Treatment GuideJust DiagnosedSex & DatingAfrican AmericanStigmaAsk the HIV DocPrEP En EspañolNewsVoicesPrint IssueVideoOut 100
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
David Munroe & Michael Hickerson
Founders, In This Together, New Orleans
The first floor of David Munroe and Michael Hickerson's two-story New Orleans house is waterlogged and covered with mold. Much of the client population of the AIDS service organization they founded has vanished. The agency's tech support man has moved to Atlanta; its accountant, to Houston.
Yet this determined couple refuse to allow Hurricane Katrina's devastation to deter their fight against HIV. While nine of the 15 other New Orleans'area agencies receiving Ryan White Act funding had not returned to business by early December, these two men (both of whom are HIV-positive themselves) used sheer elbow grease to restart their nonprofit, In This Together, with the hopes of helping people more desperate than themselves.
Housing is a pressing issue, Hickerson says. One client now living in Baton Rouge, for example, can't use her Section 8 voucher because of overcrowding. Med refills can take two weeks to process and require a long drive and hours of waiting, as Munroe found out firsthand. The local Veterans Affairs hospital and HIV outpatient clinic are out of commission.
So Munroe, 49, and Hickerson, 50, are seeking out any available service or program in the region and linking clients'whether they live in New Orleans or elsewhere'to everything from primary health care services to legal assistance and child care.
'It really is difficult,' Hickerson says over the telephone before he and Munroe break down in tears. 'But you do what you have to do because it's the right thing to do.'
HIVers who lived in the hurricane-stricken region and need help can send an e-mail to In This Together at itt@accesscom.net.
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Before AIDS, gay artist Rex drew hot men on the prowl — then he disappeared
April 11 2024 3:15 PM
The science behind U=U has been liberating people with HIV for years
June 04 2024 3:31 PM
On Anal Sex Day, crack up with The Bottom's Digest
April 18 2024 10:22 AM
As Pride party season begins, the CDC urges mpox vaccinations
May 16 2024 6:52 PM
Todrick Hall has long supported the communities he comes from
April 17 2024 12:02 PM
The freedom of disclosure: David Anzuelo's journey through HIV, art, and advocacy
August 02 2024 12:21 PM
Exclusive: We kiki with Q from 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
June 24 2024 11:37 AM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
How fitness coach Tyriek Taylor reclaims his power from HIV with self-commitment
September 19 2024 12:00 PM
Out100 Honoree Tony Valenzuela thanks queer and trans communities for support in his HIV journey
September 18 2024 12:00 PM
Kentucky bans conversion therapy for youth as Gov. Andy Beshear signs 'monumental' order
September 18 2024 11:13 AM
Why activist Raif Derrazi thinks his HIV diagnosis is a gift
September 17 2024 12:00 PM
Creator and host Karl Schmid fights HIV stigma with knowledge
September 12 2024 12:03 PM
Study finds use of puberty blockers safe and reversible, countering anti-trans accusations
September 11 2024 1:11 PM
Latinx health tips / Consejos de salud para latinos (in English & en espanol)
September 10 2024 4:29 PM
The Trevor Project receives $5M grant to support LGBTQ+ youth mental health in rural Midwest (exclusive)
September 03 2024 9:30 AM
Introducing 'Health PLUS Wellness': The Latinx Issue!
August 30 2024 3:06 PM
La ciencia detrás de U=U ha estado liberando a las personas con VIH durante años
August 23 2024 2:48 PM
Tratamiento y prevención del VIH por inyección: Todo lo que necesita saber
August 23 2024 2:41 PM
Sr. Gay World quiere asegurarse de que estés bien
August 23 2024 2:30 PM
Eureka is taking a break from competing on 'Drag Race' following 'CVTW' elimination
August 20 2024 12:21 PM
With a new case in Sweden, what is the new mpox outbreak and should you be concerned?
August 15 2024 4:48 PM
From ‘The Real World’ to real life: How Danny Roberts thrives with HIV
July 31 2024 5:23 PM
The July/Aug 'Treatment Guide' issue of Plus is here!
June 26 2024 3:49 PM
Activist and philanthropist Bruce Bastian dies at 76
June 26 2024 1:28 PM