"Coming OUT of Hiding:

A Retrospective Journey through AIDS..."

Michael Wallace Connett

“A Life lived in Fear, Is a Life Half-Lived…”

"HIV is something you Live with every day for The Rest of your Life.

You may never die Of HIV/AIDS, but you will always die with It..."

The Michael W. Connett LIVING Trust

The South Bank HIVe

“He who conceals his disease cannot expect to be cured”

An Online CommUNITY-Based HIV/aids, Social Service & Survivors Support Network

315 W 7th Street - Suite #2 * Covington, Kentucky 41011-1391 * 859-261-HIVe (4481)

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

“A Life lived in Fear, Is a Life Half-Lived…”

Independence Weekend and Equinox (Greater) Cincinnati’s GLBT PRIDE Event return to the Region/City’s Living Room has come and gone…

I wanted to share my thoughts on the Equinox Experience and its impact on the Concept & Vision for Our Northern Kentucky PRIDE Event to be held in conjunction with The Human Rights Campaign’s “National Coming OUT Day” on October 11th. I want to commend the work & Vision of the organizing group of Volunteers, Patrons and Board Members, especially the concept of Piggybacking with a National Day of Recognition. As you may be aware, October has also been HIV Awareness Month in the relics of our ACTUP past and this year will mark my 19^th year Living with HIV and aids.

"Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth." –Aesop

Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got. - Janis Joplin

Those of y’all who have known me the longest understand my passion for My Mission. One of the things I’m Proud of is having established a Living Trust that has guided and supported my Life with HIV for the last ten years. I may not always succeed in my attempts to Educate about, Support and Advocate for My CommUNITY (as well as manage My HIVe’s Budget, LOL!); but I’ve done my best and haven’t given up. The People and Places through which My Journey has led me; have shared with, taught me and enriched it more than I can ever repay; Thanks Y’All.

Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good."
--Vaclav Havel

I’ll preface my suggestions with the burning questions/discussions from the grapevines, bars and FaceBook…

Who, What, When, Where & Why Northern Kentucky PRIDE? Is this an Organization or just a Celebration?

Are there any other Northern Kentucky GLBT/GLBT-Supportive Organizations, Agencies, Projects, Neighborhood Groups, etc involved and if not; have they been invited or communicated with?

Other than an annual Celebration; what is the Purpose of Northern Kentucky PRIDE? & BTW-Kudo’s for not limiting PRIDE to a single Community and including an entire Marketing Region!

Why hasn’t more information on the planning, membership and organization of Northern Kentucky PRIDE been disseminated outside the MainStrasse, GLBT/Friendly Business, DragQueen and FaceBook network?

Have the appropriate Kentucky Non-Profit Incorporation papers been filed and what is the status of 501-C3 application and approval?

What Programs, Service and Activities will Northern Kentucky PRIDE provide to develop alliances with other progressive groups, individuals and organizations?

The South Bank HIVe Proudly extends an Invitation to join our grass-roots, CommUNITY-Based Network of people to demonstrate that speaking up about HIV and Aids is a point of pride, not a source of shame. –Our strength comes from the members we represent and the alliances we build with other progressive groups, individuals and organizations. We will approach our work by representing the interests of our members and will not engage in back room politics or power brokering that compromises these principles.

The South Bank HIVe adheres to the following principles: The politics of inclusion – We will have equal concern for oppression, stigma, discrimination and fear faced by all disenfranchised people, with a special emphasis on the working poor and those on a low fixed income. We believe that our work must focus on building a broad base of support for “Quality of Life” issues of social justice that includes, but is not limited to, issues important to our HIV community. This means that long term change is of greater significance than any single issue, campaign, or candidate and our educational and political efforts will reflect that priority. We will treat all members of our HIV community and Network with the same dignity and respect.

DEDICATION

When I Look To The Sky

When it rains it pours and opens doors
And floods the floors we thought would always keep us safe and dry
And in the midst of sailing ships we sink our lips into the ones we love
That have to say goodbye
And as I float along this ocean
I can feel you like a notion that won't seem to let me go
Cause when I look to the sky something tells me you're here with me
And you make everything alright
And when I feel like I'm lost something tells me you're here with me
And I can always find my way when you are here
And every word I didn't say that caught up in some busy day
And every dance on the kitchen floor we didn't dance before
And every sunset that we'll miss I'll wrap them all up in a kiss
And pick you up in all of this when I sail away
Whether I am up or down or in or out or just plane overhead
Instead it just feels like it is impossible to fly
But with you I can spread my wings
to see me over everything that life may send me
When I am hoping it won't pass me by
And when I feel like there is no one that will ever know me
there you are to show me

For Dora… Bambi, Sue Lee, Ryan, Matthew and ALL those who have gone before us and their time…

Come OUT, Stand Up! – The AESOP Initiative

Advocacy:

Education:

Support:

OutReach:

Prevention & Pride

"Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth." -Aesop

It’s Monday! The Workers Holiday just before the Start of Happy Hour…

As I am older, hopefully wiser and conscious of bad habits on my Survivorship; I took a Pub Stroll on Friday staying home Saturday evening. I began this Prospectus (working, printing & stayin’ up till Parade time) and then Paraded, photographed & Networked through the Festival. So far I’ve come away with a pocket full of cards, research, contacts and the satisfaction of having done something that made me feel intoxicatingly PROUD!

At least once, so far I’ve been hurt – disappointed & Dis-Heartened when I’ve been told to stop workin’, turn it off, just relax , chill, celebrate… But as the saying goes; “If Tomorrow isn’t any Better than Today, what do you need it For?” I’m just trying to Be the Best I can by Celebrating Life each day when I’m lucky enough to arise being The Change I’d like to See! PRIDE In who You Are Is Good for the Immune System, Y’ALL!

PRIDE on The South Bank 2010

Come OUT & Stand Up!

“UNITY In Our CommUNITIES”

A Celebration of Diversity, Human Rights, Health, Heritage, Arts & Culture

Dream

“A person is only as big as the dream they dare to live.” - Unknown

Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize
a mistake when you make it again.

Many prefer to dirty their words when confronting a
problem instead of dirtying their hands.

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The Michael W. Connett Living Trust/South Bank HIVe

Page created: 07/13/2010. Last Updated: Saturday, June 11, 2011