As a survivor of the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, I remember how our community was torn apart by the two camps that were formed around the practice of safe sex. Condoms or no condoms?
First of all, I am talking about the peaceful protests. I live in Oakland, California and during 1967's Summer of Love it was our neighboring city of Berkeley that garnered the media attention for demonstrations and protests.
This year's Anniversary Celebration for the National Center for Lesbian Rights will be nothing like I imagined when I accepted the position as executive director in late 2019.
Given what has transpired in our nation over the last several years, it is hard to argue with what then-Senator Barack Obama asserted in 2006: that America indeed suffers from an "empathy deficit."
On my desk are three mementos of the AIDS pandemic. They remind me of what we lived through in the frightening early years of a plague that seemed hell-bent on killing gay men — and the high price we have paid for our resilience.
Thank you very much, it has been both humbling and encouraging receiving your generous support when so many are also in need of help. So far, we have raised just over $25,000 and are just 15% away from reaching our goal of $30,000.
