2023 World AIDS – Executive Director Welcome
It is an honor to see so many faces committed to raising awareness, fostering understanding, and showing solidarity in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
In my role at Stonewall Columbus, the office I occupy is a reflection of my commitment to creating space for those most in need, as we fight for equity and equality to ensure a community where all queer people are seen and thriving. It’s a space filled with symbols that echo the urgency of our work, none more poignant than the large vinyl replica of a Keith Haring piece. It serves as a constant reminder that the worldwide fight against HIV/AIDS is far from over, and its impact on the LGBTQ+/queer community has been profound.
My own life experience underscores the universality of HIV/AIDS as a human issue. In 1995, my mother, a heterosexual cis-woman, lost her life to complications due to HIV/AIDS. This reality emphasizes that the impact of this virus extends beyond sexual orientation and gender identity. As we unite in the fight against HIV/AIDS, let us recognize the intersecting challenges faced by different communities.
Stonewall Columbus is dedicated to providing connections to resources and support related to HIV/AIDS through our valued partners such as Equitas Health, Central Outreach Wellness, Columbus Public Health, and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. These partnerships enable us to offer a range of services, from education to care, contributing to a comprehensive approach in addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS.
Additionally, our burgeoning initiative, Red Space, stands as an affirming environment for the queer community to learn, explore, and understand HIV/STI wellness. With a primary focus on creating space through programming and resource connection, Red Space is committed to serving underrepresented (BIPoC) queer populations in and around Columbus/Central Ohio.
I came of age as HIV/AIDS was “coming of age.” Society, at that time, didn’t promise me a long life expectancy. As a queer Black male, I was made to believe that death due to HIV/AIDS was my destiny, and yet HIV/AIDS took my mother—not me. Today, I stand before you, a testament to resilience and the fight for a life that was taken from me before I even had a chance to live it.
Each day, I am privileged to wake up and come to work in a space that I get to help create for others. Each day, the spaces in which I exist become more emboldened because of the most authentic and full me that I elect to share. This World AIDS Day, let us draw strength from our shared experiences, honor those we have lost, and renew our commitment to creating a future where HIV/AIDS is no longer a threat to any community.
Let us embark on this journey together toward a kinder, inclusive, and more compassionate world.
Thank you for being here.
[Densil Porteous, Executive Director]
