Miss Black and Gold and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity are sponsoring speaker Rae Lewis-Thornton to discuss the AIDS epidemic with the public and discuss how it has affected her life.

Lewis-Thornton has spoken about AIDS for the past 16 years and has appeared on shows such as the “Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Nightline” with Ted Koppel, as well as in magazines such as Ebony and Essence.

Lewis-Thornton also was national youth director for Jesse Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns.

She will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday at Erickson Hall Kiva.

Admission is free to and the event is open to the public.

Stephanie Korneffel