Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2009. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bay Area Reporter - November 19, 2009
Liz Highleyman, liz@black-rose.com
Mr. Zold, who lived with HIV for two decades, passed away in his sleep. The cause of death has not been determined, according to Bob McIntyre, his partner of 12 years.
"Ed Zold was a tireless young activist who was unafraid to speak truth to power," said ACT UP/East Bay co-founder John Iversen. "Like Jeff Getty, Hank Wilson, Jesse Dobson, and many others who succumbed to AIDS, he will be sorely missed."
Mr. Zold was born November 27, 1970, near Detroit. Not long after he was diagnosed with HIV in his late teens, he left Michigan and moved to San Francisco, where he attended a local university and devoted himself to AIDS activism during the early and mid-1990s.
A member of ACT UP/Golden Gate, Mr. Zold was involved in local and national HIV prevention and treatment campaigns. He was ACT UP's media coordinator for four years, often served as a spokesman for the group, and wrote for the Bay Area Reporter as part of the ACT UP/Golden Gate Writers Pool.
Mr. Zold attended numerous HIV/AIDS conferences and participated in many actions, including a 1993 demonstration at the state Capitol to protest then-Governor Pete Wilson's veto of a bill authorizing needle exchange.
"Some people who only knew him in his capacity as an activist would be surprised to know that Ed could be quite timid, but as an activist he never hesitated to speak his mind," said friend and fellow ACT UP member Kent Schuelke. "This delicate, almost painfully shy young man frightened a lot of highly educated, well-paid folks in elected office and in the health care industry, because he made it clear that he would blow the whistle on them any time he felt they were putting profits or politics ahead of the lives of people with HIV."
Mr. Zold was ACT UP/Golden Gate's liaison to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a member of the CDC's Prevention Marketing Initiative committee, he helped develop the 1995 "Respect Yourself, Protect Yourself" campaign, which produced the first radio and television ads promoting condom use for young people, including gay men.
In May 1996, Mr. Zold was honored by Mayor Willie Brown as a hero in the fight against AIDS in a ceremony at the 13th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial.
Mr. Zold retired from AIDS activism in 1997, at a time when the epidemic was changing dramatically due to the advent of new, more effective anti-HIV drugs. He loved animals, and in more recent years volunteered with the local SPCA.
Mr. Zold's papers and memorabilia from his AIDS activist years are preserved in the archives of the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco.
In addition to McIntyre, Mr. Zold is survived by his father, sisters Elaine, Debbie, and Denise, cats Joey and Boom Boom, and many loving friends.
A memorial service is planned for this Sunday, November 22, at noon at the AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park. Donations in Mr. Zold's memory may be made to the SPCA.
091119
BR091109
Copyright © 2009 - The Bay Area Reporter. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the The Bay Area Reporter.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2009. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2009. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .