Celebrity Gives Back: Ashley Judd Fighting for Human Rights and HIV/AIDS Education

Written by Marketing Intern Rose Provine

Ashley Judd is an award-winning film and stage actor who is well known for her extraordinary acting performances and box-office hits. She recently took a break from her high-profile career, and is now spending most of her time fighting for human rights and HIV/AIDS education.

In 2002, Judd found her true calling: as a humanitarian and advocate for those suffering in neglected parts of the world. She walked away from her successful career that led her to be one of the highest-paid women in Hollywood after her first trip to notorious brothels, slums, and hospices of Southeast Asia. She started writing detailed diaries monitoring her experiences, which eventually led to the recent release of her new book, All That Is Bitter & Sweet: A Memoir.

In this unforgettable memoir, "Ashley Judd describes her odyssey, as a left-behind lost child attains international prominence as a fiercely dedicated advocate. Her story ranges from anger to forgiveness, isolation to interdependence, depression to activism. In telling it, she resoundingly answers the ineffable question about the relationship between healing oneself and service to others."

Judd was a Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS, an HIV/AIDS fundraising and awareness campaign of PSI, targeting young people ages 15-24. She has also held leadership positions in organizations that support women's rights.The well-known philanthropist is just trying to make a difference in our world. 

Judd recently told dosomething.org, "Every time I hold a vulnerable person and feel their grip melt into me, I know I am making a difference. Every time someone who has been exploited tears up because I have listened, validated, and witnessed their story, I know God is at work in my life. Every time I have the guts to be vulnerable in settings like the General Assembly of the UN, and transmit to change makers the sacred narratives with which I have been entrusted, I know I am doing what my humanity demands I do."

To keep up with Judd's activism, you can visit her website, http://ashleyjudd.com/. To support human rights or HIV/AIDS awareness by shopping, visit Uptown Liz.