Living Out Loud with Darian

The names and lives of Tim'm West, Monte J. Wolfe and Erik Chambers are synonymous with strength, courage, and perseverance. These three black gay men collectively breathe life into Brave Soul Collective, a website founded to educate the black gay community on the reality of HIV/AIDS. They all speak from their own personal experiences of being black, gay, and HIV positive. They are extremely honest about their lives and what led to their seroconversion in an attempt to keep others HIV negative.

They recently asked for submissions on their website from people who were willing to tell their stories of living with HIV. Submissions can be entered with a name or anonymously. The first entry comes from Alan Sharpe, director of African -American Collective Theater in Washington, D.C. . Alan tested positive during the early nineties before anti-retroviral drugs were available and HIV/AIDS was still considered a death sentence. His story is one of a proud openly gay man who refused to let HIV control him, but decided to take control of HIV. You can read Alan's story here .



If you would like to submit your story to Brave Soul Collective here's the info you will need.

from Brave Soul Collective.org:

We are now accepting submissions from individuals who would like to tell their stories. It is our hope that we'll have people from all walks of life---male, female, gay, straight, bisexual, all ethnicities, who'll be willing to come forth to share a glimpse into their lives with HIV. The amount of time that you've lived with HIV is not important either. Whether you've been newly infected or have been living with the virus for 20 years and counting...doesn't matter.
Submissions can be published on our site by actual name or anonymously, depending on each individual's personal wishes and their comfort level. Submissions may anywhere from 350-750 words, depending on how detailed the author wishes to be. Any persons interested in more information about this feature or wishing to submit a written piece can email us at: submissions@bravesoulcollective.org.

Labels: HIV/AIDS

I'd heard of gospel singer Dwayne Woods and his testimony of how God healed him of HIV about a year ago and my initial thought was disbelief. It's not everyday that you hear of someone who tested positive come out and tell you that through prayer and faith the virus had been completely wiped out of their system. After all this is a disease that has no cure and has claimed the lives of millions of people over the past 25 years.

I truly believe that over two decades into this epidemic we are either infected or affected by this disease. It took me a really long time to watch Dwayne give his testimony because honestly I was a little skeptical. But then I thought to myself as a christian we believe that God can perform miracles, then why not in the case of Dwayne Woods and other people living with HIV or any terminal illness.

I'm posting this because I believe that somebody who comes across this post might benefit from Dwayne's testimony. Somebody who may feel like they have nothing to live for, somebody who may feel like they're used and unwanted goods, you're not in the fight alone, God is still in control.

Labels: HIV/AIDS, Religion

It has been a minute since I watched a new episode of Nathan and Jared's popular youtube series The & Show, so yesterday I logged on to see what the fellas were discussing and the topic was H.I.V. . I was deeply moved by how honest the discussion was and my first thought was that I had to post it here so even more people had the chance to see it. My biggest concern was whether or not people would actually take the time to watch it, those three letters have a tendency to turn people off very quickly.

H.I.V. has been around for over 20 years and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. I've always said either you're infected with it or affected by it, this disease does not discriminate and that's why it's so important that we talk about it openly in an effort to create awareness, promote protection and testing, and encourage treatement for those living with HIV/AIDS.

In 2007 there are still people who are unaware of how the virus is transmitted and are putting themselves at risk. But an even bigger problem in the black community is the stigma attached to those living with HIV/AIDS that causes individuals not to seek treatment because of shame and the constant fear of rejection. It's amazing how we embrace those living with cancer and we shun those living with HIV as if anyone deserves to live with either disease. I applaud Nathan and Jared for tackling this sensitive topic and I hope that it serves as a tool to educate, uplift, and empower those who are HIV negative and those who are living a positive life with H.I.V. .

Labels: HIV/AIDS

A two year old foster child infected with HIV from birth was recently denied entrance to the Wales West RV Park in Spring Hill, Alabama during a family vacation. Dick and Silvia Glover stated during a national interview on ABC that park owner Ken Zadnichek gave them two options, either keep two year old Caleb out of the public showers and pool or leave.

Zadnichek stated he wasn't sure if Caleb could infect other park visitors if he "upchucked" on them and it was his job to ensure the safety of all patrons and not just Caleb. This situation truly saddens me. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that in 2007 people are still unaware of how HIV/AIDS is transmitted and I'm equally embarrased that this incident took place in my home state.

