“As one of the most powerful human beings this country has seen in the past 30 years, and someone whose show I grew up watching, it would be nice if you realized your influence and took more personal responsibility for the quality of your shows that address serious topics like HIV in the Black community.” - Dr. David Malebranche

Magic Johnson celebrates 66 years of life as a person with HIV, a testament to medical progress, while highlighting persistent disparities facing Black gay men who still bear the epidemic's heaviest burden despite available treatments.

Recorded in January 2021, Archbishop Carl Bean, spiritual leader, HIV activism pioneer, and the voice behind 1977’s “I Was Born This Way,” recounts his journey from gospel stages and Motown to founding Unity Fellowship and ministering through the HIV crisis of the 1980s and 1990s. It’s a candid, joy-filled reflection on faith, music, and queer Black liberation that turns history into a call to love openly and live unapologetically.

Condom use among young Black gay men is declining as fear of HIV fades, PrEP access lags, and risk is underestimated. This is raising concerns about rising HIV diagnoses and highlighting the urgent need for renewed dialogue and targeted prevention.

As an academic, I was aware of numerous groundbreaking studies and scientific advancements related to HIV. Yet, even those actively involved in HIV advocacy outside academia were largely unaware of this research. This urgency drives me to bridge the gap between research and practice, to ensure that the brilliance of research is not confined to the Ivory Tower. 

Despite waning attention, HIV is still around, and most new cases are found in gay men ages 13-34. Of note, we know Gen Zers are between the ages of 13-27. Thus, an unfortunate and impactful storm is brewing, but we must predict the weather and prepare.

In October of 2023, a coalition representing 110 networks of people living with HIV met to discuss a deep-rooted but under-discussed issue in HIV advocacy - molecular surveillance. 

When Elon Musk acquired Twitter, now known as “X,” there were immediate concerns about how his leadership style and company would hinder “Black Twitter.” While not technically a separate platform,  Dr. Moody-Ramirez, author of From Blackface to Black Twitter: Reflections on Black Humor, Race, Politics and Gender, explains that Black Twitter is not a separate digital platform or space.

On this episode of The Reckoning, we are honoring National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (#NBHAAD) with Dr. Deion Hawkins.

I’ve now made a career out of being an award-winning debate coach and HIV advocate. Like the foundation of a home, being an advocate is a core part of who I am. Asking me to stay silent is like asking the ocean not to wave – it's against the very nature of its existence.

In September, 2023, hundreds of key stakeholders and advocates convened in Washington, DC, to attend the annual United States Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA). The yearly conference featured over 120+ sessions on critical topics like biomedical HIV prevention, aging, service delivery, health equity, and telehealth, all while centering on the needs of those with HIV and the mission to end the epidemic.

With the virtually constant onslaught of national political news, it is incredibly demanding to ask the general public also to be well-versed in our nation’s foreign policy. Those interested in foreign affairs are likely immersed in the issues of Ukraine and/or the Israel-Palestinian conflict. While debate and air time remain primarily dedicated to these noteworthy issues, another foreign affair was heavily debated but rarely centered. 

A nationally-known HIV researcher and practicing clinician, Dr. Hyman Scott believes that PrEP, the once-daily drug that can prevent transmission of the potentially deadly virus, has become arguably the most important weapon in the anti-HIV arsenal.

Long before they received their acclaimed stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, two well-respected and now household names, Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks, impressed Hollywood in the film Philadelphia. Released in 1993, the film centers around Attorney Andrew Beckett (Hanks), who was fired for being gay and living with HIV.

Nearly 20 years before the songs Old Town Road and Despacito peaked at #1 on Billboard’s charts, another song seemed to be played on an endless loop. Released in 1995, ”One Sweet Day” by Boys II Men & Mariah Carey sat at the top of the charts for 16 weeks, tying it for 2nd longest reign in Billboard’s history.

On this show Charles Stephens sits down with Journalist Linda Villarosa. Linda is the Program Director at The City College of New York, and she wrote a piece for the New York Times entitled “America's Hidden HIV Epidemic: Why do America's black gay and bisexual men have a higher HIV rate than any country in the world?”

This conversation was taped in 2017.

The potential for violence during police encounters with Black Americans is all too common, but when the person in custody is living with HIV, their health status in proximity to law enforcement can often result in prosecution.

World AIDS Day occurs annually on December 1. It is a worldwide opportunity to unite all of us in the fight to eliminate HIV, honor those we've lost, and show support for people living with HIV. For me, this day represents a time for reflection and action. This year I'm reflecting on how much the music of my childhood continues to impact me.

A new report from The Williams Institute examining the beginning and ending stages of the HIV criminalization cycle in Louisiana paints an even clearer picture of the demographic most impacted by discriminatory and outdated laws criminalizing people with HIV in the state.

Black people—and especially Black men—were the majority of people identified as suspects and arrested for HIV-related crimes, according to research by The Williams Institute.

Louisiana enacted its law in 1987, becoming one of the first states to criminalize HIV—nine years before the release of lifesaving antiretroviral drugs that allowed people living with HIV to achieve viral suppression and before FDA approval of PrEP, a game-changer in HIV prevention.

Louisiana has one primary HIV criminal law, intentional exposure to HIV. Intentional exposure is a felony; the maximum sentence is ten years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine. The law provides a heightened sentence for deliberate exposure to a first responder performing their official duties. In this case, the maximum penalty increases to 11 years and a fine of up to $6,000. Additionally, a conviction for intentional exposure to HIV requires the person convicted to register as a sex offender under Louisiana law for 15 years.

A conversation with the legendary actor Andre De Shields is a master class.

The Tony-award-winning actor is currently receiving rave reviews as Ben Loman in the Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's "Death of A Salesman." De Shields plays the successful and wealthy older brother of Willy Loman (Wendell Pierce), a salesman grappling with a fruitless life in a burgeoning America. The latest production of "Salesman" makes history as the first Broadway revival of the dramatic masterpiece to feature African American actors in the leading roles.

A celebrated Black queer artist, De Shields began his professional career in a 1969 Chicago production of "Hair." His star turn in the title role of the 1978 Broadway hit, "The Wiz," opposite Stephanie Mills, has endeared him to audiences across the globe.

De Shields insists that his most challenging role is always the one directly in front of him. Whether performing for an entire house or in scenes with Neil Patrick Harris in the hit Netflix comedy “Uncoupled,” or standing before a classroom filled with fresh-faced students. Each time he steps on stage, he does so as an advocate. Over the last five decades, he's prioritized helping audiences understand and accept what it means to be human.

"As an actor-activist, I want to fill intimate spaces with enormous beauty," De Shields proclaimed.