15 U.S. AIDS Activists Who Started a National Conversation

Hillary Clinton’s recent comments about Nancy Reagan’s role as a "very effective, low-key" advocate for HIV/AIDS who started "a national conversation" have spurred a huge discussion among those who remember the Reagan administration’s role in furthering the AIDS crisis. Clinton quickly apologized for the statement, saying she "misspoke," and later clarified in a written statement on Medium. "To be clear," Clinton wrote, "the Reagans did not start a national conversation about HIV and AIDS. That distinction belongs to generations of brave gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, along with straight allies, who started not just a conversation but a movement that continues to this day."

So who were those brave people who started an AIDS awareness movement that fought for acceptance, research, legal protections, affordable medication, and prevention? While this list is by no means comprehensive, here are 15 AIDS activists who should definitely be on your radar.