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I met Richard Sandman (left) about five years ago in Queens as he was attending an immigration law workshop for immigrants with HIV. We'd corresponded through e-mail on immigration issues before but it was nice to put a face to the name.As of late, Sandman, who often provided pro-bono work representing HIV positive and LGBT immigrants from an academic environment, had recently decided to launch his own private attorney practice.I can't say that we were friends but over the years we developed a close professional relationship. He often reached out to me to see if I had country-specific documentation on abuses against HIV positive and LGBT individuals in certain Latin American countries and, more often than not, I was able to provide him with a wealth of information from my archives. He also would refer clients to me for advice on immigration issues and to facilitate sharing of information in cases that he was working on.Last time I exchanged messages with Richard back in April, he had asked whether I had articles on Argentina. I'd saved a reminder to send him the information but had yet to get around to it. Yet, the reminder stared at me from time to time and made me feel guilty I still hadn't looked for stuff in my files. What made me feel at ease was that Richard was pretty good at reminding me if I still hadn't replied, knowing how overwhelmed I sometimes get at work, and - so far - he had not pressed for the info.This is why it was such a shock to me to find out on Friday night that Richard, who was 46, had passed away on April 30th. He had been hospitalized on April 23d after suffering a massive heart attack and, though doctors seemed to think he might survive after a week in a coma, unfortunately he did not make it through.A sweet low-key kinda guy who truly helped hundreds of HIV positive and LGBT immigrants gain political asylum in the United States, Richard was truly an unsung hero. He was somewhat comfortable with the Spanish language which surprised me a bit until I found out his family was from Mexico. Still, as always, he would underplay just how much Spanish he knew and was self-depreciating about his language abilities.A mutual friend tells me he was so dedicated to his work that few people truly got to know him. By all accounts, though, many seemed to love the guy and recognize his unselfishness in dedicating his life's work to the issue of immigration.
So, thanks Richard, for dedicating your life to such an unprotected and maligned population. Thanks, Richard, for the many times you expressed admiration for my work. And, thanks, Richard, for inspiring others - including me - to keep doing what we do.
Too late to learn about a recent memorial in my case, friends set up a blog to update others on Richard's condition from the moment that he was hospitalized. You can read the entries and comments made by friends here.
RELATED:
Housing Works, the powerful NYC HIV/AIDS service and advocacy organization, has been following up on the Puerto Rican HIV/AIDS services crisis that has unfolded over the last few months (as have organizations such as the Latino Commission on AIDS and the National Minority AIDS Council and the grassroots organization UNID@S Dandole Cara al SIDA).
Today, in a report posted on their AIDS Issues Update site, they describe a series of developments that have taken place since we last wrote about the crisis including the appointment of Jorge Delgado Rivas as a new assistant to Puerto Rico's Secretary of Health.
Upon his appointment by Puerto Rican Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila "Rivas became the first Puerto Rican government official expressly charged with overseeing the territory's response to its appalling AIDS epidemic," says Housing Works, which would make Rivas a mini-AIDS czar, I guess.
Activists have generally applauded some of the recent steps taken to address the crisis, including the hiring of Rivas, but the honeymoon might be over.
After a month on the job, Housing Works says that Rivas has joined the Puerto Rican government in denying that there is a waiting list for newly infected HIV patients seeking medications - as has been charged by community advocates such as Jose F. Colon.
The truth, it appears, might be murkier: For the full article please go to "Wating Game."
In the uncredited article, Housing Works also raises questions about Riva's qualifications for the post and challenge an Associated Press report that Rivas is a physician. Apparently Rivas only holds a PhD in administration from a non-accredited school once based in New Hampshire but now based in St. Kitts and, Housing Works ads, "his only AIDS-related experience has been volunteering at a handful of AIDS service groups" and that Rivas is HIV positive.
Colon for one, is willing to give Rivas a chance and that is saying something, coming from one of the lead critics of HIV services in the island as an advocate living with AIDS.
