The article highlights the community's response to the HIV/AIDS crisis led by artists and organizers in the Castro, particularly focusing on the intersection of queer and trans Latino identities. It emphasizes the collaboration between Aguirre and Teresita La Campesina, a ranchera singer who became a vocal advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness after contracting the virus. Teresita's performances not only entertained but also educated the community on health and safety, showcasing the importance of representation and connection in public health efforts.
"We needed her as one of our elders to show up and tell her story," Aguirre says. "She was a sex worker on top of being a singer, which gave her insight."
With a voice powerful enough to command even the rowdiest party, Teresita sang ballads of heartbreak, longing and desire all over the bars of 16th Street.
Collection
[
|
...
]