Project VIDA (Project Life), a not-for-profit organization that primarly provides programming to prevent HIV infections and resources for people living with the disease, held its annual fundraiser Oct. 29 at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th.
More than 150 people attended the “Resurrection of a Legend” masquerade ball that coincided with Halloween weekend. Attendees had access to the museum’s current exhibition, “Dia de los Muertos: A New Beginning.” During the award presentations Celia Naranjo, owner of The Greek Steak House, received a VIDA recognition award for catering the event every year and Dr. Pamela Vergara-Rodriguez received the Wellness Award for her tireless commitment to the agency. The highlight of the evening was the entertainment by Jorge Ortiz, as singer Lady Gaga, and dance crew Jiggurs, who preformed a ghoulish spectacle to a remix of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”
For more information on Project VIDA go to www.ProjectVida.org. Go to www.QueerTVNetwork.com to watch a video of Ortiz re-creating Lady Gaga’s 2009 MTV performance and Jiggurs (Melissa Beecher, Ignacio V. Maldonado, Pedro Mercado, Ivan Ocampo, Freddy Pagan, Jonathan Rivera, Alexis Salgado and Miguel Salgado) entertaining the audience. Text and photos by Emmanuel Garcia