Miley Cyrus’ Delivers Powerful Speech at amfAR Inspiration Gala

Miley Cyrus was honored by the American Foundation for AIDS Research last night (June 16) when she was presented with one of their Inspiration Awards for the work she's done in speaking out about HIV and AIDS with her recently founded Happy Hippie Foundation.

During the Gala, Miley delivered an impassioned speech that was met with a standing ovation, and if you watch her tell it, you'll understand why.

She downplayed the work she's already done for the LGBTQ community, saying, "...It seems that there is no way that I have done nearly enough to be standing here on the receiving end of this honor, but I’m thinking about tonight as not celebrating what me and Happy Hippie have already done, but celebrating what we’re going to do, what we plan on doing in the future. Tonight is not a finish line for us, but it’s a starting point."

Miley continued, saying that researchers who have dedicated their lives to finding a cure for AIDS deserve the type of recognition she was receiving in that very moment. She said, "There are so many people around the world right now that deserve this recognition, and they’ve dedicated their lives to finding a cure for those living with HIV and AIDS and they use their voices to speak out against the brutal, unfair condemnation and abominable stigma that comes with this disease. And by receiving this award tonight, I promise to continue to fight along with such industrious army for a cure for this epidemic."

She went on to talk about homeless LGBT youth, and the correlation between homelessness and an increased risk of contracting HIV and AIDS. She said, "This community is disproportionately affected by this disease, and discrimination can lead to homelessness, and once these young people are on the street, many young people find that exchanging sex for food, clothing, and shelter are their only chance for survival, putting them at a much greater risk for contracting HIV and AIDS."

Miley went on to talk about how much of an inspiration Elizabeth Taylor was to her, because of the way she used her celebrity to help bring awareness to the AIDS epidemic. Miley said, "...she was an illustration of someone who committed to using their own power and fame to bring awareness to something so much greater than her own power and her own fame."

She ended the speech by talking about her desire to someday "experience an AIDS-free world," believing "we will find a cure for HIV/AIDS."

You can watch Miley's entire speech in the video above, and you should.

See Yearbook Photos of Miley Cyrus + More Celebs