This story is living proof that the social stigma attached to HIV/AIDS is still alive and well. Education is the key to prevention and ultimately a major factor in the quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS and how they are treated by those who are lucky enough not to carry such a huge burden.

I challenge everyone who's reading this post not to become a reflection of the park owner, but to become well informed of the facts about HIV/AIDS. For more information click here and here .

Labels: HIV/AIDS

Timothy Daniels and Tadhi Coulter are a gay couple living in Los Angeles. Timothy has been living with HIV for over 20 years and his long time partner Tadhi is HIV negative. I had the pleasure of meeting these two extraodinary individuals during my time in L.A. where we all frequented In The Meantime Men's Group .

They are co-founders of the organizationStanding -NTruth and have made it their mission to educate, empower, and mobilize the Black community around HIV/AIDS. One of the organizations tools for educating the masses about the facts about HIV/AIDS and the stigma attatched to the disease is a documentary that goes by the same name(Standing -N-Truth).

Recently Timothy and Tadhi shared their story of being in a committed relationship, the rejection of certain family members, and dealing with Timothy's positive status on National Public Radio.

I've often said that it's imperative that we go out and tell our own stories or we risk having someone else tell them for us.This is exactly what Timothy has done. It takes an amazing amount of courage to stand up in front of a room filled with strangers and announce that you're gay and also HIV- positive.

I saw his documentary for the first time last September at a screening during Atlanta's Black Gay Pride Celebration and was deeply moved by how raw and uninhibited the stories were of the people involved in the film. HIV/AIDS is not the death sentence it once was, but the invention of life saving drugs should not cause us to become complacent. The fight to eradicate this terrible disease is far from over. Timothy and Tadhi along with their organization is a beautiful example of what can be accomplished when you choose love over fear and life over death.

Check out the documentary Standing- N-Truth below:

Standing -N- Truth:

Add to My Profile | More Videos

Labels: Activism, HIV/AIDS

Just when it seemed the whole down low phenomenon was yesterday's news, a new film by actor-director Bill Duke entitled Cover is set to be released in the fall, and will no doubt spark a huge debate around this controversial topic.

I first learned of this project on keithboykin.com when it was called Invisible. Keith along with many in the Black LGBT community feared that this film would further demonize Black gay men as irresponsible predators who are purposefully infecting Black women with HIV. I've written about my disgust for the media hype around the down low and the men who are leading these double lives, so I won't go off on a tangent again.

I will say that I hope major corrections have been made to the script and the false statistics the director provided as fact in the original trailer have been removed. The original trailer is two minutes and fifty seconds of pure adrenaline. If the objective was to get people interested in buying a ticket to see the film, even in my disdain for the topic and the way it's being presented I would have to say mission accomplished.

According to a recent interview with Philadelphia Gay News Bill Duke had this to say,

“With black people and the growing numbers of AIDS in our community, [we have] to take responsibility for our behavior,” he said. “[We have to] become aware of the fact that no one is going to come and save us. You look at the numbers of AIDS cases these days and the federal government is not doing that much, unfortunately. We have to take responsibility for our own community. I don’t know any other culture of men, other than black men, that if you say to them a disease is wiping out 70 percent of their women in terms of new cases, would stand by and watch that. We’re talking about our sisters. We’re talking about our daughters, our nieces and our young men. When you go to the black community, it’s amazing. People still think it’s still a white homosexual disease. It’s insane. It’s killing us. I don’t get it. Something has to be done and that’s what we’re attempting to do.”

That statement is a huge departure from the accusatory tone of Duke's early statements and the artisitic direction of the film. Let's hope that his intentions are good and he's not another J.L. King using a hot button issue to fill his wallet. I guess we'll have to wait and see. I've uploaded the original trailer for you to watch, check it out up above.

Labels: Entertainment, HIV/AIDS

Darryl Stephens, star of the new gay film Boy Culture is lending his image to the Got Aids? campaign by Los Angeles based Black Aids Institute .

The question on the front of the shirt is bold and is sure to make any passerby think about their status, but the question on the back of the shirt takes it a step further. It asks," How do you know?"

