When Beyoncé declared that a “diva is a female version of a hustler” in 2009, she captured the energy of a generation of women stepping into their power with confidence and ambition. For Emmy Award–winning actress, activist, and icon Sheryl Lee Ralph, that same word carries another layer of meaning rooted in purpose, grace, and impact.
“Over the years, beauty has become less about perfection and more about purpose for me,” says Ralph. In other words, it’s an inner radiance that shines through resilience and compassion.
“I’ve seen the most beautiful faces belong to those who have known pain, yet continue to give, sing, love, and lift others up,” she explains. “Beauty, to me, is the light that shines from within, especially when the world has tried to dim it.”
For more than three decades, Ralph has embodied that light, using her platform to fight HIV/AIDS stigma and uplift communities through her nonprofit, The DIVA Foundation. Born from love and loss, after she lost close friends to AIDS during her Dreamgirls Broadway days, Ralph transformed grief into advocacy.
“In those early days, visibility was everything,” says Ralph. The stage, for Ralph and so many in the theater community, became more than a place to perform. It was a mirror reflecting truth and humanity.
“We used the stage as our mirror to reflect truth, dignity, and grace,” she shares. “Performance arts gave people the courage to stand in their truth. Beauty gave them the power to be seen as whole.”
Thirty-five years later, Ralph’s mission has raised over $5.5 million to support at-risk communities and expand health awareness around HIV/AIDS. What began as a call to action has grown into a global movement that celebrates beauty, resilience, and service.
“DIVAS Simply Singing! has taught me that when art meets compassion, beauty becomes eternal,” Ralph reflects.
At the heart of the DIVA Foundation is DIVAS Simply Singing!, the longest-running consecutive HIV/AIDS and health awareness concert in the United States. Over the decades, the annual gala has become more than a fundraiser. It is a moment of artistry, fashion, and empowerment where Hollywood’s brightest stars, beauty icons, and changemakers unite in celebration and purpose.
Each year, Sheryl Lee Ralph performs alongside some of Hollywood’s most talented artists, changing her gown, hair, and makeup at least six times throughout the show. Over the years, she has collaborated with designers including Tadashi Shoji in the 2000s and 2010s, Perry Meek in the 2020s, and Valdrin Sahiti in 2025, each bringing their own vision to her signature DIVA style.
“Fashion has always been our silent storyteller,” explains Ralph. “From the very beginning, DIVAS Simply Singing! was about more than music. It was about identity, pride, and resilience.”
Ralph has continued to grace the stage as a vision of strength and style. From her signature red lip to her glamorous gowns and timeless hairstyles, she remains the blueprint for elegance and power.
“Every gown, every bold color, every shimmering sequin carried a message: we are still here, still beautiful, still worthy of love,” she says. “Fashion allowed us to wear our hope and gave visibility to our strength when words were too painful to find.”
For Ralph and the DIVA Foundation, fashion and beauty are not just adornment. They are acts of affirmation. “Through style, we celebrated the spirit of survival and the unapologetic joy of simply being,” Ralph says.
To honor 35 years of impact, sisterhood, and resilience, The DIVA Foundation opened its archives exclusively for ESSENCE. Ahead, we revisit the most iconic beauty and fashion moments from each decade of DIVAS Simply Singing!, a visual tribute to artistry, advocacy, and the enduring light of a true diva.
The 1990s
The 2000s
The 2010s
The 2020s
