The work we do is rarely well described by the titles we hold. There are far more of us managing people and projects than there are official Project Managers. That’s why the Coax team is seeking wisdom from other fields and sectors to see how different people manage different projects—and what we can learn from each other.
“People are often stronger than we give them credit for. We need respect and we need purpose. And if we are given that, we will (for the most part) work hard and work together until the job is done and our goals are within reach.”
![A reflection of Ted taking a photo of himself in front of a store with antique dishes in the window](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1056&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=a2e9c54718fa871ef78fa6ce3c1415f1 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2113&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=b53d13d4ab2af675422e6a8de79cf65b 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=3170&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=0988ec8c982361014f3c59a3c3a9cfa9 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=690&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=630ef9367e68cec892c2048e356c69ad 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1380&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=e060ba8121c19d6981c00a21897931e8 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2070&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=565b00f71a05c1148434bd6e00b31492 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=516&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=da2a1a8628560d595fd96bc58cdc20ae 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1032&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=613abf97f3df7eacfd8ec8167c974558 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1548&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=38d43055509d9644e0bcc774f7de499a 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=301&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=c6fff0b8044d3493ac6bd17fc01670bb 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=603&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=c7b1595d811724f84584f202a7e0539f 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/ted-self.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=905&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=00da105a932903ac2c83c62d5961877b 1344w)
Vitals
Name
Theodore (Ted) Kerr
Occupation
Writer, organizer, and educator
Website
TedKerr.club
Instagram
@tedkerr
Tell us about your current role(s). What kinds of things do you do every day? What does your job usually entail (for those of us who might not know much about it)?
I used to get stressed out or resentful when people asked me what I did because I felt confused or overwhelmed by having to explain my life—both to myself and others. Now, after years of trying, I feel like I have an answer: I am a writer, organizer, and educator whose work focuses primarily on HIV/AIDS, culture, and community.
For me, the key to being able to explain and talk about myself was less about settling on titles, and more about shifting the conversation to what I actually do. That is why I love your question. So here is what I know:
- Daily: I work on the book I am co-writing (with Alexandra Juhasz) and/or part of an article that I might happen to be writing, I send emails, and I chat with at least one other person about ideas and the world more broadly.
- Weekly: I teach, plan my classes, collaborate on events or writing, meet with people to think about the future, and look for new gigs or grants to keep me going.
- Monthly: I send out a personal newsletter and a newsletter from one of the collectives I am part of; I also produce at least one event and/or publish my own or a collaboratively produced text.
Overall, I am driven by working with others to reduce the harm of HIV / AIDS and to think about how that work is done within community and through (but not exclusively) culture. As part of this work, I also attend lots of meetings to share knowledge with other culture workers, consult on other people’s projects, and often read and provide feedback on articles, books, and art projects. I also make my own art, and sometimes curate or edit an exhibition or project. I should also say, random gigs come up a lot too—sometimes it is building a workshop, other times it is to speak on a panel. Whatever it is, I say yes. No two days are alike, and yet at the same time, no day is radically different from any other.
![Let David Speak, collage, 2012](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1944&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=d89f7262165bc39ca3b81559db46defa 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=3888&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=3051a149cd435fd65231bf504160a989 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=5832&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=c3440e187a15c7d6b79df3b7745368cb 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1269&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=67226b29dde8d73c53727e67ce3b55c0 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2539&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=9a9f53a15babd374a3bddfc8ce4dee75 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=3809&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=02559483620e83bd4c0258ea061d3767 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=949&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=9cf56400f79e6b7ca6e3f895ecc4506b 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1899&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=514d675322923c60488c297390cf2ca2 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2849&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=27c79dcedbb3d84701a46c8f1ac2376f 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=555&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=d320dec7865035f36f0460440ff68509 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1111&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=aab453a78fe69484ca192ae2a1fa680b 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/static1.squarespace.com.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1666&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=cb5600a4f34860df67680958a020ed10 1344w)
Let David Speak, collage, 2012
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BLOOM, JUST FOR YOU, what is the environment? postcard series (2018-ongoing)
