Ladies Room Red Dress Run

About The Ladies Room SC The Ladies Room SC is the first and only trans-led nonprofit in Upstate South Carolina, committed to improving health equity, wellness, and dignity for transgender and nonbinary people of color across the Upstate and beyond. Founded by community, for community, we provide trauma-informed care navigation, leadership development, and holistic support services that prioritize those too often left out of traditional systems. Our Positive Change program is a cornerstone of that work—offering tailored support for newly diagnosed trans and nonbinary individuals living with HIV, led by survivors and medical professionals with lived experience. Through weekly peer-led groups, one-on-one coaching, and health empowerment sessions, we help participants build tools for healing, resilience, and long-term wellness. From HIV prevention and name-change navigation to emergency housing, job readiness, and culturally rooted support circles, The Ladies Room SC stands as a hub for empowerment and visibility. Our programs are powered by lived experience, radical love, and a belief that thriving should never be a luxury. We are unapologetically trans-led, , and community-built — and we’re just getting started.

Keynote Speaker: Tori Cooper Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Tori Cooper is a nationally recognized health and equity advocate, community leader, and champion for transgender justice. As the Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative at the Human Rights Campaign, Tori brings decades of experience in HIV advocacy, public health, and trans empowerment. In 2021, she made history as the first Black transgender woman appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA), where she continues to use her voice to influence national policy and uplift communities disproportionately impacted by the HIV epidemic. A Georgia native and fierce advocate for Black and Brown trans communities, Tori’s work bridges activism and access. Her leadership is rooted in compassion, lived experience, and a relentless commitment to making healthcare and safety a right—not a privilege—for every trans and nonbinary person. We are honored to welcome Tori to South Carolina as our inaugural World AIDS Day Red Dress Run/Walk Keynote Speaker, where she will inspire us to remember the past, activate the present, and boldly imagine a future free from stigma, inequity, and silence.

Doug McCormick, MSN, APRN, ANP-BC Former Medical Director, Aid Upstate | Infectious Disease & Oncology Advanced Practice Nurse Doug McCormick is a highly respected and recently retired advanced practice nurse who has dedicated his career to providing holistic, person-centered care to at-risk and underserved communities. With specialized expertise in infectious diseases and oncology survivorship, Doug has served as a compassionate, trusted provider throughout the Upstate of South Carolina—most notably as the longtime Medical Director at Aid Upstate. With a deep commitment to health equity and patient empowerment, Doug is known for his ability to demystify complex medical topics, helping individuals make informed decisions about their care. His work consistently centers empathy, clarity, and partnership—transforming clinical encounters into opportunities for healing and understanding. A skilled communicator and systems thinker, Doug’s impact extends beyond individual patients. He has helped shape programs and clinical protocols that improve health outcomes across entire communities. Even in retirement, his passion for wellness continues—both professionally and personally. Doug is a certified RRCA running coach and an avid ultramarathoner currently training for his second trail ultra, modeling the very wellness practices he promotes. We are honored to welcome Doug McCormick as a featured speaker at this year’s World AIDS Day Red Dress Run/Walk, where he will share reflections on the current state of HIV in our communities and the continued need for compassion, awareness, and action.

Artistic Director, Vaughn Newman Dance | Lyrical Dance Performance Vaughn Newman is a visionary choreographer, educator, and founder of Vaughn Newman Dance, a dynamic dance company known for its emotionally resonant and socially conscious performances. With a lifelong commitment to movement as a medium for storytelling, healing, and advocacy, Vaughn uses dance to confront injustice, express resilience, and connect communities through shared experience. A master of lyrical and contemporary styles, Vaughn’s choreography blends technical excellence with raw emotion—inviting audiences to feel, reflect, and respond. His work has been featured across stages in the Southeast and beyond, often centering themes of identity, liberation, and the lived experiences of marginalized people. At this year’s World AIDS Day Red Dress Run/Walk, Vaughn will offer a powerful lyrical dance piece in remembrance and celebration—honoring lives lost, uplifting those living with HIV, and embodying the movement toward equity and visibility. His performance is not just art—it’s activism, and we are proud to welcome his voice to the stage.

Bex Miller Attachments Wed, Nov 12, 1:35 PM (3 days ago) to me Bex Miller is an artist, public speaker, small business owner, and Greenville native. They are the Upstate arts liaison and board of directors vice president to the Upstate LGBT Chamber of Commerce, as well as a board member of the Queer Arts initiative. Bex deeply loves their work with the LGBTQ+ community here in the Upstate. They believe a strong, connected community is the most potent form of resistance we can all take part in, and is essential to public and personal growth. They have practiced real estate here in the Upstate for almost 10 years, and are always happy to meet new people and help with whatever someone needs. You also can catch Bex on stage most Saturday evenings at 7:30, performing comedy at Alchemy Comedy Theater in downtown Greenville!

Helen Heels is a renowned entertainer and celebrated host whose commanding stage presence and quick wit have captivated audiences across the Upstate and beyond. With a glittering crown collection that includes multiple Pride pageant wins in Greenville and surrounding counties, Helen has become a beloved staple in the LGBTQ+ performance scene — known not just for her dazzling style, but for her unwavering authenticity. Offstage, Helen is equally powerful. As an active board member of The Ladies Room SC, she brings heart, vision, and a deep commitment to uplifting trans and nonbinary communities of color. Her leadership helps drive forward the organization’s mission of health equity, empowerment, and visibility — all while creating spaces that are safe, joyful, and unapologetically bold. Whether she’s commanding the mic as an emcee, cheering on community members from the sidelines, or helping shape transformative programming behind the scenes, Helen Heels is more than a performer — she’s a force of change wrapped in rhinestones.

International Entertainer, Advocate, and Visionary Leader Diamond A. Sherrington is a world-traveled powerhouse whose talent, presence, and purpose shine just as brightly offstage as they do under the spotlight. Hailing from Pensacola, Florida, Diamond is one of the most respected and sought-after plus-size entertainers in the country — known for her captivating performances, fierce fashion, and commanding authenticity. With a glittering career that spans coast to coast, Diamond has earned numerous prestigious titles, most recently completing a celebrated reign as Miss Ebony International Plus. Her influence and impact reach far beyond crowns and stages — Diamond is now channeling her platform into purpose, laying the groundwork to launch her very own nonprofit focused on trans care and equity in the Deep South. A fearless advocate for her community, Diamond brings visibility, voice, and vision to every space she enters. Whether dazzling audiences or building systems of support for trans people in underserved areas, she leads with both grace and grit — proving that her legacy will be felt long after the final spotlight fades.