Honoring our volunteers

Lawrence (Larry) A. Tate

In the early 1990s, Larry Tate was one of the first full-time Hotline managers at Project Inform. In the early days of the organization, he volunteered as a hotline operator and eventually became its manager. In 1992, Larry co-wrote an article with Founder Martin Delaney in PI Perspective #12 entitled Hope, Folly or Fraud. The information was later used to write Project Inform's publication, How to Identify AIDS Fraud.

The 1980s and early 1990s was a very difficult era for people with HIV, a time when treatments weren’t working very well and someone we knew, somewhere around the country, died nearly every day. But it was also a time of great empowerment and activist energy.

Being involved in the HIV activist movement, whether by demonstrating in the streets, serving on a board of an ASO, or even volunteering for the National HIV/AIDS Treatment Hotline as Larry did, was perhaps the most important thing a person could do for him or herself and people living with HIV.

This was a time of great challenge, great heroism, and great sorrow ... the days when Project Inform operated out of an old school on Dolores Street across from Dolores Park. Everyone who worked with or was served by Project Inform in those years knew Larry Tate and his dedication to serving people with HIV. His contributions throughout his life are numerous and has been an inspiration to many people with HIV.

More about Larry can be found here.