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Some people know Queen Latifah as an action star on the TV series The Equalizer, while others might remember her as a talk show host of The Queen Latifah Show. But old school hip-hop heads know her as a pioneer in the rap world. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, the woman born Dana Owens, along with Salt N Pepa, was the first female rapper to find any prominence. At the age of nineteen, her 1989 record All Hail the Queen brought a new voice to hip-hop radio with anthems like “Ladies First”. Through the ’90s she continued to release hits like “U.N.I.T.Y.” and “Fly Girl”. Fans of her positive take on rap will have a chance to hear all those hits while raising money for a good cause when, on Saturday, March 21, the Queen will headline the 21st annual Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival.
Held at Fort Lauderdale Beach, the Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival will start off with a formal ceremony at 9:45 am, followed by the 5k walk. Then at 11, the music festival begins, including a performance by Rinasere at 11:30 am. Finally, at 12:30 pm, you will be able to see Queen Latifah take the stage. The concert is free to those raising money by walking, but you can also buy a ticket by donating $25 to the cause by signing up here. Some of the charities that will benefit from donations include Afro Pride Florida, Aqua, Broward House, and Equality Florida.
Queen Latifah on the event’s press release was quoted as saying ““I am thrilled to continue to lend my voice in the on-going fight against HIV/AIDS. We all must continue to raise our voice and funds to keep awareness and prevention services accessible for all.”
On that same press release, Tracy Jones from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which is putting on the event, added, “We are honored to have Queen Latifah join us again and lend her star power to help raise awareness and funds for the fight against HIV/AIDS.” Jones went on to explain the U.N.I.T.Y. this event brings to the community, “The money we raise through Florida AIDS Walk helps people get educated, get tested, get into care, and stay in care – all keys to helping stop the spread, end the HIV epidemic, and save lives.”
AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s 21st Annual Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival featuring Queen Latifah. Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Fort Lauderdale Beach, 1100 Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; floridaaidswalk.org. Site opens at 8 a.m., ceremony at 9:45 a.m., 5K walk at 10 a.m., music festival at 11 a.m. Registration required via floridaaidswalk.org.
