Thank you for joining me in this cause! I’m excited to share my AIDS/LifeCycle journey with you.

Why I Ride (experience from my last ALC ride in 2018)

This is Stephanie from Santa Cruz, and she lost her brother Gary to AIDS in 1996. For the past 23 years she has been standing outside with this sign to say thank you to riders as we pass by on our way to camp on day 1 of the AIDS/LifeCycle. This year I made sure to stop and say thank you for being there. She responded “No, thank you for riding.” As you could imagine losing her brother to AIDS was very difficult, but she says that the day we ride through is the best day of the year for her because it’s a day that shows the power we have as a community, and that people are still showing up to fight to end AIDS. She promises to continue standing out there with her sign every year until there is a cure.

I do have a slight smile in this photo, but I can assure you I road off in tears. Stephanie, and all the other people like her who take the time during the week to stand on the side of the road to support the riders and share their stories really help express the gravity of the situation, and help remind myself and others that this isn’t just a ride. We are in an on going battle against a horrible virus and continuously fighting against discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, gender, and HIV status. If we continue to work together we can make a change, and continue to make the world a better place for those we love.

The AIDS/LifeCycle has changed my life, and I hope that over the years many others will allow it to change theirs as well. #WhyIRide

Goal: $3,737 (We made it! Can we hit $5k) $3,737 would come to a total of $10,000 raised over the three years that I have participated in the ALC ($3,000 in 2017, $3,263 in 2018).

I’ll be working throughout the year in support of the life-saving services offered by San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. 

The services provided as a result of my fundraising efforts include counseling, HIV/STD screenings, linking youth experiencing homelessness and people living with HIV to housing, and so much more. By supporting this cause, you take a stand against stigma, helping to create a world where health justice is a reality for everyone.

These services mean the world to those who receive them, and your support means the world to me.

We’re working together to make HIV/AIDS a thing of the past. Will you support me by making a donation today?