For The Love Of Pedro

He Stopped Being Polite + Started Getting (Mighty) Real

PEDRO ZAMORA
(February 29, 1972 – November 11, 1994)

Pedro Zamora was more than just a figure on reality TV.
He was a game-changer in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

His appearance on MTV’s The Real World: San Francisco in 1994 was evolutionary and revolutionary. He wasn’t just a cast member; he was a living testament to the struggles, stigma, and strength that came with living with HIV/AIDS in the 1990s.

Pedro became a beacon of hope, teaching viewers about the human side of the AIDS crisis and helping transform the way a generation understood the disease.

Pedro's courage in sharing his diagnosis and his life with the world continues to inspire me. Coming out in the 1990s, his courage helped give me the courage to come out and stand up for those fighting the disease…and the discrimination.

Pedro stopped being polite, stopped hiding behind the walls of stigma, and got (mighty) real—not just with his fellow housemates, but with the entire world.

By sharing his story, Pedro made HIV/AIDS personal for millions of viewers, reminding us that the virus wasn’t just a political issue but a very human one.

Matt Baume released a brilliant video essay about Pedro Zamora’s legacy last month. It’s a must-see in my book, reminding me of the pivotal role Zamora played in shifting the conversation around HIV/AIDS during a time when hate, fear, and ignorance ruled the day.

Pedro Zamora’s impact cannot be overstated. His authenticity, his activism, and his heartbreaking passing at the age of 22 left a void in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

But his story—his bravery in the face of a disease that was too often shrouded in shame—remains an inspiration, and his legacy lives on in the work of countless activists, educators, and researchers he and his life helped inspire.

Stop being polite…start getting (mighty) real…and never forget Pedro Zamora!
Clint 🌈✌️

ON THIS DAY = FEBRUARY 28

BIRTHDAYS

• 1533 = Michel De Montaigne = French philosopher and writer 🌈

• 1894 = Ben Hecht = American filmmaker

• 1903 = Vincente Minnelli = American theatre and film director 🌈

• 1906 = Bugsy Siegel = American gangster

• 1909 = Stephen Spender = English writer 🌈

• 1923 = Charles Durning = American actor

• 1929 = Frank Gehry = Canadian-American architect and designer

• 1931 = Gavin MacLeod = American actor and author

• 1937 = Jeff Farrell = American swimmer

• 1939 = Tommy Tune = American actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, producer, and choreographer 🌈

• 1940 = Mario Andretti = Italian-American racing driver

• 1942 = Frank Bonner = American actor and television director

• 1942 = Brian Jones = English guitarist, songwriter, and producer

• 1942 = Oliviero Toscani = Italian photographer

• 1944 = Kelly Bishop = American actor and dancer

• 1948 = Mike Figgis = English filmmaker and composer

• 1948 = Bernadette Peters = American actor, singer, and author

• 1948 = Mercedes Ruehl = American actor

• 1955 – Gilbert Gottfried = American comedian, actor, and singer

• 1957 = John Turturro = American actor and director

• 1957 = Cindy Wilson = American singer-songwriter

• 1961 = Rae Dawn Chong = Canadian-American actor

• 1969 – Robert Sean Leonard = American actor

• 1969 = Pat Monahan = American singer-songwriter and actor

• 1972 = Rory Cochrane = American actor

EVENTS

• 1983 = The final episode of M*A*S*H airs, with almost 110 million viewers.

• 1986 = Pretty In Pink is released in theaters.

• 1993 = Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents raid the Branch Davidian church in Waco, Texas with a warrant to arrest the group's leader David Koresh, starting a 51-day standoff.

ON THIS DAY = FEBRUARY 29

BIRTHDAYS

• 1892 = Augusta Savage = American sculptor

• 1904 = Jimmy Dorsey = American saxophonist, composer and bandleader

• 1908 = Balthus = French-Swiss painter and illustrator

• 1916 = Dinah Shore = American singer, actor, and talk show host

• 1916 = Leonard Shoen = American founder of U-Haul

• 1928 = Tempest Storm = American burlesque performer and actor

• 1936 = Henri Richard = Canadian ice hockey player

• 1944 = Dennis Farina = American police officer and actor

• 1972 = Antonio Sabàto Jr. = Italian-American model and actor

• 1972 = Pedro Zamora = Cuban-American AIDS educator and tv personality 🌈

• 1980 = Peter Scanavino = American actor

• 1984 = Mark Foster = American singer-songwriter

EVENTS

• 1692 = First people are accused of witchcraft, and arrested in Salem, MA - Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba, a West Indian slave.

• 1892 = St. Petersburg, Florida is incorporated.

• 1940 = For her performance as Mammy in Gone with the Wind, Hattie McDaniel becomes the first African American to win an Academy Award.

• 1988 = Svend Robinson becomes the first member of the House of Commons of Canada to come out as gay.

PORTRAIT + QUOTE OF THE DAY

“As gay young people, we are marginalized. As young people who are HIV-positive and have AIDS, we are totally written off.”
Pedro Zamora

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