This is definitely worth a read. My first writing gig was near the beginning of the AiDS crisis about the AIDS crisis. Like this story, it was all so new and confusing and it was incredible to watch people turn on gay men so viciously.

I was an intern back then working for a well-known venue for emerging American dance. At a big staff meeting someone suggested we find out more about what was happening to gay artists and their healthcare — there were rumors that insurance companies were dropping their coverage. Everyone else was too busy. I was the lowly intern. So the job fell to me.

I began a column about healthcare updates in our monthly newsletter called The Poor Dancer’s Almanac. Everyone was reading it back then because there were so few resources still.

So it was my first real writing gig and my first real experience with grief too.

We lost so, so many friends and colleagues over so many years. But this captures the beginning. I just loved this story. Heartbreaking. And beautiful. And really captures the history.