![RIP Burt, meme, 2019](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=882&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=ad6947db0baf648787fdea48386478d8 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1764&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=da9fae7db8ed140cfe54c43b54375753 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2646&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=5a4a1f762fe072c885813bf3729fd677 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=23556fbd1380da5f0e617a3493e8cd88 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1152&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=1522aedcd0537596e007aa8ef8dbffea 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1728&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=03c73227dc3cf155d8d18ee7e642869e 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=430&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=7e5b67e8c5c250394e9126a171e29644 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=861&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=320f151f89e4da999821c26ef3b400a6 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1292&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=5d4da1ae6769cbab0cac4caa574460b7 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=252&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=a668dcd2a9997909a1aa981d16489fdb 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=504&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=7ff24f613fee654b717a4807afa27262 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/om.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=756&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=3aeeb5d6309217db31570c1387f2e4e3 1344w)
RIP Burt, meme, 2019
![Why do you sabotage..., sticker, 2019](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1568&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=43c0465f4c678638645dc4ab5212ab52 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=3136&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=17845e6feb7e591505e9e1518d282a61 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=4704&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=74553f3d4f191ec8648b2bde0174ea1b 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1024&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=100c0d7e32262ca1e62f60fab514a1ea 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2048&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=c97f7f88848d3cf6b0d0f0a2af6e5b45 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=3072&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=cfdf8422aa7ac837fd62ecda8ee7cb18 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=766&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=ab5e55e68bce152571b47af5e4fc2150 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1532&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=29fc6ec19bcb1eee051193a116dbb9c5 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2298&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=ec6b131e61a659462806527fda3e67e2 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=448&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=550b1129ff54d3148abd53e9d67c4358 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=896&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=23d7ec546bb1e0f7b3b5bff48ff9dd5a 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/5.-Why-do-you.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1344&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=771d704b06986103d84e63676e672a57 1344w)
Why do you sabotage…, sticker, 2019
![Metanoia poster, design: Kate Yeonjeong An, photo: Lolita Lens, 2019](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2859&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=288fb3383f451a5fcc7812ba07cfec84 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=5718&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=2b0d147b72b15f72bf5f3402d8244016 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=8577&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=b5be9efd33381273203e080ddb0329f4 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1867&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=19e115530e8c6072e8785f90a6505a31 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=3734&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=1a7dcd2d5a7ad8781197d0db479919e4 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=5601&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=2de06d054a1916b69e6b0c1550a37423 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1396&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=3f38effeaeb83093b988860fa19ec173 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2793&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=1cfa70371b15553f9511b5fde2d77d65 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=4190&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=3c123c1e73ec0c632cd53c7069b303d7 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=816&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=27e7aea717c761a829801292bdd0d40a 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1633&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=88309db451586544b60c122ee6c76d20 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/metanoia.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2450&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=bd1835b44adf98750f116cd08fb1a61e 1344w)
Metanoia poster, design: Kate Yeonjeong An, photo: Lolita Lens, 2019
![From How Many Of us Will be Thriving for Stonewall 100?, 2019, documentation Rowa Lee](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1044&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=f005e479f727dddf24ddbc878964bfea 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2089&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=3a26c0cb45470dadafa42586c5e42b29 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=3134&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=4207b9069e5a252902f0c66b03ac39cf 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=682&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=b188b40c296c4a6860788aa8d33a7f71 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1364&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=42e0f8a43c9cb5a7eb96622ca2a0de16 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2047&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=a265f5e121782711f182f04ad72dedc7 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=510&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=d7476a815f1abcdb3d156ea0ccabe6c1 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1020&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=3adcaa8edba9368b76457c4f8920c7da 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1531&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=3963148481586af6d2201be2cd42f9cf 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=298&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=838466afc7b036b100f2cb65c4079d89 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=597&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=8b7d12c0cabee5b457a4dcb8a9590153 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/thriving.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=895&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=fb493e26c0f4922de0dd2df902a46b6e 1344w)
From How Many Of us Will be Thriving for Stonewall 100?, 2019, documentation Rowa Lee
How much are you managing projects and people? What kind of projects? Give us an example.
I would say my number one task is taking care of the work of being a freelancer in the so-called gig economy: scheduling, payment, workflows, etc. Beyond that, a lot of my time is spent thinking about and moving forward the work of a collective I co-founded called What Would an HIV Doula Do? Members of the collective collaborate on projects that bring justice, community and HIV/AIDS together. We meet in teams as the work needs, to flesh out ideas, plan steps to make it all happen, and then steward and nurture ideas until they are birthed in the world, followed up by evaluation.