There was recently a meeting of the minds in Scottsdale, Arizona that included political leaders, activists, and members of the media. They all convened to devise an action plan that would reeduce the rate of HIV infection among African Americans by half in five years, increase the percentage of those who know their status, reduce stigma, and test a million people over the next year. They also planned to get black Americans into care earlier and improve education for those testing negative as well as positive.

You can read more about this cause here and here .

Labels: HIV/AIDS

Last May I had a wonderful opportunity to witness the passion and activism of Johnny Guaylupo at the Campaign to End Aids Youth Action Institute in Chicago. Johnny has been on the front lines fighting for proper access to drugs for HIV positive individuals here in the U.S. as well as abroad.

Born and raised on the tough streets of New York City, Johnny was diagnosed with HIV at 17 years old, he is now 25. In an interview with the British publicationPositive Nation, he reveals his early struggle coping with the disease, his sexuality, and his mother's drug abuse.

Johnny's story is so amazing because he is an example of what can be accomplished by choosing life even in the midst of HIV/AIDS. 8 years later he is still going strong with an undetectable viral load and a CD4 count of 900.

Take a moment to read his story here , it will inspire you.

Labels: HIV/AIDS

The Campaign to End AIDS (www.c2ea.org) and the National Minority AIDS Council (www.nmac.org) have developed a joint advocacy action for Wednesday February 7, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

On Wednesday February 7, C2EA is urging people all over the country to participate in a national call-in day to demand action from Congress on key items in the FY07 federal budget to fight AIDS in Black America. Call Congress toll free at 888-802-1207.

Tell your Senator and Representative: "We need your help to stop the AIDS crisis in Black America. This year's federal budget must include new funding for AIDS housing, prevention and treatment to implement the five-point action plan recommended by the National Minority AIDS Council."


STEPS YOU CAN TAKE ON HIGH-PRIORITY AIDS ISSUES TODAY

1. AIDS Housing

Make sure the federal Health Resources & Services Agency (HRSA) knows AIDS housing is essential to the health of people living with HIV/AIDS. Submit your comments to HRSA by February 5

2. HIV Treatment for All

Sign on to support the Early Treatment for HIV Act (ETHA) which would allow states to expand Medicaid to cover everyone living with HIV and provide enhanced funding to make it happen. E-mail rgreenwa@law.harvard.edu; for more info on ETHA .

The 26 cities with the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS for African Americans include New York, NY; Washington, DC; Miami, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX; San Francisco, CA; Dallas, TX; Detroit, MI; New Orleans, LA; Memphis, TN; Boston, MA; St. Louis, MO; Virginia Beach, VA; Orlando, FL; Jacksonville, FL; Columbia, SC; Tampa, FL; Baton Rouge, LA; Cleveland, OH; Richmond, VA; Charlotte, NC; and San Diego, CA.

HIV/AIDS affects everyone. If you're not infected with it you're affected by it. Go and get tested today. I know my status do you know yours? Choose life.

Labels: HIV/AIDS

Yesterday I received an alarming e-mail from my friend Larry Bryant , National Field Organizer of Housing Works in D.C. The increase of new HIV/AIDS cases and AIDS related deaths in D.C. are spiraling out of control and in some cases higher than numbers reported by the city of New York. People of color make up more than 82% of total HIV/AIDS cases and 89% of new cases in D.C. , so we are being infected at a much higher rate than any other minority.

Here are the latest results for people living with HIV/AIDS in D.C. :

D.C. AIDS Case Rate
128.4 (per 100,000) - worst in the U.S. (next is NY at 32.7)

D.C. HIV/AIDS Death Rate
40.8 - worst in the U.S. (next is MD at 10.7)

D.C. is 10th in the U.S. in pediatric AIDS (38)

D.C. is 50th in total population (541,420) but ranks 14th in total deaths due to HIV/AIDS (7,765)

Washington, D.C. HIV/AIDS Statistics ( statehealthfacts.org )

We are asking that people flood D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty's office with e-mails, faxes and phone calls. Ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic in D.C. and in the rest of the world has to become a priority for us as well as our elected officials.

You can fax the Mayor at (202)543-9146 or e-mail him at jenna@communityeducationgroup.org as soon as possible.

Labels: HIV/AIDS

As I was driving through Atlanta's West End on Sunday I passed by the above billboard and I had to pull over to capture the image on my camera. I was struck by the billboard's message as well as the models chosen to represent the many faces of HIV.

