Editor’s Note: To preserve the identities of members, no photographs of the meeting were permitted. Only attendees who were willing to give their full names are identified in this article.
On Saturday, June 14, at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville branch, a local division of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) met in Pittsburgh. The organization plans to fight the current administration as billions of dollars in Federal spending cuts decimate USAID, PEPFAR, the CDC, and other organizations that ameliorate HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases affecting the LGBTQ+ community, specifically destroying HIV/AIDS funding.
The organization, which gained prominence in the late 80s, is dedicated to ending the AIDS crisis through creative and bold political actions. After lying dormant in Pittsburgh for years, the local chapter is roaring back to life. Fueled by a passionate crew of LGBTQ+ activists, including Benjamin Haake and Dr. Phillip Schnarrs, this new generation is ready to confront the injustices of the current administration and demand real accountability for decades of systemic neglect.
Roughly twenty to twenty-five attendees of the Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ community showed up to Saturday’s meeting ready to organize demonstrations and take direct actions to overturn some of the egregious actions being issued through executive order from the White House.
Haake, one of the organization’s facilitators, said, “A group of us [nine in total] got together to reform the organization because of the vital need. We are working in tandem with ACT UP New York and ACT UP Philadelphia.”
Although some technical issues with the library’s A/V, Jose Demarco, an organizer with ACT UP Philadelphia, joined the conversation via Zoom. He reiterated the importance of reversing the federal budget cuts with a heartfelt plea to the potential members. Demarco said, “I’m afraid of this administration. It’s unpredictable. People will die. People are dying.”
Demarco suggested that the Pittsburgh affiliate hold town halls and reach out to the community, especially Black and Latinx people, who are being hit harder by the government’s seemingly heartless decisions. He also mentioned older Americans, who are at risk of losing billions in Medicaid funding.
Despite his dire warnings, Demarco ended on a positive note. He said, “Our movement is gaining momentum. It’s gaining strength and growing numbers.”
Several members of the group gave impassioned speeches about how the president and his administration are tearing at the fabric of the LGBTQ+ community, budget cuts that threaten lives, the increasing danger to the trans community, and more.
Playwright and actor Adil Mansoor (“Amm(i)gone”) attended the meeting. He said, “I heard about the meeting through friends. I wanted to hear about the organization and see the work they are doing.”
ACT UP Pittsburgh decided to meet weekly. The next ACT UP Pittsburgh meeting will take place at Shepherd Wellness Community, located at 4800 Sciota Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, on Sunday, June 22, at 6:00 p.m. To register, please email Dr. Phillip W. Schnarrs at actup.pgh@gmail.com.
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