Mellencamp Set for YouthAIDS Benefit

John Mellencamp will be the featured entertainer Friday night in Washington, D.C. at the annual YouthAIDS benefit, to be held at the Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner grand ballroom. The event, which is dubbed “The Power of Music,” will honor Annie Lennox and MTV CEO Judy McGrath, and will be hosted by Ashley Judd with Sharon Osbourne acting as M.C.

A D.C.-based education/prevention program, YouthAIDS uses media, pop culture, music, theatre and sports to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS and reach 600 million young people in more than 60 countries with life-saving messages, products, services and care. Its annual fundraiser has been named one of the city’s Top 100 Events.

“Many people in the 60 countries where we operate are illiterate or of low-literacy,” said deputy director Marshall Stowell. “We bring in DJs and street music and dance to educate them on the HIV risk and direct them to clinics.”

Stowell further saluted Mellencamp as “an activist in his own right.” Click HERE to learn more about the event.