Episode 0: Pivot & Explore – Reflections after attending the International AIDS Conference AIDS2020VIRTUAL

I had the chance to attend the International AIDS Conference as part of a group of Hoosiers (the Hoosier IAC Scholarship Fund Group) who were delegates representing Indiana and the United States of America. Our collection mission is to end healthcare outcome disparities for Black and Brown peoples in Indiana; to stand for decreasing and eliminating those disparities among other peoples and promote advocacy for healthcare whenever and wherever it is needed by anyone.

On the heels of COVID-19 and the current unrest around racial injustice, I’m trying to figure out how I want to use my time, energy and talents going forward to strengthen my community activism or “artivism” specifically around Ending the HIV Epidemic in Marion County. 

PIVOT

I know I want to continue with #CelebrateUU but I also want to do more. I need to pivot my photography + art studio in response to the new reality of living with masks and social distancing. I will still do photography. But I want to use my experiences around ABCD (Asset-Based Community Development) and peer outreach to make a difference in HIV wellness in Marion County.

Explore

Welcome to Episode 0 of a new something. For now, a podcast. Might include some blogging here or at celebrateuu.org. Hopefully will include guests in the future. Could become a vlog but for now, I like podcasts as my medium of expression – subject to change 😉

Action will follow. Under what project or organizational identity is not clear, although I have some ideas. I’m just taking time to allow my mud to settle, for my water to become clear. I’ll be using the next several weeks to have intentional conversations with others to discern what comes next.

Action without vision is only passing time, vision without acting is merely day dreaming, but vision with action can change the world.

– Nelson Mandela

The HIV statistics I quoted are from various presentations from the Ryan White Planning Council for Marion County. I hope I got them right. If not, I’ll correct them here in the comments.

Thanks for listening to this White queer cis-male ex-Christian cajun-born TCK (not TKC as I mentioned in the podcast – should be TCK Third Culture Kid!)

Sawubona!
C. Todd Fuqua
Community Photographer, Connector & Organizer

PS: Please share your questions, comments, wisecracks. I’d like to hear from you!