Miami Herald - Thursday, September 13, 2001
Steve Rothaus

The HIV-AIDS Forum at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in southwest Miami-Dade is being planned for Friday night by Gertrude Pearl, who at age 87 is not your typical AIDS activist.

In fact, until a year ago, Pearl was barely aware of the AIDS crisis.

"We have no history of AIDS in our family that I know of. Even among friends. It never occurred to me as an issue," said Pearl, who was born in 1914 in the Ukraine amid the Russian Revolution.

Then, in November 2000, Pearl and a few friends attended a display of the national AIDS quilt in Miami Beach.

She saw the names and pictures of strangers -- young and old, gay and straight -- who died of AIDS.

"A bombshell" went off, Pearl said.

"When I walked out, my mind started to twirl around," Pearl recalled. "I said, `My God, we have to do something about this.' I meant we."

The next day, Pearl called the United Nations in New York.

"I asked to be connected with an HIV division. They connected me with this Dr. Naomi. When I started to speak with her, I asked if she would be interested in coming to Miami to give a presentation. She said yes."

Dr. Naomi Nhiwatiwa recently retired as senior advisor to the United Nations for the World Health Organization's Africa region.

"So I got her as the keynote speaker," according to Pearl. "I said, `Where do I go from here?'

"The next thing I was calling universities. I called the University of Miami and I was connected to Dr. Gwendolyn Scott with the division of pediatrics, and to Dr. Lawrence Friedman, who works with juveniles.

"That's how I became involved. I've been doing this for the last eight months. It took on a life of its own."

Until the phone call, Scott had never heard of Pearl.

"It's kind of unusual to have someone out of the community call and give a conference of this type. I had to applaud her imagination and creativity. She looks at AIDS as something people needed to have more information about. I was impressed by that and agreed to speak," Scott said.

Pearl and her family immigrated to the United States in 1922. She grew up in New York City. There, she married and worked at several colleges, evaluating graduate candidates.

Pearl had always been a pacifist, but never an activist. After she and her husband, Barnett, retired to South Florida in 1976, Pearl ventured to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

"The Universalist Church is a very liberal philosophy. We are aware of social issues. It's like bringing the pulpit to the streets," Pearl said.

At age 67, Pearl became consumed with a sense of activism. Her main issue -- world peace. "I felt it was my platform for all the things I wanted to do in my life. I wanted to reach out to the community."

Barnett Pearl died in 1987 and Gertrude became a full-time activist.

Now, her target is AIDS.

"It started with an exhibit," she said. "And that's it. People have to become aware of it."

MAKE THE CUT

Van Michael Miami Salon, which recently opened at 1671 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach, will hold a haircut-a-thon from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 30, and donate all proceeds to Food for Life Network, a group that helps feed people with AIDS. All haircuts will cost $25. Philanthropist Norma Jean Abraham is chairwoman of the event. Refreshments will be provided by Le Basque Caterers, wines by Southern Wine and Spirits.

For more information, call Van Michael Miami Salon at 305-534-6789, or Berne Teeple at Food for Life Network, 305-576-3663, ext. 111. Outlooks runs the second and fourth Thursday of the month. To contact Steve Rothaus, call 305-376-3770, or send him faxes at 305-376-5287. Notices can be mailed to: Steve Rothaus, 1 Herald Plaza, Fifth Floor, Miami, FL 33132. The column is online at http://miami.com/gay srothaus@herald.com

IF YOU GO

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Miami is sponsoring a forum on HIV/AIDS at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Keynote speaker Dr. Naomi Nhiwatiwa, the recently retired senior advisor to the United Nations for the World Health Organization's Africa region, will discuss AIDS in Africa.

Dr. Gwendolyn Scott, director of the University of Miami's pediatric infectious disease and immunology division, will talk about HIV in mothers and babies, and Dr. Lawrence Friedman of adolescent medicine at UM will discuss HIV/AIDS in youth.

The event at the church, 7701 SW 76th Ave., is free. Call Gertrude Pearl at 305-234-0610 for more information.

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