I have never used the word manage to describe my role with WWHIVDD, but maybe I should. It is fitting cause we are a group of people who work to ensure community plays a role in the ongoing AIDS epidemic, using the doula model. For us, that’s about someone holding space during times of transition, with HIV being understood as a series of transitions. In a way, a doula is like a manager, right? They are someone who works with others to consider and help achieve desired results.
Last year, WWHIVDD members Nicholas D’avella, Shanti Avirgan and I ran a screening/reading series called Uneasy Medicine. Katherine Cheairs, Jawanza Williams, Alex Juhasz and I are curated an exhibition of AIDS ephemera and history called Metanoia: Transformation Through AIDS Archives and Activism for NYC’s LGBT Center by way of the One Archives in LA. In both of these cases, “management” was shared by the group. Most recently, a bunch of us worked together to create and facilitate How Many of us Will Be Thriving for Stonewall 50?, a public forum on LGBTQ wellness that we hosted with HighLine. Everyone participated in the work, which included being accountable, responsible, etc.. Being one of the people who has a bird’s eye view of our shared work means connecting dots and filling in gaps. But for the most part, it is about being excited and proud and sharing our work with the world.
What’s your approach to managing projects and people? What works when you need to move things forward?
Marshall (Coax Managing Editor) and I know each other from Edmonton, where we both had the chance to get to know and work with the amazing Michael Phair. To say that I think about him every day is an understatement. His way of being in the world informs how I work with projects and with people.
Besides being a beloved City Councillor for years, he has always been a community force working with people to ensure the best future possible in various arenas: land conservation, senior housing, LGBT rights, and arts advocacy to name just a few. He does this, I would say, by being almost painfully flat-footed. He trusts himself and those around him enough to charge forward with the work that has to be done, but without ignoring the politics of that work. Part of what makes him so good is that he can do this while remaining an ethical person; he’s one of those people who can get shit done without hurting others. I try to embody that approach.
One other important lesson I learned from Michael is that people are often stronger than we give them credit for. We need respect and we need purpose. And if we are given that, we will (for the most part) work hard and work together until the job is done and our goals are within reach. Over the years, I have come to understand that treating people with respect means listening, considering people’s material needs, and moving at a speed that is slow enough for people to feel included but also swift enough so no one has time to navel-gaze or problematize for no reason.
As for the second part of your question, I must confess, I am writing these responses instead of dealing with a large editing project that I can’t seem to finish so...
How has your background, education, or past experiences informed the way you manage projects and work with people?
Edmonton is filled with great people doing vital work in good ways. Aside from Michael, I also learned a lot from working with and witnessing Heather Zwicker and Kristy Harcourt. Both are tremendously busy women who center community, care, and kindness without sacrificing innovation. In my understanding of their tactics, they both work collaboratively within their communities to improve the world through an intersectional lens that meaningfully includes the lived reality of people who are too often ignored and neglected. Again, this means asking questions and bringing people forward through engagement and work.
Since moving to New York I have also been blessed with brilliant models of how to be in the world. I had the pleasure of working for artist AA Bronson who taught me to value communication. We can never be too clear with each other. The more we talk and provide updates along the way, including any emotional baggage we have within our work, the better.
I also had the privilege of working at Visual AIDS, a tiny but mighty AIDS/art organization. When I arrived (first as an intern, then a paid employee) Amy Sadao and Nelson Santos had been maintaining and building a cultural foundation rooted in social justice, HIV, and creativity that was being neglected by the world at large but utilized by people who needed it. From them, I learned that there is always time to do things right, both in terms of ethics and details.
When it comes to managing projects, what do you wish you were better at? What do you wish you knew more about?
Trust, delegation, and collaboration. I collaborate so much because I think it is fundamental to our society and I want to get better at it. It is also a crucial part of WWHIVDD’s ongoing Doula work. One of the things we take seriously is that almost no one gets HIV alone, and so, no one should have to deal with HIV alone. We need each other and we need to be able to work, love, thrive, and survive together. I think that applies no matter where we live or work.
What’s your best tip or an approach to projects that works for you? Why do you think it works? What’s one pitfall you’ve learned how to avoid?
People need to write together early on; they need to sit and establish some shared language and an understanding of what they are doing together. There is something powerful about a bunch of people sitting together in a room quietly crafting a shared way to engage with the world.
Additionally, we need to talk and have conversations about what we mean when we actively listen. We need confrontation and we can’t always just leave when we are uncomfortable. (Danger is different, people can leave when they are in danger.) We also need to be able to admit when we don’t know something, or when we misunderstood something, or when we’ve changed our mind. Lastly, we need to be held accountable for what we have said and done and we need to be celebrated for what we have said and done.
