Celebrating the Santa Cruz AIDS Project
Cam McKay
Cam McKay He/They
Bay St. and Nobel Dr.
Description: This piece commemorates the work of the Santa Cruz AIDS Project (SCAP), established in 1985. Through programs designed to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and meet the needs of those diagnosed with the disease, the many employees and volunteers of SCAP showed incredible love for their community, leaving a legacy of care like no other.
The front face depicts the late Gary Reynolds, a valiant and outspoken activist who volunteered with SCAP until his death from AIDS in 1990. Reynolds was the first grand marshal of Santa Cruz Pride and passed away the night after the parade. He left a mark on Santa Cruz Pride history that deserves to be commemorated.
This piece also celebrates the Lavender Reader, a publication by and for Santa Cruz County's LGBTQ community that spread awareness of and reported on the work of SCAP. As a whole, the goal of this work is to uplift the activism and community work from a diverse array of people during a time when so much, and so many, were lost.
This piece was created in collaboration with the team behind the documentary film “Never the Last Love Letter”, a documentary that immortalizes the work of SCAP and its importance to the community of Santa Cruz County.
Celebrating the Santa Cruz AIDS Project
Artist Bio: I am a painter, performer, and multimedia artist who loves colors! I have been a lifelong artist and have a BA in Fine Art and Feminist Studies from UCSC. I consider social and political activism to be a central part of my creative process. I enjoy painting from life, using unconventional color palettes, and using art to explore the vibrancy and multi textured nature of life.
I have lived in Santa Cruz for my entire adult life. While, admittedly, I did move here to attend UCSC, I now consider Santa Cruz my hometown. Over the years I have put down roots here and am involved in local faith and organizing communities, as well as working for a local queer-owned business, Childish Toy Shop. I cherish every day here and try to make the most of living in such a naturally beautiful place. I have found my home and my people here. In the past two years, I have been incredibly lucky to meet some cherished queer elders both in my faith community and at local queer events. I feel that nothing in my life has been more healing than finding a genuine queer community in Santa Cruz.
Historical Context: The Lavender Reader was a queer publication published by people in Santa Cruz that began in 1987. This monthly publication included articles and advice for LGBTQ+ people across the Santa Cruz County and beyond. In addition to the Lavender reader, there were many other queer publications published by people around the county including newsletters such as the Lavender Readher, The Matrix and others.
Gary Reynolds was the first grand marshal in the Pride Parade which began in 1991. Gary was a gay activist in Santa Cruz who worked on queer and HIV/AIDS issues in the 80s and the early 90s; he was outspoken, passionate, honest, brave, smart and absolutely unwilling to be silenced. In 1990, Gary was co-MC at pride. In 1991, the Pride committee realized the next year that Gary might not be well enough to march, it decided to create the position of Grand Marshal so that Gary could ride. Gary made it through the parade and then passed away later that day of complications from HIV/AIDS.