AIDS Project Los Angeles, one of the largest non-profit AIDS service organizations in the United States, provides bilingual direct services, prevention education and leadership on HIV/AIDS-related policy and legislation. Founded by four friends in 1982, APLA is a community-based, volunteer-supported organization with local, national and global reach.

On this 25th anniversary of the epidemic, we remember our board and staff members lost to AIDS.

Board of Directors:

Scott Barry
Marc Brian Berman
James Bridges
Scott Butcher
Syd Crocker
Max Drew
John Gaines
Steve Galicia
Jack Georgeous
Jack Martin Gonzales
Jaak Hamilton
Ron Hunter
Timothy J. Lampe
Erin Lorber
Nancy Cole Sawaya
Peter Scott
Jon R. Stiller
Gary Stone
Mario Tamayo
Kenneth R. Thompson
Gene Luther Whitington

Staff:

Brian Arndt
Claudio J. Battaglia
John Boles
Jerry Carlson
Jerry Clark
James J. Dionisio
Mark Donahue
R. Dean Evans, Jr.
Christopher Flynn
David Greenes
Gustavo Guzmeli
Kenneth S. Halpern
Larry Harris
Mark Horrocks
Matthew Hostomsky
Francis W. Kenealy
Steve Korbel
Patrick Land
John L. Lee
J. Dean Licitra
William Lowry
Carl Lukes
Jeff Lusk
Joe Marrero
Luis Maura
Rafael Montanez
Michael Parker
David Parrish
Edward Paulo
Jose Perez
Eric Peterson
Carol Quinn
Shane Sawick
Philip Sheley
Randy Stewart
Kent Tarrani
Luis Vega

We regret any omissions to this list.

In loving remembrance of our beloved friend and maestro,

ORBERT W. WALKER

July 29, 1954 - August 11, 2003

"It's all about love,
It's all about love,
Why are there so many rules?"

Greatly missed by his spiritual family at Living in the Light Ministry
Rabbi Denise Eger

Congregation Kol Ami

When I think of the last 25 years of the AIDS crisis, my mind immediately flashes on the faces of the many men who have died in our community. I think of the days of schlepping to visit at Sherman Oaks Hospital, Kaiser, Midway, and downtown at County-USC, sometimes all in the same day. I remember vividly the hours going from room to room on the third floor of Sherman Oaks Hospital trying to bring a word of cheer and comfort, a moment of prayer, a warm embrace. I think of the vigils at beside by friends and numerous battles with family who came in at last minute ignoring the partner of long-standing and pushing him aside (and having the legal ability to do so). I remember having to suit up-in full scrubs and masks and gloves in the earliest years. And then when I would go in the room and close the door, immediately removing the gloves and mask to hold a hand. I remember bringing food trays left outside the door to a hospital room in the early years when hospital aides would refuse to bring it in fearing contagion. I remember the amazing doctors who gave and gave of themselves tirelessly. I remember some of the incredible nurses who gave such gentle and loving care even when there was such anger and pain in the room.

I think of Michael and Rick, Arthur and Len, Hal, Joe, Eric, Elliot, Kenny, Bart, Daniel, Steve, David, Allan, Alan, Jeffrey, Ira, Brian, Gabe, Randy, Todd, and Lance. I think of the sweet faces of Mark, Fred, and Larry, Marshall, Richard, Paul, Sean, Art and Chuck. I am thinking on this anniversary of Simon, Harris, Elliot, Jim, Billy and, Peter, Allen. They stay with me. Most in their 30s and 40s their faces frozen in time in my memory with boyish grins that used to dance the night away and in the end thin and wasted faces.

I think of the many community leaders now gone who built our institutions and left a legacy of strength and dignity for each of us.

There are many others. Sometimes it seems too numerous to name. But each of these men is with me. Touching my soul. I carry them in me, helping them to live on.

AIDS is not over. There is not yet a cure. Many in our community are too young to remember that time of illness and death. It was a horror to be sure. But as this 25th anniversary is observed we would all do well to stop and take some time to honor them and their memory. We do the greatest honor to our loved ones who have died when we say their names aloud and when we do acts of justice in their memory.

Give charity in their memory. Volunteer for an AIDS organization. Practice safe sex. Visit the cemetery. Honor those who are still living with HIV/AIDS and keep AIDS education, research and funding at the top of our communal agenda. These are some of the many things we can do at this 25th anniversary.

By Eric Wilks

Executive Assistant to the President

Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)

Gordon "Don" Thomas: 12/14-67-6/6/03

Born in Illinois, died in San Francisco, CA

Luis Balmaseda

(Luis Balmaseda Fund for Gay & Lesbian Libraries and Archives named for him)

(Sister is Liz Balmaseda of the Miami Herald)

Died in Los Angeles in early/mid-'90s.

