art, but also her passion for fighting on behalf of those withHIV/AIDS.
Adds Michael, “I’m very proud of my mother for having done what she did in the fight against AIDS. It’s one of the best things she did in her life. Activism is an essential part of what society needs for so many reasons today. She was out there speaking her mind strongly to a lot of people who didn’t want to listen. She was a thorn in the side of the status quo.”
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Liza Todd Tivey’s sculpture.Courtesy of Liza Todd Tivey
Quinn’s path to photography came after working in film production. “Between my grandparents, and in turn my parents, both of whom are artists who have also donated to this auction, I couldn’t escape it,” the 33-year-old says.
Granddaughter Naomi, 43, pursued fashion, in part due to her grandmother’s style and eye for art. “She was very hands-on about her collection and how everything was chosen personally and hung in the rooms where we lived as a family,” Naomi says. “I think every day about the lessons she taught us about compassion and justice and how she showed us through her actions that we can all make a difference in the world if we choose to.”
A Douglas Kirkland photo of Elizabeth Taylor available for bidding.DOUGLAS KIRKLAND
Naomi hopes through her family’s work with Taylor’s foundation, they can give people worldwide access to HIV testing, medicine and mental health support that “could finally see an AIDS-free generation,” she says.
Today, her children and grandchildren warmly recall her warmth and her passion. Asked how she remembers her legendary grandma, Naomi says: “Filled with love, but also happy to laugh at the dirtiest jokes and swear like a sailor!”
source: people.com
