Tamar Braxton wants Black women to put their sexual health first. The Grammy-nominated singer, chef, and actress has announced a new brand partnership with Gilead Sciences, the pharmaceutical giant behind PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a medicine for people at risk of contracting HIV. Braxton, who revealed she was a proud user of PrEP in March, announced the exciting partnership at ESSENCE Festival’s Safe & Sexy Panel on the Global Black Economic Forum stage over the Fourth of July weekend. The music veteran will help educate and raise awareness about PrEP, along with several other HIV prevention options, to empower Black women and at-risk populations.

“I’m partnering with Gilead Sciences to help more Black women see PrEP as an option for protecting their health, their peace, and their pleasure. I’m all about dating with confidence, and Black women have stopped talking about HIV, and it needs to be part of our conversation again,” the songstress said, according to a press release. 

RELATED CONTENT: The Future Of HIV Prevention Is Here: FDA Approves First-Ever Twice-A-Year PrEP Shot

Source: Photo Credit: Getty Images for ESSENCE

What is PrEP?

Pre-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as PrEP, is a medication that helps prevent HIV infection in individuals who are high risk due to sex or injection drug use. PrEP works by stopping the virus from establishing and spreading within the body. There are currently two FDA-approved daily oral medications for PrEP, as well as two FDA-approved long-acting injectable options. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is extremely effective, reducing the risk of contracting HIV from sexual activity by about 99%, and by at least 74% for people who inject drugs. However, its effectiveness is significantly lower when it is not taken consistently, according to HIV.gov.

The two oral medications approved for daily use are Truvada® and Descovy®. Truvada® (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), which also has generic versions available, is recommended for all individuals at risk of HIV through sex or injection drug use. Descovy® (emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide) is specifically approved for sexually active men and is not indicated for women at risk through vaginal sex. In addition to pills, there are two long-acting injectable PrEP options. Apretude® (cabotegravir) is given every other month to adolescents and adults who weigh at least 77 pounds and are at risk through sexual activity. Yeztugo® (lenacapavir), administered twice a year, also begins with two days of oral medication to reach protective levels in the body and is intended for a similar at-risk population.

Why is PrEP crucial for Black women?

Source: Photo Credit: Getty Images for ESSENCE

PrEP plays a vital role in protecting Black women’s health at a time when disparities in HIV outcomes are strikingly evident. Despite making up just 13% of the U.S. female population, Black women account for over half of all new HIV diagnoses among women. According to a 2024 KFF study, in 2022, non-Hispanic Black or African American females were 10 times more likely than non-Hispanic white females to receive an HIV diagnosis. 

Additionally, Black people as a whole were diagnosed at more than seven times the rate of white individuals and accounted for 43% of deaths among people with HIV diagnoses. Although there was a 13% decline in deaths between 2010 and 2018, that trend reversed with a 15% increase from 2018 to 2022. Furthermore, the highest HIV death rates—where HIV is listed as the leading cause of death—continue to be among Black Americans, with a rate of 5.9 per 100,000 compared to 0.6 per 100,000 among white individuals.

Braxton revealed she was a proud user of PrEP in March.

Braxton, known for her openness on shows like Braxton Family Values and The Real, publicly shared that she began using PrEP in March. In a video posted to her Instagram account on March 19, the “Love and War” hitmaker revealed that she began using PreEP to protect herself while navigating Atlanta’s complicated, and at times, ruthless, dating scene.  

“I’m not going for what everybody else is going for. I’m just not going to do that…Like, all of y’all is dating the same dude,” she explained. “I’m a one-woman man. And I ain’t sharing my man with the streets, although I’m on PrEP. And I would tell everybody to get on PrEP. Because prepare yourself for the streets.”

Notably, the Southern region of the United States continues to bear a disproportionate share of the HIV epidemic among Black Americans. In 2022, more than half (52%) of newly diagnosed HIV cases among Black individuals occurred in the South, KFF reported. By the end of that same year, 46% of all Black people living with HIV were also residing in the region. Georgia emerged as one of the states most heavily impacted, reporting 1,697 new HIV diagnoses, making it the second-highest in the nation for HIV cases that year.