Judge Rand Schrader: 5/11/45 - 6/13/93

Author Paul Monette

Journalist Randy Shilts

Film Historian Vito Russo (and a founder of GLAAD)

Activist Pedro Zamora

Craig J. Anderson

A.B., magna cum laude Harvard College, 1977, J.D. cum laude Harvard Law School, 1981. Mr. Davidson began his legal career at the New York law firms of Webster & Sheffield and Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett, where he frequently undertook pro bono assignments on behalf of Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund and The Council of New York Law Associates. In June 1987, he left the practice of law to become the first executive director of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc. He retired from GLAAD in September 1990 due to ill health. He died of AIDS-related causes in August 1991.

Stephen F. Kolzak TV Executive,

From the New York Times obit:

Former senior vice president of casting and talent at Columbia Pictures Television, died on [Sept. 19, 1990] at Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Community Hospital. He was 37 years old and lived in Los Angeles. His family said he had died of AIDS. Mr. Kolzak, who was born in Hartford and was a graduate of Harvard, was previously manager of West Coast casting for NBC and vice president of casting for Embassy Stephen F. Kolzak, former senior vice president of casting and talent at Columbia Pictures Television, died on Wednesday at Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Community Hospital. He was 37 years old and lived in Los Angeles. His family said he had died of AIDS. Mr. Kolzak, who was born in Hartford and was a graduate of Harvard, was previously manager of West Coast casting for NBC and vice president of casting for Embassy Television. In 1984, he received an Artios Award from the Casting Society of America for his original casting of ''Cheers.'' Among other shows he cast were ''Starsky and Hutch,'' ''Facts of Life,'' ''Silver Spoons,'' ''One Day at a Time,'' ''The Jeffersons'' and ''Who's the Boss?'' His companion was Paul Monette.

[Kolzak devoted the last part of his life to fighting AIDS-phobia and homophobia in the entertainment industry. GLAAD awards the Stephen F. Kolzak Award to an openly gay member of the entertainment or media community for his or her work toward eliminating homophobia.]

Submitted by AIDS Project Los Angeles:

J. Dean Licitra

the APLA Communications director

Died in 1995

From Elizabeth Savage

Those who are in beloved memory:

Arthur Robbins, PhD

Jayne Little

Bob Converse

The City of West Hollywood Remembers:

Tim Gawronski
David Amorena
Michael Bursztin
David Scott
Shawn Hughes
Kenny Poe
Paul Self
Ray Villareal
Mac McCoy
Joe Crow
Dexter McLemore
Grant Lighton
Richard Dorsey Muller
Clarke Ireland
VInce Freeman
DwighT Ewing
Clayton Griffin

I was privileged to fight side-by-side with these heroes for our rights.

By Charles Stewart (HIV-), Deputy, U.S. Rep. Diane E. Watson

• Bob Finney, Oct. 5, 1996, 52, L.A.: black gay ACLU activist Mel Boozer, 1987, Washington, D.C.: black gay political leader
• Duane Bremond, Oct 22, 1961, 41, L.A.: co-founder, At The Beach Chris Brownlie, Nov. 28, 1989, 33, Silver Lake: AIDS activist, eponym of L.A.'s first AIDS hospice
• Rodney Carter, January 1994, L.A.: founder, Black Gentlemen Concerned
  Duke Comegys, February 1997, L.A.: gay activist, fundraiser
• Bob Craig, April 28, 2000, 65, West Hollywood; publisher, Frontiers Magazine
• Steve Endean, Aug. 4, 1993, Washington, D.C.: founder, Human Rights Campaign Fund
• Gay Rights National Lobby Ron Grayson, Aug 29, 1990, Silver Lake: founder
• Black Gay Men's Coalition Lupin Loughborough, July 4, 1993, 48, Berkeley: community/AIDS activist
• Wes Kuney, 1990, Hollywood: gay bar owner/activist
• Gérman Maisonet, Sep. 1996, L.A.: black gay AIDS physician/advocate
• Niles Merton, March 14, 1996, 40, L.A.: publisher, The Advocate
• Reggie Williams, Feb. 7, 1999, 47, San Francisco: black gay AIDS activist
• Jim McJimpsey, Nov. 3, 1996, 45, San Francisco: black gay activist
• William J. "Brandy" Moore, 1994, San Francisco: black gay/AIDS activist
• Morgan Pinney, July 10, 1987, 49, New York: gay media activist
• Marlon Riggs, April 5, 1994, 37, Berkeley: black gay filmmaker
• Mike Smith, Sep. 14, 1989, 50, San Francisco: founder, Black & White Men Together
• Kevin Spears, 2003, L.A.: black Christian gay/HIV activist
• Rex Reece, Ph.D., Hollywood: gay psychologist
• Joe Toy, Nov. 1990, Long Beach: gay pride activist
• Sgt. Perry Watkins, March 17, 1996, 46, Tacoma, WA and L.A.: openly gay discharged, Army officer won lawsuit and re-instatement 1989.
• Bruce Voeller, Ph.D., Feb. 13, 1994, 59, L.A.: founder, National Gay Task Force
• Wayne Zimmerman, May 4, 2001, 43, West Hollywood: fitness trainer