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HIV-positive marathon runner inspires AIDSWalkO4 participants
limiteli time
by J im Rad os ta
ic Muñoz, a gay man who came out
So I’d like to think that once it came time
nine years ago as HIV-positive in a for someone like [cancer survivor and champi­
Nike television advertisement, will on bicyclist] Lance Armstrong to be as open as
serve as the honorary chairman of he was...there was a little bit of a precedent.
AIDSWalkO4. Cascade AIDS Proj­ Hey, the human body is an amazing thing once
ect anticipates 7,500 individuals, corporate
you teams
give it a chance.
and volunteers will put on their walking 1 shoes
definitely knew of [HIV-positive] people
Sept. 26 to raise $300,000
who just checked out. I personally knew a guy
for HIV prevention, serv­
who, as soon as he found out, just went right
ices and advocacy pro­
out and killed himself. He swallowed a bottle of
grams in Oregon and
Drano.
southwest Washington.
It’s basically where you mind happens to be.
The 1995 ad flashed
1 guess it takes a lot of patience and knowing
images of Muñoz running
that it’s possible to ride it out. 1 think people
in the wcxxls interspersed
just have to give themselves a chance.
with biographical infor­
mation about him: “Los
JR: Where did you get that positive spirit?
Angeles...80 miles every
RM: I had to grow up really, really quickly
week... 10
marathons
as a child. I was on my own as a kid, basically. I
every year...HIV positive.” Produced by Portland had a single parent who pretty much ignored
agency Wieden + Kennedy, the spot earned me, and so it was that whole sense of survival
acclaim for spreading the message that an HIV when you’re that young and there’s no support
diagnosis is not a death sentence.
system in place. I kinda had to figure it out all
Muñoz, who has run 136 marathons alto­ on my own. So when something like this came
gether, is taking it easy right now because of a along, it was just another in an existing line of
new job, a new house and a new love: He recent­ challenges.
ly celebrated his third anniversary with partner
It’s not in my vocabulary to say, “Why did
Seth Eskigian. He spoke with Just Out about why this happen to me?” I don’t want to sound
he still strives to put a “regular” face on HIV.
cavalier about it—it’s a very big deal—but I
also didn’t get consumed with the enormity
Jim Radosta: Considering you’ve been of it.
HIV-positive for 17 years, how have you
seen the AIDS prevention movement
JR: What are you hoping to accomplish
change since those early days—for the bet­ through your participation in this year’s
ter and for the worse?
walk?
Ric Muñoz: After all these years, you would
RM: I’m here to say that the need for this
think that people would be more careful and type of an organization will always be there.
learn from people like me. That recklessness is There are going to be people who don’t have
still there, despite all the
resources, who don’t have
education. Any AIDS
families, who don’t have
educator 1 would think
money to help them. And
would say, “What more
to have something like
can we do?” The frustra­
this in place is always
tion level has to be inde­
going to be valuable,
scribable, because the
obviously. Until the cure
numbers are real.
is found, we all have to
help each other. |F1
JR: Do you think
some people are ignorant
The five-kilometer
enough to look at images
AIDSWALK04 begins
like your ad and think
8:30 a.m. Sept. 26 at
that being HIV-positive
Pioneer Courthouse Square.
is a cakewalk and get the
The event will feature live
wrong message?
music and disc jockeys from
RM: At the time that
KVMX-FM; refreshments
this ad came out, 1 think
from Whole Ftxxls, Krispy
the mentality was: “OK,
Kreme and Starbucks; Nike
I’ve got HIV. What’s the
apparel and travel prizes for
point in going on? I’m
top fund-raisers; a section of
just gonna sit around and
the original AIDS Memorial
wait and let it run its
Quilt on display ; the Take-
course, and I’m outta
Action Room to create
here.”
banners and placards,
So 1 think [the ad) was
contact state and local
more to say, “Yes, this is a
politicians, view HIV/AIDS
life-threatening condi­
media and make a personal
tion, but...your athletic
quilt piece in memory of a
life doesn’t have to come
loved one; and the Kids’
to an end if you .don’t
Comer with face painting
want it to.” Believe me, I
and arts and crafts. The
heard from many, many
festivities will culminate with
people who said seeing
a music and dance party
that ad opened up the
from noon to 1 p.m. To
door for them to continue 1995’s “HIV Runner” ad earned acclaim register call
doing whatever it was for spreading the message that an HIV
503-223-WALK or visit
they were doing.
diagnosis is not a death sentence
www.cascadeaids.org.
R
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