By Giovanni M. Ravalli
In the early 1980s, an illness appeared that affected otherwise healthy individuals. Doctors in major cities across the world scrambled to identify the cause. Soon after, the term “AIDS” entered public awareness. Initially affecting young and healthy gay men, the condition was called GRID (Gay Related Immune Disorder). Decades later, the landscape now looks dramatically different. Once a highly stigmatized death sentence, HIV/AIDS is now a manageable condition and no longer a medical crisis. In honor of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, the LGBTQ+ Resource Center held a workshop in the Student Center on Dec. 3, an opportunity for communities to come together to reflect on breakthroughs, the millions of lives lost, and the millions of lives affected by the disease.
For those in attendance, it was a time to commemorate those impacted and learn the history of the AIDS pandemic through open discussion, Q&A, and videos.
“It was just a reminder of what has been versus what is now and the process of getting there. With what’s going on in the world, I needed that reminder,” said junior Ryl Sahawneh, a theater major at BC.
Alexandra Juhasz, an AIDS Activist since 1986, served as the keynote speaker for this year’s World AIDS Day event. With almost 40 years of activism experience, Juhasz came to talk about the legacy of AIDS and share her videos on the experiences of those with AIDS.
“I came to New York and AIDS was affecting communities of color, gay communities, and poor people in the city, and I was eager to participate in activism that was engaged in helping those communities,” said Juhasz. “A lot of the people around me were making AIDS work, and so I started making AIDS videos very early and the first video I made was called ‘Women and AIDS.’ It was one of the first videos ever made in the world about that issue, and I made it as a volunteer at the Gay Men’s Health Crisis [GMHC].”
According to GMHC, the world’s first HIV/AIDS service organization, their mission is to “end the AIDS epidemic and uplift the lives of all affected.” They serve New Yorkers throughout the five boroughs. The communities they serve are disproportionately affected by HIV. Over 70% live below the Federal Poverty Line; 29% are Black, 34% are Latino, and 68% are LGBTQ+. For viewers of the videos, it showed the great lengths still needed to be taken to treat those with AIDS.
“I was definitely hoping to learn something which I did. For instance, I did not know that there was still an increased lack of access to AIDS treatment in the US and communities of color even here in NY,” said Sahawneh. “I just assumed that we’re in the US and that it’s covered by insurance and that it should be available–stuff that I should’ve known, but did not connect the dots to.”
Over the decades, the global response to AIDS has changed since the early days of the pandemic. What was once considered a death sentence is now marked by groundbreaking treatments, increasing awareness, and effective prevention efforts. Antiretroviral drugs have given back the healthy lives of those infected turning it into a manageable condition, and PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), a once daily pill which prevents contracting the virus, has drastically reduced infection rates.
“I think that most importantly on the first World AIDS Day, AIDS was understood as a ‘death sentence.’ Not everyone died of AIDS, and there are many long-term survivors but there wasn’t treatment. There weren’t enough national or international resources going for anything, so whether that would be to understand the science or the medicine or to improve the lives of people with AIDS through government services, that was a long time coming. That took activism to get there,” said Juhasz.
The organizers stressed that it is because of the tireless work of advocates that AIDS education and prevention has led to the decrease in people with the disease today.
“Fast forward to today, because of the organizing of AIDS activists and AIDS workers around the world there are services, there is medicine, it is treatable, you can have medication for free in countries that support that,” said Juhasz. “People don’t die of AIDS if they are treated properly and receive ongoing and consistent medication.
For some at the event, the topic is personal, having had those close to them impacted by the disease.
“One of my dad’s friends from college passed away from AIDS in the early 90s. And a few years later, I found out that his wife had contracted it from him and that she actually had to leave the country to move back in with her family so she could get access to healthcare,” said Sahawneh.
The history and impact of HIV still resonates with lots of families and communities. Activists reflect that the dark days of the crisis are over, with activism leading to new ways for patients to have ownership of their bodies.
“I think it’s a legacy of grief, trauma and loss, but also a legacy of incredible activism,” said Juhasz. “And for many people with HIV, sort of a transformative experience where they have to take ownership of their own sexuality, their body, their health. And so that legacy will always be with us.”
Students interested in the LGBTQ+ Resource Center can visit their website, https://www.brooklyn.edu/lgbtq-center/, or their Instagram, @lgbtqcenter_bc. Students interested in HIV testing can visit the Health Clinic located at 114 Roosevelt Hall, email bchealthclinic@brooklyn.cuny.edu, or call 718.951.5580 to schedule an appointment.