"The Source" Profiles Black Gay HIV/AIDS Activists Jonathan Perry, Phill Wilson and Jesse Milan

The Source is normally not required monthly reading—the hip-hop/ebonics/music "journalism" genre is just not our thing, baby—but grab a copy of the December 2008 issue. (PDF) The editors of the hip-hop bible profile four black HIV/AIDS activists and three are black gay men well known to Rod 2.0 readers—Phill Wilson, executive director of the Los Angeles-based Black AIDS Institute; Jesse Milan, chairman of the BAI and co-chair of the Centers for Disease Control; and hottie youth HIV activist and blogger Jonathan Perry.

Perry tells The Source public speaking has allowed him to "put a face" to HIV activism. "People tend to think that when you find out your HIV status that life is over, and initially it is that way in your head. But for some people, it is just the beginning. It's an opportunity to move forward consciously knowing there's more at stake."

Jesse Milan says as a lawyer and chair of numerous boards and committees "many people don't view that as activism, but I certainly do. Activism is not necessarily just marching in the streets, although it could be that. Activists can be active and accomplish their goals in many different ways." Milan has been mentioned as a candidate in the Barack Obama White House as the new "AIDS czar." Let's hope Milan's boardroom activism takes him there.

The photo editorial and interviews are a nice touch, too. Kudos to the editors for profiling black gay men, who are hit the hardest by the HIV epidemic and not going the easy route and finding several straight black women or men who were positive.

December 2008 "Source" [pdf]

More HEALTH
More HIV

Some Background ...
Will An Openly Gay Black Man Become Obama's AIDS "Czar"? [R20]
Jonathan Perry in "The Advocate" [R20]
Phill Wilson: Candidates Must Address HIV/AIDS [R20]
Ending Black Homophobia Will Reduce HIV [R20]
CDC: Young Black Gay Men Hit Hardest by New HIV Infections [R20]
HIV Spreading in NYC at Three Times National Rate Black/Latino Gay Men Hit Hardest [R20]
CDC: "Troubling" Rise in HIV Among Black Gay Men [R20]
GMHC's "I Love My Boo" Campaign [R20]
HIV Rates Rising Among Black NYC Gay Men [R20]
CDC Tracking "Serious" Strain of Syphilis [R20]
The HIV Morning After Pill? [R20]
Black Gay Men and "The Pill" [R20]
Do You Disclose Your HIV Status? [R20]
Primetime Reports Black HIV Epidemic [After Elton]
"Out of Control: AIDS in Black America" [R20]
POZ Examines Race and the Down Low [R20]
HIV Rates Rise Among NYC Black Gay Men [R20]
POZ Examines Race and the “Down Low” [R20]
"Urban Rally Against AIDS" [R20]
The ABCs of Black HIV [R20]

Comments

[Poz]

thanks, man

[A. Martinez]

Jon Perry is hot.

[Winston Salem]

From one positive brutha, good looking out.

[Jamey]

Is there an update about Jesse Milan? Has the Obama team named their aids cazr aNd is Jesse still in the running? Thank you

[justbthat.com]

aye rod...i just want you to know i really appreciate that man... good lookin...i done gone from being cute to being a hottie...looks like i'm movin up in the world huh.

love and appreciation

jon perry

[Taylor Siluwé]

The Source? WOW.

*Speechless again. Twice in one week. *

[S. Flemming]

Ebonics ... ROTFL!

[Trinidad. Adventist. Gay?!]

I think everyone is missing the black AIDS boat. I think it's about the incarceration rate--not the number of black men in the closet.
The face of blacks with AIDS is less Jonathan Perry and more 50 Cent and his proteges on the corner.

[justbthat.com]

the face of AIDS is anyone living with it...INCLUDING the .50¢s

There is no less and more

[justbthat.com]

Still waiting for my b'day present!