REMEMBRANCE
Community Remembers Larry Kramer One Year Later
ACT UP members recall memories, read from activist’s work on anniversary of his death
BY MATT TRACY
Members of ACT UP
New York joined together
at the New
York City AIDS Memorial
at St. Vincent’s Triangle on
May 27 to mark the one-year anniversary
of the death of AIDS activist,
playwright, screenwriter, and
author Larry Kramer.
Speakers recalled memories
and read from Kramer’s speeches,
emails, and other works as they
refl ected on a leader who left an
indelible mark on the community
throughout the decades leading up
to his death last year at the age of
84. Kramer, whose extensive body
of work included co-founding Gay
Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) and
subsequently launching the AIDS
Coalition to Unleash Power, or ACT
UP, was remembered as a passionate
speaker, a talented writer, and
The scene at the New York City AIDS Memorial at St. Vincent’s Triangle on the one-year anniversary of
Larry Kramer’s death at the age of 84.
a dedicated activist.
“The Larry I loved the most was
the Larry who was a good listener,
who ran around the fl oor of ACT
DONNA ACETO
UP and nurtured several dozen
people to do the best they could,”
Jim Eigo, a founding member of
ACT UP, said in front of a maskedup
crowd of several dozen at St.
Vincent’s Triangle. “He was the
best listener I have ever known,
despite his huge ego, and he was
always a working writer.”
Kramer’s husband, David Webster,
was on hand and briefl y addressed
the crowd to thank folks
for stopping by.
Ken Kidd, who received a Gay
City News Impact Award last year,
read from a statement issued by the
US Commission on Civil Rights last
year mourning Kramer’s death.
“Mr. Kramer was known, loved,
reviled, and feared for his decades
of fi erce, articulate, unrelenting,
and combative AIDS advocacy,”
Kidd said as he read from the
statement. “His passion was born
of anger at the US government’s
failure to devote suffi cient funding
to early AIDS research and of
➤ LARRY KRAMER, continued on p.27
Stressed?
Give yourself a break. Not a cigarette.
Smoking increases the risk
of severe COVID-19 illness.
Support is available. Visit nysmokefree.com or call 866-NY-QUITS (866-697-8487)
to apply for a free starter kit of nicotine medications and talk to a quit coach.
Bill de Blasio
Mayor
Dave A. Chokshi, MD MSc
Commissioner
JUNE 3 - JUNE 16, 2 8 021 | GayCityNews.com
/nysmokefree.com
/GayCityNews.com
