Activism

I know this is kind of late, I wanted to post this awhile ago but I couldnt edit it in time and than I had finals and it just got way messy and busy the last two weeks after Forum.. But I finally got this thing edited and I hope you all enjoy.

Where do I start?  I’m overwhelmed by all that I’ve seen and heard from the attendees at this forum.   I’ll start with the very last session I attended – a viewing of the documentary film entitled “Sex in an Epidemic” by Jean Carlomusto.  “Sex in the Epidemic” was an incredibly moving depiction of the activist history of the HIV/AIDS movement.  As I am typing HIV/AIDS… I am almost compelled to type – AIDS/HIV movement.  “Sex in an Epidemic” captured the pain, confusion frustration, and death that was associated with an illness that today can be “managed” (for lack of a better word) with a pill.  In some cases having HIV provides access to doctors, housing, specialized welfare, free legal services, syringe exchange - just to mention a few.

When this disease surfaced – people with AIDS got nothing.  What people with AIDS have today, the benefits – the care and access – (in some places) are due largely to the many gay white men and their allies that fought for explanations, accountability, and healthcare. Because of what they fought for, many people are able to manage HIV so that it never becomes AIDS, because of what gay white men and their allies demanded, many now have the luxury, if I may be completely honest, of living with HIV and not dying from AIDS.

I would like to acknowledge and pay tribute to gay white men and their allies.  THANK YOU for fighting, demanding, standing up for what was right.  read more »

The screening of Jean Carlomusto’s “Sex in an Epidemic” documentary evoked an enthralling array of feelings amongst many in the room last night . An emotional roller coaster transversing a course of pain, anguish, delight, gratification, wonder, amazement, respect, reverence, anger and frustration, was unleashed by the chronological truisms in the documentary that highlighted the, panic, fears and challenges surrounding sex in the early days of the AIDS epidemic, specifically faced by Gay Men.  The frequent gasps breaking the dark silence of the room was evidence that Jean had done an excellent job of preserving a portion of history that need never be forgotten.

The film brilliantly marked the period where women activist would fight their way to the front of the AIDS movement staging a giant “No Glove, No Love” banner waving action during the 7^th inning stretch at a baseball game at Shea Stadium, demanding honest accurate information about women’s risks for contracting HIV, in an epidemic that had been unsubstantiated to only affect men who slept with other men.

With lovers, partners, family members, friends and spouses dying from lack of health care and a lack of political will to do anything about it Jean offered live footage of ACT–UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power taking it to the streets to the mantra of “Health Care is a right, Health Care is a right!!”  read more »

**CLICK ON OUR PICTURES TO GET TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE!**

BJ Cavnor Inteviews Ann Lefert of NASTAD.

BJ Cavnor interviews Michael Mitchell at the HIV Research Catalyst Forum

Fred Schaich interviews Phil Wilson at the HIV Research Catalyst Forum

How many times have I left the house and gone to the airport or train station to head out to work with dedicated activists - including many who are living with HIV - to put our heads and hearts together to demand changes that we need to overturn this epidemic?

Perhaps too many times. Or not yet enough...

But it's feeling strangely unfamiliar, as this is just my third week back from parental leave - so it's been months since I have been able to throw myself into this work (and sometimes it seems that I've barely been able to leave the house at all!)

I feel so honored to be able to re-emerge in the context of this gathering, where my family will join me in traveling to see you all, and to once again bring the best that we have to offer to our collective strategizing and action-planning that we need.

In preparation for tonight's dinner, I was explaining to my wife that there will be people there who have known me since I was 22 years old, fully two decades ago, as well as newer comrades to this shared struggle against HIV/AIDS. I can't wait to introduce her, and our 4-month-old son, to you all!  read more »

So my name is Johnathan Shaw and I live in Augusta, GA.  I have been positive since December of 2008.  As a way for me to cope with Living with HIV I started to video blog about 3 months after my diagnosis.  I am so excited to be able to attend the forum and even more excited to be able to blog about the experience.  I think it will benefit me to be at the forum and to learn what other members of the community are going threw as well as what each of us are doing in an activist role.  Below is my Pre Forum Video that I posted on my Youtube Page and now on here so I hope you guys enjoy.

Here are the links to my facebook and my twitter for those of you who are interested. =)  read more »