It is no secret that HIV/AIDS has become a Black disease. Black gay men are being hit the hardest. According to a study conducted by the CDC in 5 major cities throught the U.S., more than 46% of all Black gay men are HIV positive.

HIV is the enemy. There is something that I find so ironic about the tone of this message, HIV does not discriminate, but yet human beings do. Our goal should be to search for a cure and treat this disease effectively and worry less about how people became infected. Whether you're black, white, gay, or straight no one deserves this disease.

Stigma and religious bigotry is alive and well. How many people do you hear at church say "pray for me church I have HIV or AIDS?" No one from fear of being ostracised and treated like a leper.

Well what do you do when you're a gay man and you're positive or completely healthy and you're turned away from your doctor because of who you are? Unfortunately this sort of thing is happening in doctor's offices all over the country. Gay men are going to their doctors for medical attention but instead are being given religious lectures and a prescription of Leviticus 18:22 .


An example of this medical malpractice occured with a youg man named Jay. You can read the full story on gayhealth.com. And they wonder why brothas won't get tested and why we're dying at a much faster rate than any other group?

Labels: HIV/AIDS

If you come across the new issue of HIV PLUS Magazine or The Advocate you will probably see a familiar face. My friend and fellow blogger
Jonathan Perry is featured as one of the 8 people who are changing the way the world views HIV and the people who are living with the disease.

Jonathan has been apart of the fight to increase awareness and provide the necessary information to young people to spare them from learning about HIV the hard way. Lately his focus has been less on prevention but on hope and inspiring people to become apart of a solution to eradicate this virus that has affected so many people within the Black community.

"Education is still good. Abstinence, monogamy, and condoms are still good. But, a vaccine is is our best hope for ending this awful pandemic. We are who we have been waiting for. It is [Black] people who are going to have to move beyond the things we have allowed, so easily to beset us", said Jonathan.

I'm really close to Jonathan(he's actually sitting right next to me as I'm typing) and I know the person behind the magazine layouts and the Oprah Winfrey Show. I would never tell him this in person because it would go to his head, but I'm really proud of him. It takes courage to reveal something so personal to complete strangers.

So go grab a copy of these two magazines and support one of our own. If I have to listen to him revel in his "newfound celebrity" you should too. LOL !

Labels: Coming Out, Entertainment, HIV/AIDS

There's very few shows on LOGO that I look forward to watching now that the second season of Noah's Arc has ended, so you would have to imagine how excited I was when I came across another person of color on a network that caters to a largely white gay audience.

I'm not complaining, I love LOGO, just stating the facts. On the newest episode of Coming Out Stories we're introduced to Black lesbian rapper Trish aka Feloni. Feloni is in the process of releasing her debut album in which the lyrical content is heavy on the lesbian side. After listening to her single "I Took Your Bit**", there should be no doubt in the listeners mind that she is same-sex attracted.

The only problem is that Feloni has not come out to her father or her brother Floyd, aka "Pookie"(does every black person have someone in their family named Pookie?). She eventually works up the courage to come out and once she does she's shocked by the acceptance that she receives from her dad and her conservative brother.

It all seemed to good to be true to me. It amazes me that some families accept their kids right away and others struggle for acceptance and respect for years. The latter being my experience.

This example of unconditional love from a family further dispells the myth that Blacks are more homophobic than Whites. There's open minded people in our community who would rather think with their heads instead of relying on religious dogma to determine whether or not to accept their lesbian and gay relatives.

I wish this was everyone's coming out story.

Labels: Coming Out, Entertainment, HIV/AIDS

Last night Michael Richards appeared on the David Letterman Show to apologize for his racist comments during a performance at the Laugh Factory in L.A. . Jerry Seinfeld, his co-star from the 90's hit tv show was on hand to offer support for his career challenged racist friend.

Richards did his best to offer a sincere apology to the "Afro- American" community. Will somebody please tell this man we haven't been "Afro-American" since the afro went out of style.

There is no excuse for the behavior he exhibited on stage, a real comedian would have kept his cool and found a humorous way to deal with hecklers from the audience. His career as he knew it before should be over. Where is the outrage from the black community? Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton where are you now?

This just goes to show that racisim is still alive and well in this country.