All of this is to say that if you create workplace intimacy rooted in the tasks at hand, then you create a foundation from which you can work and learn and grow. I think the pitfall here is that people get too touchy-feeling and forget that work is not family, work is not friendship. Too often we conflate the desires we may have for our other relationships, with what we may need and want from work. This gets messy, wastes time, backfires, and hurts people along the way. Best to keep things clear. It is okay to have different categories for love, work, family, etc.
What’s one thing the average person doesn’t know about the kind of work you do?
I guess I should state the obvious: AIDS is not over. There are about as many people living in the world with HIV that have ever died with the virus. The last quarter-century has seen great changes in the medical response to the virus but decades into this epidemic 40% of people living with HIV still don’t have access to life-saving treatment. And living with HIV is still criminalized in countries around the world, including Canada and the US.
But beyond that, I also want to stress that I know a lot of people whose work looks a lot like mine. Our work is post-post-industrial, late-capitalist, shaped by neo-liberalism and totally unsustainable. It literally drives us apart, destabilizes us and our goals. And yet, within all that, we are able to do amazing things and have meaningful connections and from our ashes, I truly believe something better will rise.
![Creative Workshop Group in St. Louis, 2019](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2090&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=4c8ef718c340dda8f156d7ecffcfac10 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=4181&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=cec2c7dc676c74435c72894ade25a06d 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=6272&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=dc732e19fd82942591b0582583b79d77 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1365&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=b4c9d7b426e874aab6f2ee0a2f6d7f11 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2730&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=0a8a1be17b420657bfed6dd0350b6aeb 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=4096&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=e685d61f02e3787163e9a4a3807f3c3e 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1021&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=3ec33125378e1ff640933def02d99e73 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2042&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=9284fcfa991d2f1d786beb4cc893bd19 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=3064&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=ea54cfcab0372ce26e5fe88ca60d4801 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=597&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=a80f513bf734fa715a2e1a0cf41e0571 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1194&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=d3613c8dd3019729b9f3f83336d43a15 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/6.-group.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1792&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=b78e6cdbdd04d43acc971d731270c73e 1344w)
Creative Workshop Group in St. Louis, 2019
The introduction of life-saving meds in the late 1990s meant that technically no one should ever have to suffer because of HIV/AIDS. And yet more than 20 years later we see how issues of stigma and access mean that we are going to need more than a medical cure to eliminate the harm of the virus. We are going to need a systemic and cultural shift. And that is where the work of caregivers, community and folks like What Would an HIV Doula Do? come in.
![Not overr: 25 Years of Visual Aids](https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1165&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1568&s=62e6dfd9fd416f56fbe4f3b653cb3442 1568w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2330&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=3136&s=38788a168d3ccf6dff4e65d46ae39517 3136w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=3496&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=4704&s=d1358029923d6950fe41ef090514d4cf 4704w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=761&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=82&w=1024&s=31e6d5a16fab8c95a4b564d2e13b322a 1024w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1522&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=61&w=2048&s=1c60e769529fe2af19ceb7b7f3b52441 2048w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=2283&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=41&w=3072&s=f374b986c8757661826549d4e8e38ef3 3072w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=569&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=766&s=c1534f16c22a1407b8b3da1fb604a615 766w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1138&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=1532&s=147cca973f96fa31fdee3851fecd5f09 1532w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=1708&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=2298&s=cbbd921094655076e027ac79f738e14a 2298w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=332&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=60&w=448&s=96ab9e93cebb6dfcd2411c0592ce166c 448w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=665&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=45&w=896&s=a5acecb0bacb8023d1e55145082ceaf6 896w, https://louderthanten.imgix.net/articles/25-years.jpg?auto=format&crop=focalpoint&domain=louderthanten.imgix.net&fit=crop&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=998&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=30&w=1344&s=56deb83373867db85e0088a24ae91216 1344w)
NOT OVER: 25 Years of Visual AIDS
I have also learned a lot from the HIV virus itself and the response to HIV. As far as viruses go, HIV is not so special. It is hard to transmit and very stubborn and sneaky. And yet, it has changed the world. On the other hand, the response to HIV has been amazing. People have sacrificed so much to save themselves and each other, putting their bodies and futures on the line because it needed to be done—AIDS activists are as determined to survive as the virus is itself.