To commemorate World AIDS Day, one local drag performer brought together more than 30 other drag stars for a new event to raise money for three local HIV/AIDS organizations. Code Red, Dec. 1 at Voyeur Nightclub, raised about $3,000 for Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance, AIDS Fund and Mazzoni Center. The event was organized by Michael Mikel Tambon, who performs under the alias Cherry Pop. Tambon, who has been performing drag for four years, was diagnosed with HIV in January and said it reaffirmed his desire to fight for HIV/AIDS education and awareness. “I wanted to create Code Red because I wanted to reach out to my community and express the importance of safe sex and knowing your status,” he said. “I felt that I needed to speak up; if I didn’t say something, it would continue to happen. I couldn’t sit silent anymore on the sidelines and watch this virus win. After I was diagnosed, I educated myself about HIV/AIDS and found out that my city is experiencing an all-time high of infection, a new epidemic.” Tambon conceived of a large-scale fund- and awareness-raising drag event and enlisted friend Brandon Robert, who has produced shows around the city. Thomas McNamee, who has portrayed Crystal Electra for 10 years, was eager to get involved after hearing about the motivation. “Cherry Pop is good friend of mine and I’ve known her for a long time,” McNamee said. “She has been so open and honest about her diagnosis and there was just no way I couldn’t do it.” McNamee said the environment at Code Red was impressive. “The whole event was amazing from start to finish,” he said. “The audience had incredible energy that every performer fed off of, and the fact that 30 performers came together for a great cause was fantastic.” Tambon added that the performers brought an “amazing blend of talent.” In addition to their stage show, the drag performers, and bartenders, all donated a portion of their tips to the cause, and the audience member who won the 50/60 raffle also donated the winnings to charity. The beneficiaries, Tambon said, all provide a unique service to the city’s HIV/AIDS community. “They do so much to help the community,” he said. “They provide food, medical care and counseling to those in need. That is a good-enough reason to give to the cause.” Code Red drew more than 200 people, all of whom Tambon said embraced the mission of the event. “Everyone that was at Code Red was there to make a difference to this city. As I looked out into a packed crowd, I was overcome with emotion because I knew that every person was there to make a difference in Philly. It proved to me that Philly is ready to stand up against HIV/AIDS. They are ready to speak up about safe sex, about knowing your status and about breaking the stigmas.”