Colon told Housing Works: "We can't expect Delgado to be an angel. He still has to deal with the bureaucracy here, but he listens. And I wholeheartedly give applause to a person living with AIDS who is trying to understand what the whole process is." Previously:
Last time we wrote about Quentin Harris we were wondering if his Japanese-only import "No Politics" would be ever released in the United States. Hm... We're still waiting.Still the man has been busy. Late last year, Quentin launched the hugely successful NRK records
Coast2Coast series (Kerri Chandler, Ron Trent and Ame have followed) while, closer to home, he recently became the resident DJ at kissmyblackass, a monthly house music dance club party. That's in between all the touring he has been doing in Europe and the United States.The man, who has remixed hits by Shakira, India Arie, Patti Labelle, Sting, Alicia Keys, Usher, Jill Scott, Mariah Carey, Leela James, Floetry and Femi Kuti has recently had a couple of his own cuts burn down the dancefloors throughout the world: "Hate Won't Change Me" featuring Byron Stingly and, more recently, "What it Feels Like" featuring the amazing Joi Cardwell (you can listen to both on the "audio console" at Quentin's official website).In the meantime I have to admit that even I was a little shocked by how prominent Quentin has been on a different endeavor [Warning: NSFW]. Not that there aren't other out DJ's out there (Junior Vazquez, Frankie Knuckles, Tom Stephan a/k/a Superchumbo and Danny Tenaglia, among others) but spinning records as a gay DJ is something and actually putting your sexuality front and center as an integral part of an HIV prevention campaign targeting gay men of color is quite another (oh, and did I mention that it's all about gay men of color who are active in the leather and s&m communities?).As the site says Safer+Saner "provides safer sex outreach targeting the leather and kink communities" and was founded in 2005 by Blackkat, Mr. American Leatherman 2005. Since its foundation, Safer+Saner has organized a few events and Quentin has gladly provided his, ehem, DJ services.
It's refreshing to see one of the most promising DJ's out there be so engaged in the community. But, still, I wanted to ask Quentin whether it was OK to write about it on this blog. His response?
"You can blog about whatever dude i have no shame!...LOL."
So for having no shame in his game, Quentin Harris becomes my second hero of the week! And, mind you, I don't necessarily take bestowing "hero" status lightly.
Links:
- Quentin Harris official website here
- Quentin Harris MySpace page here
- Safer+Saner here [Warning: NSFW]
Speaking of the AIDS crisis in Puerto Rico, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the heroic and selfless activism of 54-year old José Fernando Colón a/k/a "Chenín" who has long been an advocate for HIV positive individuals in the island as an HIV positive person himself.As founder and director of HIV/AIDS Patients in Favor of Healthy Policies (Pacientes VIH/SIDA Pro-Política Sana), José has long been a thorn on the side of the Puerto Rican government and has often dared to publicly name names when advocates or agency directors at larger HIV service centers have been afraid to speak up and risk losing their funding.
José, who has been also battling health-related issues (he suffered a heart-attack in November of 2006 from which he has slowly recovered), has nevertheless made certain that his voice is not silenced until he takes his last breath.
As a matter of fact, it's been rumored that when the FBI seized 400 boxes of documents from the San Juan Health Department offices in December in an investigation that is believed to be related to the questions surrounding Ryan White AIDS treatment funding for the island, San Juan Mayor Jorge Santini specifically blamed José for raising the questions that have brought so much federal attention on the health department (though it was Santini who in 2005 disbanded a Ryan White advisory panel in 2005 which included community members and replaced them with mostly governmental appointees).
José, for his part, has said that it was not only his statements that have brought such scrutiny but also the voices of patients that have seen interruptions in their treatments or delays in being given HIV treatments after initial diagnosis (apparently not due to lack of availability but to errors in distribution and tracking of medicines in stock).
Following these reports of HIV positive patients going without access to treatment, José announced that he would also stop taking his HIV medications in protest.
“I need a certification from the Health Department of Puerto Rico, signed by its Secretary, Honorable Rosa Perez Perdomo assuring patients in Puerto Rico that the waiting list has finished, and that measures are being taken for it not to re-occur in the near future,” he said in a statement.
He has yet to put a stop to his latest protest.
Through all this, José's long time partner, Anselmo Fonseca, has stood by him and made sure that José is heard even during extended hospital stays. They both deserve not only my respect but that of many others throughout the world.
I met Richard Sandman (left) about five years ago in Queens as he was attending an immigration law workshop for immigrants with HIV. We'd corresponded through e-mail on immigration issues before but it was nice to put a face to the name.
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