Labels: Entertainment, HIV/AIDS

Michael Richards of the hit show "Seinfeld" recently made an appearnace at the Laugh Factory in L.A. and to the surprise of many of the people in attendance began to shout the racial slur "nigger" at two African -American gentlemen in the audience.

This was caught on tape just as he began his racial tirade. You can watch the video here .

Just when I thought I had seen it all. Many thanks to my friend Jasmyne Cannick for bringing this story to my attention.

Labels: Entertainment, HIV/AIDS

Last week South Africa's Parliament legalized same-sex marriage giving all couples the opportunity to have their unions legally recognized by the officials in their country.

Although this is a step in the right direction for securing equality for all lesbian and gays in South Africa , the outright homophobia, discrimination, and violence is far from over.

In an article written by Associated Press writer Terry Leonard he evokes a quote from Donna Smith, the head of the Forum for the Empowerment of Women and a member of the Coalition of African Lesbians that rang so true for me that I wanted everyone to hear it.

"What is un-African is homophobia," said Smith. "Some people believe homosexuality is an idea brought here by the white man. But it has always been here. What the white man brought was homophobia clothed in religious doctrines that we did not have before."

Just ponder on that quote for a minute. It's so profound that I'm having a hard time getting my thoughts together to write a response. I'm sure it will come in time and I will explore her quote more in depth. Meanwhile, please feel free to leave your comments. I'm interested to know your thoughts as well.

Labels: HIV/AIDS

He had a stroke. That’s what we had been told, a major stroke that would dramatically alter his life if he was lucky enough to come out of the coma that he was in as a result of his failing health.

The family quickly rushed to his side in his hospital room showing their usual support when a family member falls ill.
So when the phone rang and the person on the other end told my mom my cousin had indeed had a stroke, I just assumed she was re-stating old information, but she wasn’t done.

I heard my mom say, “he has AIDS”. Everything in the world came to a stand still and silence immediately came over everyone in the room. This was the first time that anyone in my immediate family had ever been known to have “it” as some family members refer to HIV/AIDS.

I knew I would have to spend the rest of the evening educating my family on the facts about “it”, the only problem was they refused to talk about it after the announcement was made, or at least not to their gay son. “It” became the topic of conversation for everyone my mother talked to on the phone. “I don’t know what kinda life he was leading”, I overheard her say.

My heart begins to race, my tongue is dry and my head starts to ache. I’m starting to have an anxiety attack. This rarely happens to me but I’ve experienced it before and it’s scary.

Did my mother think he deserved to have this disease? Even worse, did she think that she or anyone else was immune to contracting HIV?

Damn! Speak up Darian! Don’t allow her to continue walking around uninformed, but I can’t speak. My heart is now beating at an aggressive pace and I’m thinking about my cousin who I haven’t seen in years laying in a hospital bed with “it”.
No one is making any plans to drop everything and rush to his side now.

My God is this really happening? He’s our blood. Whatever happened to “a family that prays together stays together”? I guess that only looks good on the front of a family reunion T-shirt.

Don’t they know that could be anyone in our family lying up in that bed? AIDS looks like my grandmother, my uncle, my sister, and me.

I’m disappointed. Disappointed that a person dealing with any disease that doesn’t bare the title HIV/AIDS is deemed worthy of compassion and the person living with AIDS is better off being quarantined.

But more than anything I’m disappointed in myself. My cousin needed me to speak up for him and all I could do was worry about not making the moment any more uncomfortable for my mom.

I’ll be by his side in the morning.

Labels: HIV/AIDS

The L.A. based Black Aids Institute under the leadership of founder and executive director Phil Wilson will celebrate the achievements of Noah's Arc creator Patrick Ian-Polk , photographer Duane Cramer , and singer Dionne Warwick for their contributions in the fight to educate people through their work about HIV/AIDS.

They will be honored at the 6th Annual Heroes In The Struggle Gala and Reception at 6 P.M. on November 16th at The Director's Guild of America in L.A. . The theme of this years event is "That's What Friends Are Still For", a tribute to the 80's recording with Dionne Warwick and friends that benefited AIDS research.

Art for some people can be considered purely entertainment, but the best art mirrors life and is thought provoking and educational. Through film, photography, and music these artists have used their natural abilities for a greater cause. We salute these Heroes In The Struggle.

Labels: HIV/AIDS