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It’s incredible to think how far the AIDS activist movement has come since the beginning of the crisis in 1981. Quantum leaps have taken place in access to medication, healthcare and support for millions brought about by relentless and visionary activism. So come and join us where Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) began to celebrate 40 years of their activism and the trialblazing Mark Ashton whose plaque is above the bookshop. Tickets are donations based and in high demand - pls RSVP ASAP here - https://www.outsavvy.com/event/23322/pits-perverts-and-pin-ups-celebrating-40-years-of-lgsm-mark-ashton-and-the-2025-act-up-activism
Join us with nibbles and be inspired by our discussion to coincide with the calendar 'Creating healthcare utopias in the here and now’ where we connect leaders in the field who have created seismic change in access to medication, prevention and support programmes to share their strategies for effective and transformative change along with a new generation of activists who are building a world to see an end to AIDS.
The calendar includes a timeline of vital, epic and world-changing moments in public health and HIV and AIDS activism. Designed by Matt Bonner, photographed by Holly Buckle the ‘ACT UP Pin-Ups London Calendar 2025’ features 12 beautiful portraits of 25 titans from the incredible HIV/AIDS activist movement, along with over 300 calendar entries paying homage to AIDS herstory. It includes near daily mentions of medical, media, protest and social movement advances which have pushed forward our collective journey for access to healthcare for all. All profits from the sales of this calendar will go to Positive East, Positively UK, Albert Kennedy Trust.
Testimonials in Support.
“…Shines a light on the huge role that activism has played over the years in advocating for and enabling access to rights and services to some of the most marginalised communities in the world.” Professor Kevin Fenton CBE PhD PrFPH FRCP FFSRH(Hon), President | Faculty of Public Health
“We have so much to learn from ACT UP about big tent politics and coalition work. I hope these daily reminders can inspire new innovations and ways to build the relationships that are at the center of progressive change.” Sarah Schulman, author of ‘The Gentrification of the Mind’ and ‘Let the Records Show: A Political History of ACT UP New York, 1987-1993′
“We hope that this calendar will inspire future generations to continue the fight for equality and access to healthcare for all.” Miklos Kiss, Mildmay Hospital
Our ACT UP Calendar Pin Ups joining us on the night are
Jonathan Blake who is an LGSM member and HIV activist who has lived with the virus for almost 42 years. He was born in Birmingham in 1949 and was working as an actor in 1982 when he first contracted the virus. In 1983 Jonathan met Nigel Young and together they joined LGSM. He designed the original LGSM badge and retrained as a tailor before medically retiring in 1996 and starting anti-ret retro-viral therapy in 1997. Jonathan volunteered at various HIV drop in centres. Globally outed as HIV positive at the end of the film ‘Pride’ Jonathan returned to acting and has featured in Patrick Cash’s ‘HIV Monologues’ (2017) and ‘Positive’ (2021) For some time Jonathan has been working with Simon Maddrell who is working to Produce a Poetic Memoir called ‘Jonathan Blake - Patient L1’
Silvia Petretti who is Positively UK’s CEO since 2019. She firstly joined Positively UK in 1999, when Positively UK was still known as Positively Women, as a volunteer in the organisation Community Development Team providing treatment information to women attending HIV clinics. Soon she became a staff member leading on support for women with drug and alcohol issues and providing outreach in Holloway prison. Silvia is the co-author of the SHE+ toolkit (Strong HIV Positive and Empowered), which aimed at supporting women with HIV in Europe to deliver women centred peer support. She is a member of the WHO advisory board on Women and HIV and has worked as part of a team to develop a global toolkit for women with HIV to access their Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Silvia believes that a key tool in defeating HIV stigma is for people with HIV to be heard, visible and involved in decisions that affect them. She has been living with HIV 27 years and lives in Brixton with her 4 cats.
Angelina Namiba. Originally from Kenya, Angelina has over 25 years of experience working in the HIV sector on different initiatives ranging from providing one-to-one support to people living with HIV, treatment advocacy, and managing service delivery to facilitating, promoting and advocating for the involvement of women living with HIV in forming and informing local and national strategy and policy. Living with HIV for more than 30 years, she is a founder member of the 4M Network of Mentor Mothers living with HIV A programme that works with Mentor Mothers living with HIV to train them to support their peers in their pregnancy journey and for their professional development.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Gay's The Word, 66 Marchmont Street, London, WC1N 1AB, United Kingdom,London, United Kingdom
Tickets
