Timeline is a regular feature in each issue looking back to events and milestones that have helped us evolve into the community we are today.

July 24, 1992

“SILENCIO = MUERTE  
ACCIONE = VIDA”

In response to the Latino community being one of the fastest growing populations being infected with HIV, Metroline spoke candidly to Manual Magaz, an openly gay AIDS activist and Executive Director of Latinos/ as Contra SIDA.

On his first day at Latinos/as Contra SIDA, Magaz brought with him a check in the amount of $800. It was money raised by the Hartford Sizzles Drag Ball fundraiser. The donation seemed to reiterate the positive tie shared between the gay and lesbian community and Latinos/as Contra SIDA, the community-based organization working to strengthen Hartford’s Latino community.

During his interview with Metroline, Magaz spoke of the barriers he believes threatens the Latino community. Many in his community, he felt, were misinformed as to how the disease is actually spread. He further believed that language barriers and cultural differences resulted in safe-sex messages which were not as easily received as they are in white gay populations.

“One of the obvious issues that needs to be taken into consideration is language. The language barrier impacts us tremendously because it literally doubles the time it takes to do certain things. Everything on education and prevention needs to be in both English and Spanish,” said Magaz.

Throughout his interview, Mangaz revealed that there are a number of other obstacles that the Latino community must address. For instance, he noted that the lack of funding and education had often times resulted in a decrease in the amount of available resources. “...I can turn on the TV and hear about AIDS prevention. Puerto Rican people who are not comfortable with the language may not tune into American TV or radio. So unless the efforts are there to include AIDS education in the Latino media, it’s just not going to get out there,” said Magaz.

Before becoming Executive Director of Latinos/ as Contra SIDA, Magaz worked for the Hartford Dispensary, a facility which provides drug treatment through methadone to heroine addicts. He spent four years there, in which time experience was positive, despite the fact that the agency was mainly straight and many of the addicts were homophobic, or known to be so.  In speaking of Latinos/ as Contra SIDA, his message, now almost 10-years-old was simple, “...to provide culturally sensitive and appropriate service to Latinos...advocating on behalf of Latino people affected by HIV or AIDS.” “We are dedicated to providing and disseminating HIV and AIDS education and prevention information to the Latino community.”