About Us
WHO WE ARE
We are a museum and educational center that is open to the public to visit, explore and enjoy. We offer guided docent tours on request. In our main gallery is the CHRONOLOGY OF AIDS, which is the history of HIV and AIDS. We have a small art gallery, multimedia, and artifacts that offer though-provoking and heartwarming art experiences.
HOW WE CAME TO BE
The idea for the World AIDS Museum grew out of the Fort Lauderdale based group, POZitive Attitudes, a topic driven support group for people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.. Steve Stagon, the facilitator, who would later become the Museum’s founder, started creating historical HIV/AIDS exhibits as topics for the group. In the early days, these were displayed at the Pride Center of South Florida. and Blanche Ely High School. Other members of the Pozitive Attitudes group showed interest and on September 20, 2011, the World AIDS Museum was incorporated as a non-profit organization and later was determined as a 501(c)(3) organization in 2013. The Museum opened its doors on May 15, 2014.
WHY SOUTH FLORIDA?
Our region is the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the state of Florida—a state that was among the original epicenters of the HIV pandemic in the US along with the states of New York and California. Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties have consistently had the highest rates of new high HIV diagnoses in the US since 2015.
STAFF PROFILES
TONI TAVARES
OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
TRACY VERTUS
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION
MESSAGE FROM FOUNDER, STEVE STAGON
When you pass the site of the World AIDS Museum and Educational Center you will undoubtedly see our beautiful sign. As I look at it, I think of our original mission: to raise awareness and eradicate stigma of HIV/AIDS by documenting the history, remembering those who have suffered, educating people about the disease, enlightening the world to this continuing tragedy and empowering the survivors. Our first and continuing exhibit, Chronology of AIDS was completed in May 2014. We’ve come a long way since then, creating other powerful exhibits and conducting HIV education inside Broward public schools. I hope you’ll join me by continuing to support these important efforts.
Our Mission today is Promote dialogue that eliminates HIV/AIDS stigma through education, artistic expression, and cultural programming
The photos above link to external articles that open in a separate tab.
The Campbell Foundation Funding AIDS Research
Scott L. Bennett Charitable Fund at Our Fund
The Stan Roller Charitable Fund at Our Fund
BOARD MEMBERS
Chair – Will Spencer
Vice Chair – Mark Francis
Secretary – Dr. Barbara Sharief
Founder – Steve Stagon
William Green
Eva Del Calzo
Julie Williamson-Bresset