Media Contact:
Joe Hui
Director of Communications
jhui@aplahealth.org
213.201.1342
7.8.2025
In response to the passing of Jewel Thais-Williams, APLA Health CEO Craig E. Thompson issued the following statement:
"APLA Health joins the many voices across Los Angeles and the nation in mourning the passing of Jewel Thais-Williams, a pioneering activist, entrepreneur, and longtime champion for racial justice, LGBTQ+ health, and HIV/AIDS care.
Jewel’s life was a testament to fearless advocacy and community love. As the founder of the legendary Catch One nightclub, she created a sanctuary for Black LGBTQ+ individuals at a time when safe spaces were few and far between. She extended that commitment to health and healing as the founder of the Village Health Foundation and through decades of work on behalf of communities too often overlooked by traditional healthcare systems.
Jewel also co-founded the Minority AIDS Project, the Imani Unidos Food Pantry and served on the Board of Directors of AIDS Project Los Angeles from 1990-1995, where her leadership helped shape the organization’s early response to the epidemic in communities of color. Her trailblazing spirit helped shape the work we do today, and her unwavering belief in the dignity of all people continues to guide us.
Her legacy lives on in the generations of activists, healers, and changemakers she inspired along with the countless lives she touched through her vision, resilience, and compassion.
We extend our deepest condolences to her family and the many communities she helped build and uplift.”
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APLA Health (formerly AIDS Project Los Angeles) restores dignity and trust within underserved communities by providing world-class LGBTQ+ empowering healthcare, HIV specialty care, food, housing, and other essential support services. Since our founding in 1983, APLA Health has remained steadfast in our commitment to ending the HIV epidemic in our lifetime. We operate eight Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) locations in Los Angeles County, serving more than 19,000 people annually, regardless of ability to pay. Our list of comprehensive services includes LGBTQ+ primary care, dental care, behavioral healthcare, HIV specialty care, and Out Here Sexual Health services (PrEP, STD screening & treatment, DoxyPEP, and PEP). For people with HIV, our wraparound support services include housing assistance through the Alliance for Housing & Healing and nutritional support via the Vance North Necessities of Life Program, the largest food pantry in the United States for people with HIV, distributing over 800,000 meals annually. APLA Health’s annual fundraisers include AIDS Walk LA — the world's first and oldest AIDS Walk — and Best in Drag Show. We are leaders in advocating for policy and legislation at the local, state and Federal levels that positively impact the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities. For more information, visit aplahealth.org.
