Jason Cannon

(Accentuate the) Positive was a concert I created with Dr. Charles Beale for New York City Gay Men’s Chorus.

When it comes to the subject of HIV/AIDS, most LGBTQ+ choruses sing in remembrance of loved ones lost. We wanted to create a concert from the point of view of those living with HIV/AIDS, nearly 30 years after the start of the epidemic.

We worked with NYC community partners including aidforaids.org, GMHC and CHEST to gather the latest data, and I interviewed many HIV+ people who graciously shared their experiences, wisdom, and fears.

(Accentuate the) Positive featured music by Morton Lauridsen, Beyoncé, Hansard and Iglová, Our Lady J, Sting, Duncan Sheik, Edith Piaf, and more.

(Accentuate the) Positive was performed at NYU’s Skirball Center in June 2011 with special guest star Fredi Walker-Browne, and again at the GALA festival in Denver in July, 2012.

“The people in the earlier generation who had HIV were innocent victims, and I'm not an innocent victim. I'm not looking for sympathy about it, but there are times when I feel like those of us infected recently, somehow it's our fault. And it is my fault. I got this because I took some really stupid risks so it is my fault, but in a way that it wasn't before. There is something almost noble about the first generation. They had no possible way of knowing this would happen. Sometimes I feel really guilty about it. I feel like I owe an apology to someone, but I don't know who that is.”

All images used with permission from Gustavo Monroy.