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Tribute by Fatima Prioleau former New York Health and Human Services HIV Planning Council Community Co-Chair
I am honored to have this opportunity to add a tribute to the memory of Keith Cylar. As other have mentioned, Keith was a giant amongst us and his presence will be missed. When I learned of Keith's passing, I had to spend time in my prayer closet to get solace from God.
God provided me with a scripture from the Old Testament, II Kings 7:3 - 11. As I read this scripture, I realized that Keith Cylar was God's way of providing us with His Grace.
We have had a famine in this land, a famine called HIV, and Keith did not believe in sitting idly by while the bureaucrats made decisions that impacted the lives of People Living With HIV. He would walk into the "enemy's camp". Now our enemy happens to be anyone or anything that puts profits and policy before People Living With HIV. Keith had that uncanny ability to draw us together and make the enemy back down. Keith was like a modern day Moses.
For example: while at a national conference last year, we heard of a policy that was in the process of being implemented that would be harmful to PLWH. Well Keith along with other advocates told us to just stand when they made their move. It was an awesome sight to see him walk up to the front of this huge room filled with 1000's of people and just stands and shake his head at this bureaucrat. As one, we all stood and raised our signs, "Fight AIDS Not People With AIDS". Needless to say, the enemy was shaken by this simple move and came back to the table and began a dialogue with the community advocates and Keith.
Keith never forgot whom he was advocating for. He would not ask of you, what he would not do! Like those men of second Kings, Keith didn't just fill himself and leave the rest of us behind. Keith and the other members of Housing Works always make sure that the people they are representing are taken care of.
Well, if Keith Cylar was Moses, then Charles King is definitely Joshua. Did you march across the Brooklyn bridge, last year? It was awesome!! Charles marching with us and encouraging us to make it across. If only you could have seen him lead the group from the edge of the bridge to City Hall. It was like the parting of the Red Sea. Like Joshua, he would hold up Keith's arms during our advocacy efforts to let us know that we had to keep on advocating. What impresses me the most was their team effort at all times!
God gave us Keith Cylar, so that we, People Living With HIV, can know that we are more than a conqueror, that we have the right to live in dignity, that we have talent and skills, and that we can bring down those strongholds that put profit and policy before people.
Keith was like a big brother to me and knowing that he "had my back" made me stronger. Although he has gone home, I know that I am okay because he has my spiritual back. I also know that he is alive in everyone and thing that he touched.
God has blessed Keith in a way that only God can. I believe that on the day of his passing God said to Keith, "Let's go for a walk…"
Now, I will take a page out of Keith's "Guide to Advocacy". When you provide the Proclamation, provide also the property to allow the housing to be built for People Living With HIV through out NY. I will only ask of you what I would ask of myself. Visit the facilities that Housing Works have built. Do not judge them unless you have been to see what they have done for people that the world tries to ignore. I have been to the housing and other facilities that they have created and I was humbled. Whether it's housing, day treatment program or the job training, the programs empower people to not just take, but they work with the clients so that they can do for themselves. They are doing God's Work! Like Peter of Acts, they exhibit that they are willing to provide more than just the food or shelter but their Job development and self-help programs provides their clients with an opportunity to become self-sufficient. So, if you don't really know about the work they do, don't judge them.
Fellow advocates and activist, when you get the call or the email to call or march, respond to it. Let your policy makers know that People Living With HIV require housing because housing is healthcare. "Fight HIV, not People Living With HIV". May God bless you and may God keep you. Thank you.
God bless you. |
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