Braxton is using her platform to help Black women stay healthy and remain sexually empowered while doing so, and we love to see it. 

RELATED CONTENT: I’m Taking HIV PrEP Like Tamar Braxton — Because My Sexual Pleasure Matters [Op-Ed]
The post Tamar Braxton Is Raising Awareness About The Power Of PrEP Under Her New Partnership With Gilead Sciences appeared first on MadameNoire.



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Hosted in partnership with Olmeca Altos Tequila at Atlanta’s Mission + Market, the event was part glam, part garden, and fully curated to match Porsha’s energy: bold, beautiful, and just a little bougie.

This wasn’t just a casual pop-out; this planned event is a part of a curated marketing strategy. In a recent feature with Forbes about her new business endeavor, Williams dished on initially preferring Hennessy before finding her love for tequila with the creation of “Peach Please.”

Olmeca Altos is a premium 100% agave tequila brand made in Jalisco, Mexico. Known for its smooth taste and bartender-approved blends, Olmeca Altos is crafted using traditional methods. And yes, BOSSIP was there for it all—florals, fizz, and a one-on-one with Porsha herself.

“Peach Please!”

Williams described her signature summer cocktail, Peach Please, while toasting with friends, invited guests, and fellow peach lovers.

“It’s cute, fun, fresh, tasty… and it gives you that vibe. When it comes to a margarita, it’s got to be cute, fun, fresh, tasty, and like, give you that vibe and set you up for summer,” Porsha said during her speech. “And I feel like that’s exactly what Altos has done with this new peach.”

Guests sipped the newly launched Peach Please cocktail—crafted with Altos Blanco tequila, peach preserves, and a Tajín rim—or opted for other tequila-based offerings like a classic Paloma, which proved to be a crowd-pleasing alternative among several attendees. (I personally chose one to toast Porsha myself on Instagram.) Whether you were sipping her signature or switching it up, the energy remained festive.

Peachy Perfection in Every Detail
Source: Altos Tequila / Altos Tequila

Upon arrival, guests were greeted with trays of chilled margaritas, fresh florals, and a buzzy Atlanta crowd ready to toast under the golden hour sun. The indoor-outdoor venue was styled to match the drink’s Southern sweetness: peaches in full bloom, pastel décor, custom signage, and cocktail stations flanked the space.
Source: Altos Tequila / Altos Tequila

Altos kept spirits high with a curated hors d’oeuvres menu that included:

Crab fritters with pickled peach salsa

Beef sliders with American cheese, tomato, pickles, and Mission + Market sauce

Mediterranean hummus with blistered red peppers and grilled pita

Fry farm kale and artichoke dip with cashew cream and crispy pita

Margarita and pepperoni pizza

Guests mingled between bites and photo ops, including a branded 360 Photo Booth activation presented by Olu Kemi of 360 Photo Celebration.

A Toast to Partnership

Midway through the night, Porsha took center stage to thank attendees and share her excitement over the Altos collaboration.
Source: Altos Tequila / Altos Tequila

“I already was a fan of Altos, so the marriage was just natural,” she said. “If you’ve had [Peach Please] already, I know you love it—I’ve been drinking them all day!”

She encouraged guests to grab a take-home cocktail kit—each featuring a bottle of Altos Blanco, peach preserves, and Tajín seasoning—to recreate the margarita magic at home.

A Quick Sip with BOSSIP

In an exclusive moment with BOSSIP’s very own, Lauryn Bass, Porsha shared how the drink came to life.
Source: Altos Tequila / Altos Tequila

“I got one of their cocktail couriers and some of their base, and we curated this drink from our green season,” she explained.

When asked to describe the event in one word, she didn’t hesitate.

“Beautiful. I love the floral.”

As for what’s next?

“Absolutely more curated drinks. They have so many different flavors.”

Source: Altos Tequila / Altos Tequila

The Summer Vibe Atlanta Didn’t Know It Needed

With her signature confidence and peach-perfect aesthetic, Porsha made it clear: she’s stepping into her beverage era. Between the photo ops, the curated cocktails, and the signature ATL energy, this celebration marked more than a drink launch—it was a mood, a movement, and a moment you had to be there for.
 

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