October 12, 2018 | Volume XVI, Issue 11 BY MARK S. KING It is every bit as absurd as it sounds. The In- ternational AIDS Society (IAS) plans to hold their global AIDS 2020 conference in San Furor Over Int’l AIDS Confab Set for US Francisco – an insanely expensive and coming directly from people living with HIV unwilling to take a privileged city located in a country that has and our allies. There is plenty of time and stand against the become dangerously inhospitable to the historical precedence to do it. Let’s break Trump administra- very populations the IAS claims to serve. down the many reasons why. tion and its descent Thank goodness for a grow- Trump USA is an obscene into fascism, who the ing army of activists and orga- and dangerous place for hell will? nizations (under the banner ‘Trump USA is AIDS 2020 The White House of #AIDS2020forAll) who are an obscene and International political Office of Nation- demanding that the IAS remove leaders may be forced to al AIDS Policy has the conference from the US. dangerous place stand with Donald J. Trump closed its doors and Maybe this all looks like inside at photo ops, trying hard to the Presidential HIV/ baseball to you, a ruckus be- for AIDS 2020’ keep a straight face while ap- AIDS Advisory Coun- tween factions, but I am here to pearing beside a man who is cil has been disband- tell you that this has everything to do with systematically stripping basic human rights ed. LGBT issues have our value as people living with HIV (and the away from immigrants, asylum- seekers, been wiped from gov- dismissal of our voice by elitists who be- LGBT people, and people with HIV. But that ernmental web pages. ened. credit: Sean lieve they know what is best for us). doesn’t mean we have to play along. Transgender people have had their military The “war on drugs” – and people Black The bottom line is this: AIDS 2020 must We are HIV activists. We stand up to service questioned, their access to health- with addiction – has cranked up be moved out of the US and this demand is the powerful. We tell the truth. If we are care imperiled, and their very lives threat- —continued on page 11 BY AARON CAHALL Karen Bellesky It took a little while before Karen Belles- – at work in 2000 ky’s new job became her calling – all of Finding Her Calling two months. Hired in April 1992 as Chase into laughter, which cause I was using two copiers,” she said. Brexton Health Care’s first regis- A profile of Karen is what it was meant “But I had 14 grants at 250 pages apiece, tered dietician, Karen wasn’t fa- to be, and that was with seven copies [each] – or, eight copies, miliar with the clinic and believed Bellesky – Chase it. I knew I was because I had to have one. That was kind she was taking just another job. Brexton’s longest- okay.” of crazy. But again, you did what you had Instead, she was deeply moved by Karen remained to do – because that was a huge chunk of the dedication of her colleagues serving employee with Chase Brex- our budget at that time.” and the great struggles her pa- ton until April 2015, Amid those 28,000 pages of grant ap- tients faced, and quickly became a 23-year run that plications, her deep dedication was far a passionate advocate for Chase Brex- makes her, at the time of this writing, the from unique among her colleagues. ton’s work. longest-serving employee in Chase Brex- “It was grassroots, and there wasn’t The turning point came about two ton history. In addition to her duties as a one employee that wasn’t totally com- months into her tenure, when Karen dietician, she served as the organization’s mitted,” she said. “We didn’t think about met with a person dying of AIDS and grants coordinator, overseeing the acquisi- hours, no one worked nine to five and we the patient’s partner. The couple play- tion of critical funding. were okay with it. And we pitched in wher- fully asked how she liked working with Getting those grant applications to- ever we were needed.” LGBT patients. gether sometimes involved extreme mea- She paid a personal price for her in- “I said, ‘I’m so grateful you’re gay sures, such as one night in 2001, long be- volvement with Chase Brexton, even because if you were straight, I wouldn’t fore digital submissions were accepted. among her own family. The strong stigma be able to concentrate, because I’d be “That was the year that I literally spent against HIV patients at the time extended drooling,’” she recalls. “And they burst the night getting the grants printed, be- —continued on page 12 Co-Publishers Jim Becker • Jim Williams [email protected] Executive Editor Jim Becker [email protected] [email protected] Associate Editor & Director of Marketing & Production Mary Taylor [email