JD Barret: 10k Men’s 1st Place Winner
Q: Could you share the personal impact that this journey of running, advocacy, and fundraising has had on you?
A: Running has had a profound impact on my self-confidence. Growing up in an extremely rural community, I didn’t encounter many people who identified similarly to me. This made me incredibly shy and closed off. However, when I discovered running in high school and found that I was quite proficient at it, it allowed me to take pride in myself and feel confident in my own skin. Since running is a passion of mine, I decided to use this skill to advocate for the causes I am passionate about.
Q: With LGBTQ+ History Month ending, could you provide your thoughts on the purpose and importance of celebrating and commemorating LGBTQIA history?
A: LGBTQ+ History Month is a special occasion that invites us to pause and reflect, to learn, and to join in celebration. It plays a vital role in nurturing our understanding of LGBTQ+ history, fostering an appreciation for diversity, and contributing to the ongoing effort to create a society where every person, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity, can feel confident and live authentically!
William Pettway 5k Non-Binary 1st Place Winner
Q: Why did you make the choice to participate in AIDS Run & Walk Chicago?
A: AIDS Run & Walk Chicago is a safe community of people who are working to end new HIV transmissions and name racism as a public health crisis. I enjoy being a part of that collective, and it gives me an environment to wave my non-binary flag proudly.
Q: With LGBTQ+ History Month ending, could you provide your thoughts on the purpose and importance of celebrating and commemorating LGBTQIA history?
A: This community has been underappreciated for a long time. Historically humans that push boundaries of expression help us all learn more about ourselves and the breadth of human experiences. I’m inspired by: Lorraine Hansberry, James Baldwin, Janelle Monae, Adrienne Maree Brown to name a few. I am gifted boldness standing on these icons’ shoulders. It is our duty to continue their justice seeking legacies.
It’s not enough to celebrate history, we have to affirm and support history that we’re living and making each day.
I appreciate AIDS Run & Walk Chicago as a platform to be loudly queer. I wear my flag to honor my younger tumultuous self who held shame for not living up to gender expectations. I strive for excellence each day as an apology to that young one. Being any part of the LGBTQIA+ community, we’re not new to being told to shrink. I live to show that we’re allowed to thrive, and we’re quite good at it when supported.
Christopher Pazdernik: 1st Place Fundraiser
Q: Why did you make the choice to participate in AIDS Run & Walk Chicago?
A: After I had been living with HIV for a few years, and had grown more comfortable with it, I wanted to start giving back to the community in some way. I saw an ad on the CTA for AIDS Run & Walk Chicago and decided that was it—and now it’s been ten years!
Q: Could you share the personal impact that this journey of running, advocacy, and fundraising has had on you?
A: I’ve learned that it takes a village, and it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and that’s true of my journey with HIV/AIDS as well. Just like I have had so many friends supporting me in different ways—especially during the early days of my diagnosis—it takes as many people as possible working together to make an impact. And there’s no easy solution, it’s something you have to keep working at: the progress in front of you may seem small, but when you look behind and see how far we’ve come, it’s astonishing!
Q: With LGBTQ+ History Month approaching, could you provide your thoughts on the purpose and importance of celebrating and commemorating LGBTQIA history?
A: That’s another reason I do AIDS Run & Walk Chicago every year—to give back to those who came before me! I know that I have the quality of life I do because so many people fought in the early days of the AIDS crisis, and I feel called to continue their work in any way I can.
