Stephen Lewis Foundation

Stories

Race Against Time: Twenty Years Later

Photo Credit: Yasmine Omar

Race Against Time: Twenty Years Later, held on November 20, 2025 at CBC's Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, Canada.

On November 20, 2025, the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) hosted Race Against Time: Twenty Years Later — an intimate and powerful gathering that brought together leading health and human rights activists, community leaders, and supporters to reflect on two decades of community-led action to end the HIV epidemic.

In honour of Stephen Lewis’s 2005 CBC Massey Lectures, which called for the world to act against AIDS in Africa, this event celebrated the life-saving gains made against AIDS over the past two decades and recognized the urgent need for collective action to protect and advance those gains. We hope these photos show the hope, determination and solidarity that resonated throughout this event. Together we can and we will end AIDS.


Featured speakers and panel moderators, from left to right: Dr. Notisha Massaquoi (Department of Health and Society, University of Toronto), Mutyaba Gloria (FARUG), Leah Teklemariam (SLF),  Mrs. Graça Machel (Graça Machel Trust), Spiwe Chakawa (Chiedza), Meg French (SLF), Mpumi Zondi (SCPS), Sisonke Msimang (speaker and author), Anurita Bains (UNICEF),  Theo Sowa (Independent advisor).

Meg French, SLF Executive Director welcomes guests to Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, Canada, and shares opening remarks.
Meg French introduces the first panel, Past Lessons, Present Urgency: The Ongoing Movement to End AIDS.
From left to right: Moderator Leah Teklemariam and panelists Mutyaba Gloria, Spiwe Chakawa, Mpumi Zondi and Anurita Bains
Mutyaba Gloria, Director of Programs of Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG)
Leah Teklemariam, SLF Director of Programs
Spiwe Chakawa, Executive Director of Chiedza, Zimbabwe, and Mpumi Zondi, Clinical Director Sophiatown Community Psychological Services (SCPS)
Anurita Bains, Associate Director, HIV and AIDS UNICEF
From left to right: Moderator: Leah Teklemariam and Panelists: Mutyaba Gloria, Spiwe Chakawa, Mpumi Zondi and Anurita Bains
Mpumi Zondi, Clinical Director for Sophiatown Community Psychological Services (SCPS) in South Africa
A staged reading of the play, generations by debbie tucker green, directed by Tsholo Khalema and performed by Dorothy A. Atabong, David Delisca, Nawa Simon, Kobena Ampofo, Jan Jennings, Juliet Jones-Rodney, Andile Win and vocalist, Sokhana.
A performance of the play generations by debbie tucker green.
A moving vocal performance by Sokhana.


Dr. Notisha Massaquoi (Moderator) with Mrs. Graça Machel and Theo Sowa on the second panel, Unwavering Solidarity: Transforming Power, Philanthropy and Global Health.

Panel moderator, Dr. Notisha Massaquoi, Department of Health and Society at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, and founder and director of the Black Health Equity Lab.
The second panel, Unwavering Solidarity: Transforming Power, Philanthropy and Global Health, moderated by Dr. Notisha Massaquoi and featuring Mrs. Graça Machel, Sisonke Msimang and Theo Sowa.
Mrs. Graça Machel, founder of Graça Machel Trust and renowned African stateswoman, humanitarian, and advocate for women’s and children’s rights.
Theo Sowa, independent advisor specializing in women and children’s rights and social justice.
Theo Sowa
Mrs. Graça Machel
Dr. Notisha Massaquoi
Sisonke Msimang, South African writer and storyteller. She is the author of Always Another Country and The Resurrection of Winnie Mandela.
Mrs. Graça Machel, Theo Sowa and Sisonke Msimang
Mpumi Zondi (SCPS) and Ilana Landsberg-Lewis
Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto, and Mutyaba Gloria (FARUG)
Mrs. Graça Machel and event guest
Janet Solberg and Michelle Landsberg
Thushika Rajendrakumar, SLF Development Officer for the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign, vocalist, Sokhana, Mpumi Zondi (SCPS), Amandip Dhindsa, SLF Program Manager, and Spiwe Chakawa, Chiedza
Canadian singer and SLF supporter, Jackie Richardson and guests
Guests of Race Against Time: Twenty Years Later
Barulaganye Kedidimetse, SLF Program Manager, and guests at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto
Andrew Brown, SLF Board Member Sarah Feeney, and SLF Fundraising Coordinator Alan Kuriakose
SLF staff members
Zev Landsberg-Lewis, Dennis Wamala and Meg French, SLF Executive Director
Reception following Race Against Time: Twenty Years Later
Meg French and Olivia Chow
Rebecca Cook, Mark Brender and Michael Fekete
Mūhaari, SLF Field Representative, and Dennis Wamala
Anurita Bains and guests, post-event
Margaret Wright and Maggie Strachan
Dr. Notisha Massaquoi, Jewel Amoah, Leah Teklemariam
Spiwe Chakawa and Ilana Landsberg-Lewis
Idah Mukuka Nambeya and Mrs. Graça Machel
Leah Teklemariam, Dennis Wamala and Mrs. Graça Machel

We invite you also to watch a three-minute excerpt of one of Stephen Lewis’s 2005 CBC Massey Lectures, Race Against Time, by clicking the video below.

Discover More Stories