protected] Arts and Entertainment Editor Frankie Kujawa [email protected] Leather Editor Rodney Burger [email protected] Contributing Writers for Baltimore OUTloud Andre Shakti • Bill Redmond-Palmer • Brynn Devereau Charles Dudley, MPT • Chuck Duncan • David Egan David Placher • Dr. Eva Hersh MD • Elyse Buchbinder Frankie Kujawa • Gregg Shapiro • Jabari Lyles Janan Broadbent, Ph. D. • Jeffrey Clagett • Josh Buchbinder Lauren Lynch • Lee Carpenter • Linda A. Dominguez, Esq. Mark S. King • Mark Segal • Michael Ritmiller Rabbi Jan Dodi • Richard Finger • Rodney Burger Sage Piper • Steve Charing Andre Shakti Bill Redmond-Palmer • Brynn Devereaux • Chuck Duncan Charles Dudley, MPT • David Egan • David Placher Dr. Eva Hersh MD • Elyse Buchbinder • Frankie Kujawa Gregg Shapiro • Jabari Lyles • Janan Broadbent, Ph. D. Jeffrey Clagett • Josh Buchbinder Lauren Lynch Lee Carpenter • Linda A. Dominguez, Esq. Mark S. King • Mark Segal • Michael Ritmiller Rabbi Jan Dodi • Richard Finger • Rodney Burger Sage Piper • Steve Charing • Woody Derrick Contributing Writers for OUT in the VALLEY Brian George Hose • Rev. Kelly Crenshaw Rev. Robert Apgar-Taylor • Zed Sykes Contributing Writers OUT in Asbury Park, NJ Rai Guerra-Nelson • Christy Girlington Graphics Ramon Montiel Web Editor Adam Romanic Computer Solutions for Less Photographers Corey Brent Eric Randolph National Advertising Rep Rivendell Media 908-232-2021 Founders Jim Becker • Joe Berg • Mike Chase • Lee Mooney (1959-2007) • Jim Williams Baltimore OUTloud PO Box 4887 Baltimore, MD 21211 410-802-1310 Baltimoreoutloud.com Additional Information Baltimore OUTloud is published every other Friday by Pride Media, Ltd. in Baltimore, Maryland. Readers comments and unsolicited materials are welcomed and may be sent to: [email protected]. All materials appearing in this newspaper are the property of Pride Media, Ltd. and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the editor. The opinions expressed in Baltimore OUTloud are solely those of the writers unless otherwise indicated and do not necessarily reflect the views of Pride Media, Ltd., and the staff. © 2018 – All rights reserved Chair of the Board of Trustees – Jim Becker President – Jim Williams Secretary and Treasurer – Mike Chase 2 t BALTIMORE OUTLOUD OctOber 12, 2018 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM NEWS // local the trust of this community in a role like this campaign, to ensure our business- is invaluable. Over the years I have proven es and public spaces are open Update From City Hall my commitment to the people, my will- to all individuals. I’ve started of- ingness to listen, my allegiance to ficial Facebook, twitter, and Long-time community leader Jabari Lyles ty and take pride in who we are. When we my community, and my insistence Instagram profiles to share discusses his new role as the LGBTQ Affairs didn’t have a way to disseminate news and on quality, change-making work. events and information for Liaison in the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office. information relevant to our community, we You trusted me when I took over the LGBTQ community. I’ve JabaRI LYLES created one. We watched our loved ones the GLCCB years ago, during met with several leaders of Earlier this year, I moved on from my role as die, or become victims of hate crimes, dis- a time when it was easy not to. local organizations to brain- board president of Baltimore’s LGBTQ com- crimination, and violence. Our organizations I appreciate your trust in me storm ways government can munity center, GLCCB. After three eventful struggle to find dollars to support all of the now. help with achieving their years of serving as president, acting execu- complex issues we face. Although the epi- So, what am I up to? missions. I’ve met with com- tive director, and Baltimore demic was and is a terrible Aside from having necessary munity associations to support Pride chair, I was ready scourge on our community, introductory meetings with LGBTQ citizens living in Bal- to take everything I had and yes, also showed how community leaders, city agen- timore’s neighborhoods. I’ve learned, ponder what I strong we truly are, we are cy leaders and community members, I’ve had substantive conversations hadn’t learned, enjoy some more than HIV/AIDS. We started to involve myself in aa few key ini- with LGBTQ community members in restau- time to heal, and re-emerge are business leaders, ac- tiatives important to our community. I have rants, bars, events, or right in the middle of into the next phase of life. I ademics, artists, consum- been actively participating in meetings and Park Avenue. Most relevant to this writing, I am confident GLccb is in a ers, and voters.