HIV/AIDS
Alex Riddick
Alex Riddick was born and raised in Newark in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. He is a graduate of Arts High School, Essex County College, both located in Newark. He graduated from Montclair State University with a BA in Fine Arts. Alex worked at the law firm of Clapp and Eisenberg and in retail, notably, from 1966 to 1970, at Carlsten’s men’s clothing and tailoring store. At Carlsten’s, he worked with Albert Murphy, assisting him in the in the buying of clothes for the store, and in the coordination of fashions shows. He was also a sales representative at the store. During his years in Newark,...
Dana Davis
Dana Davis is a leadership expert, professional development coach, and multi-award winning speaker, producer, and TV host of The Refresh with Dana Show available on ZondraTV. Dana’s show brings a “refreshing” approach to the talk show arena that features entrepreneurs and experts whose services or products are impactful and transformational. Dana Davis, affectionately known as “Your girl” Dana Davis, is a ray of sunshine who brings electrifying energy and personality to television. Dana uses her expertise and talent to lead conversations around pop culture, business strategies, contemporary...Bernard McAllister
Bernard "Bernie Jourdan Ebony" McAllister was born and raised in the city of Newark. He is the second of two children born to a single mother. He was raised by an extended family of grandparents, uncles, aunts, and many others who helped mold him into the man he would later become. He came out to his family at the age of fourteen. He was embraced by his family yet prepared by them for what the world had in store for an openly gay black man. Having come from a background where no one was ever turned away for being different, he easily gravitated towards the ballroom scene which welcomed young...Gwendolyn (Gwen) Davis
Gwendolyn (Gwen) Davis was born in Washington, Pennsylvania in 1939 and was raised by her grandmother in a suburb of Washington called Lincoln Hill until her grandmother’s death. Davis spent the rest of her childhood and adulthood with her parents in Newark, where she eventually became a nurse. In the 1980s and 1990s, Davis worked directly with HIV/AIDS patients doing intake interviews in emergency rooms and working on awareness campaigns in schools and hospitals.Donald Ransom
Since arriving in Newark in the early 1980s, Rev. Don Ransom has worked in the fields of substance abuse and recovery, as well as HIV prevention and education. A central figure in Newark AIDS activism, he was involved with James Credle and others in the pioneering Fire Ball programs of the early 1990s, a member of the city’s first HIV planning council, and remains active with NJCRI and other organizations. As well, he serves as senior reverend at the Unity Fellowship Church NewArk.In his oral history interviews, Rev. Ransom talks about queer Newark nightlife, AIDS activism, his...
John Calendo
John Calendo (b. 1948) has led a rich, full life, in which Newark entered the picture late and in somewhat marginal fashion. Thus this oral history departs a bit from tradition and centers his experiences at Newark’s Little Theatre and Cameo adult theaters rather than his full life story per se, though it touches on many aspects of his larger trajectory.John’s biography captures some of the other notable elements:
I graduated NYU in the spring of 1970. I joined Andy Warhol’s Interview a year after college. I was brought out to Hollywood to work on a script, stayed there...
Andrew Moreira
Andrew Santos Moreira is a proud First Generation of Brazilian descent and New Jersey native. As an undergrad at Rutgers-Newark, Andrew served as Co-President to his campus’ only LGBTQIA+ student organization, RU Pride. During his tenure, Andrew and his team spearheaded events and collaborations that fostered meaningful dialogue around diversity, equity and inclusion. These collaborative events included supporting the Muslim Student Organization’s protests against the Trump administration's ban against predominantly Muslim countries, as well as inviting an international speaker and founder of...Darryl Rochester
After graduating from Weequahic High School in 1971, Darryl Wayne Rochester (March 27, 1953-December 8, 2020) studied dance under the tutelage of Kay Thompson Payne, co-owner of the then well-known Thompson Dance Studio of Newark. He became one of her star pupils. One evening Kay invited Darryl to accompany her to her dance class at the Dance Theater of Harlem in New York. The experience was very intimidating and he left there feeling somewhat inadequate and less confident in his ability as a dancer. Darryl had an urgent feeling to obtain additional training in dance from a highly...
Elizabeth Kaeton
The Reverend Dr. Elizabeth Kaeton first came to Newark in 1991 as Vicar of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church and Executive Director of St. Barnabas AIDS Resource Center. She also worked for Bishop Jack Spong as Canon Missioner to The Oasis, a ministry of the Diocese of Newark with LGBTQ people and their families. In 2008 she moved to Delaware but the City of Newark at her people will always hold a special place in her heart.Aleix Martinez
Aleix Martinez is a longtime Newark resident, music industry communications specialist, and artist across multiple platforms. His work as a publicist in the music industry has focussed on representing and championing LGBT artists including Morrissey, Sia, Anohni, Scissor Sisters, Chavela Vargas, The Gossip, Nomi Ruiz, and Mika as well as singular artists like Santigold, Grace Jones, Tori Amos, Nancy SInatra, and The Cramps.
His art explores the intersections of ambition, luxury, hypercapitalism, and gentrification. His video work Insatiable, largely filmed in Newark, debuted...