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AFAN - And AIDS - 30 Years Later

Thirty years ago, the AIDS crisis was raging through the gay male population. Scientists were trying desperately to figure out what was causing it, and how to stop it.

On the other side, groups formed to support not AIDS science, but AIDS caregiving – providing food and money and helping people who were getting sicker and sicker through the inevitable red tape of the medical system.

One of those groups was AFAN – Aid for AIDS of Nevada.

The first-ever fundraiser for AFAN was held in an apartment in 1986. Guests were asked to bring cans of food.

William "Trip" Oldfield co-hosted the first event. 

“We wanted to do something," Oldfield said, "The mid-80s was sort of the beginning of the AIDS crisis in Las Vegas anyway and we started seeing our friends get really sick and die and we just wanted to do something.”

Oldfield said the AIDS crisis brought people together and all though it was a somber time because so many friends were dying from the disease, the party pulled everyone together. 

“That was the basis of the Black and White Party all of us coming together and trying to celebrate during a difficult time,”

Since then, AFAN’s fundraisers have gotten glitzier, with a black tie party and full Las Vegas entertainment. But the mission remains grounded: to provide prevention information and services for people with or at risk to get HIV.

Antioco Carrillo is the executive director of AFAN. He said the group provides everything from buying food to paying rent to coordinating health care.

“I can tell you that the majority of clients, all my clients I will say, if they had a choice they wouldn’t be accessing services with us," Carrillo said, "They access services with us because we are the last place before they get homeless.”

Carrillo said the need is growing. According to him, there are 30 new HIV diagnosis a month in Southern Nevada. Carrillo blames that in part on the idea that AIDS has been 'cured.'

“There is the sense that AIDS is now a cure," he said, "I’m not going to die from it. If I get infected, I will just go to the doctor and I will take pills and I will be fine.”

While people with AIDS can now live a much longer and healthier life thanks to medications, Carrillo said the medications are expensive and the burden of doctor's appointments, testing and treatments can lead to people losing the jobs.

That is where the Black & White Party, the AIDS Walk and AFAN come in to help people with the disease. 

 

Antioco Carrillo, the executive director, AFAN;   William “Trip” Oldfield, AIDS activist, Program for Torture Victims

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(EDITOR'S NOTE: Carrie Kaufman no longer works for KNPR News. She left in April 2018)