On March 13, DIFFA (The Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) filled Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave., to capacity for its annual fundraising event, Lip Sync for Life.
Industry members from the fields of architecture, design, construction and textiles raised money while enjoying an evening of homemade videos, gourmet sliders, live drag performances and networking. The near sold-out event has become an institution, with teams of industry members producing drag videos for viewing to spur on fundraising.
Since 1987, DIFFA has granted unrestricted funds to the LGBTQ+ community, providing flexible spending to organizations for those living with HIV. Through sponsorships, annual design events and media and digital outreach, the organization has supported the community through local partnerships.
Drag performers for the event included Vanity Unfair, Ginger Ambrosia and Joyce Anne Belle with Edna D. Mascara serving as host.
A major highlight of the event was the group videos with many in attendance watching themselves as drag kings and queens in parodies spoofing everything from The Backstreet Boys (“Everybody”), the film Wicked (a full throttle production number with rolls of textiles to the song “Popular”),and a highly choreographed take on Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dance Floor.”
At the start of the show Mascara introduced Lip Sync for Life 2025 co-chairs Susan Thomas, Catie Kill and Tyler Offutt ,who set the goal for the night at $80,000. Mascara also spoke of the DIFFA Chicago Excellence in Care Grants and the many sponsors involved and of DIFFA’s thirty-year history of funded research conducted by fellows at Northwestern Medicine. He then introduced special guest Emily Decker from The Legal Counsel for Health Justice.
In her remarks Decker said, “Given the current political climate, I’ve been feeling guilty since about January 27…for feeling joy. Still, we have to remember that joy is an act of resilience.”
From there Lip Sync for Life got louder and rowdier, with videos unspooling and guests getting excited at several “temperature checks” that gauged the financial progress toward reaching the goal.
Sandwiched in between the videos Joyce Anne Belle and Vanity Unfair took their performances into the adoring audience, which got the crowd even more excited. The room was hushed for a special tribute by Mascara to Chilli Pepper, who passed away in 2024.
Ginger Ambrosia hit the stage for a naughty take on Wicked, which almost up-ended the night even before the Lip Sync for Life 2025 Fan Favorite winner was announced. The top three teams for applause hit the stage before Ms. Ali B.’s team from Gensler Chicago took the crown for the third year in a row.
