Jose DeMarco
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Jose DeMarco is a Black and Puerto Rican activist from Philadelphia, who has worked on such issues as LGBTQ+ rights, HIV/AIDS awareness, and harm reduction.[1]
Life[edit]
DeMarco was born and raised in West Philadelphia.[2]
He has been involved with activism and community organizing for more than four decades.[3]
DeMarco tested positive for HIV in 1991;[1] that same year, he co-founded Prevention Point Philadelphia with Jon Paul Hammond.[4] He continued to become interested in harm reduction, syringe exchanges, and healthcare access as he and his partner, who was also HIV-positive, struggled to access healthcare.[5] During this time, DeMarco moved to Akron, Ohio, his partner's hometown. After his partner died from HIV/AIDS in 1994,[6] he moved back to Philadelphia.[5] Because public attitudes at the time thought of HIV/AIDS as "a death sentence", DeMarco stopped working and instead focused on volunteering with local groups which served the HIV-positive community, such as Action Wellness.[5]
He joined ACT UP Philly in 1996.[6] That same year, he organized a protest when the city charged Gregory Smith, a fellow HIV-positive activist, with attempted murder after Smith bit a police officer.[1]
He has also been involved with the HIV/AIDS awareness organizations the AIDS Policy Project, and the Health Global Access Project.[7] He has written about the specific issues facing Black people with HIV/AIDS,[1] and has led programs that focus on outreach to Latino people living with HIV/AIDS.[7] His work was recognized by GALAEI in 2012, when he was given the David Acosta Revolutionary Leader Award.[7]
In 2020, DeMarco sent a funerary wreath to Philadelphia Managing Director Brian Abernathy to protest the city's lack of response to COVID-19 rates among the city's homeless population.[2][8] His demonstration was one of several organized by ACT UP Philly. He was later visited by members of the city's counterterrorism police unit.[2]
DeMarco has written as a contributor for the Philadelphia Gay News.[9]
In 2023, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Jose DeMarco was involved in raising awareness about pandemic missteps by the Philadelphia Health Commissioner.[10]
Personal life[edit]
As of 2020, DeMarco was living in Kensington.[2] He identifies as queer.[6]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Muhammad, Abdul-Aliy (2021-06-16). "After 40 years, AIDS still devastates communities of color | Opinion". https://www.inquirer.com. Retrieved 2023-09-06. External link in
|website=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Philly's counterterrorism unit interrogated protester who picketed Mayor Kenney's right-hand man". WHYY. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ↑ "Human Rights Campaign declares state of emergency for LGBTQ+ Americans". 6abc Philadelphia. 2023-06-08. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ↑ Sharber, Cory (2022-10-19). "Prevention Point Philadelphia celebrates 30 years of providing harm reduction services". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "After the War on Drugs, A Fight for Healing". www.34st.com. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "A Conversation with Philly Act-Up: HIV/AIDS Activism since the 1980s". University of Delaware. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 McDonald, Natalie Hope (2012-04-18). "GALAEI Honors AIDS Activist". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ↑ Whelan, Aubrey (2020-05-31). "Outside a Philly official's home, protesters call for better housing options for the homeless and disabled". https://www.inquirer.com. Retrieved 2023-09-06. External link in
|website=(help) - ↑ "Jose de Marco, Author at Philadelphia Gay News". Philadelphia Gay News. 2020-01-24. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
- ↑ "Citing pandemic missteps, Philly health commissioner seeks stronger community connections in 2023". ACT UP Philadelphia. 2023-04-22. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
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