"By the mid-1980s, the AIDS epidemic had completely gripped the nation. Its victims, primarily queer men, were dying by the thousands. Fear and misinformation reigned supreme, and our government refused to respond to the crisis. Reverend Charles Angel, a community leader and activist who was living with HIV himself, recognized that queer men of color faced additional disparities due to cultural norms and societal inequities."
"As a result, Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD) was born - making it the first Black gay organization exclusively dedicated to political activism. According to their mission statement at the time, it was a "support group dedicated to consciousness-raising and the development of the Lesbian and Gay community" and was "inclusive of African, Afro-American, Caribbean, and [Hispanic/Latino] men of color." Sadly, Angel passed due to HIV complications that same year."
Countless Black activists devoted their lives to combating HIV/AIDS in their communities. The mid-1980s saw the epidemic devastating primarily queer men, with fear, misinformation, and a lack of governmental response exacerbating suffering. Reverend Charles Angel, an HIV-positive community leader, organized a July 16, 1986 meeting in Manhattan that resulted in the founding of Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD), the first Black gay organization exclusively dedicated to political activism. GMAD’s mission emphasized consciousness-raising, community development, and inclusion of African, Afro‑American, Caribbean, and Hispanic/Latino men of color. Angel died that same year from HIV complications. Hydeia Broadbent became a visible public voice by 2000.
Read at Advocate.com
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