Long-term survivor Michelle Lopez has been a fierce advocate for people living with HIV for decades. In the early ’90s, after learning she was HIV positive, she started attending ACT UP meetings and became involved in the Community Constituency Group of the AIDS Clinical Trials Group. In 1994, she was one of several women who testified before the Food and Drug Administration. Their testimony helped convinced the agency to open up HIV clinical trials to the participation of women and children. She was first featured in POZ on the cover of our August/September 1996 issue, along with her daughter Raven.

Over the years, Lopez has been recognized as a leader in the community, both in New York and nationally. She was honored in the POZ 100 in 2018 and 2022 and was featured on the cover of an issue from our sister publication Real Health about how to promote community engagement and advocacy among people living with HIV.

Real Health Focus Winter 2023 cover

Now, Lopez is being threatened with deportation. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up in Lopez’s name to help cover her legal fees:

This GoFundMe fundraiser is to help my beloved friend and colleague Michelle Lopez, who is presently being threatened with deportation, despite having a Green Card/Alien ID number. She has lived in the U.S. for 42 years and has two adult children and three grandchildren that were born here.

Michelle is a national and international pioneer in HIV advocacy and research.

The funds requested will help cover the prohibitive cost of her lawyer’s fees.

Please help us keep the amazing Michelle Lopez here in NYC so she can continue her amazing work as an advocate for people aging with HIV and as Nana to her three grandchildren.

Click here to learn more or to donate.