Elizabeth Taylor
“Some of my best leading men have been dogs and horses.”
WHO IS SHE: Dame Elizabeth Rosemond was an English-American actress, businesswoman, and humanitarian. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s, and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. She continued her career successfully into the 1960s, and remained a well-known public figure for the rest of her life.
HOW SHE INSPIRE US: Taylor was one of the first celebrities to participate in HIV/AIDS activism and helped to raise more than $270 million for the cause. She was honored with several awards for her philanthropic work. She was made a Knight of the French Legion of Honour in 1987, and received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1993, the Screen Actors' Guild Lifetime Achievement Award for Humanitarian service in 1997, the GLAAD Vanguard Award in 2000, and the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2001. She also was known for her passionate love of animals.
WHAT SHE TAUGHT US: She fought for HIV/AIDS research. In addition to co-founding the American Foundation for AIDS Research and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, her massive jewelry collection was auctioned off after she died and the money went toward the cause.
We woof you Elizabeth Taylor! You're an inspiration!