my friend, Derrik

The first photo is an image that I came across today that my friend took of what I think is the last time I saw my friend Derrik, pictured left. He died because the world hates gays and poor people and still has never thought curing HIV and some other diseases that don’t affect so many rich straight white people was much of a priority. The mRNA vaccine technology is a really great example of what we could do (and could have done) if the political will was there. He might be alive today if he had money because at least then he could have tackled his health problems in our dilapidated healthcare system, managing them as they came up reasonably well.

And he died because of stigma that tells us that people with addiction issues are a hassle, that they should not take up so much space because they are difficult and always troublesome and if they only put in the effort, did AA the right way, or did some treatment the right way, they would be fine — completely disregarding how terrible the addiction problem is in our world, how it affects people so differently and deeply and how very few real resources are dedicated to deal with the problem with real science and real skill instead of turning the issue into fodder for insurance companies and the cottage industry of hacks with no shame.

The second photo is one of the only ones I have of us together when we were just really happy. We spent a lot of time together and we made going to the thrift store an adventure. He was always taking me on “long cuts” around the city, trying my patience, but showing me things I’d never see on my own. I’m so happy I got to know him.