Brent Nicholson Earle (born 21 January 1951) is an early activist in the effort to promote awareness and prevent the spread of
AIDS, notable for his long-distance runs to support his cause and raise money for AIDS service organizations.
People Magazine named Earle one of its "20 individuals who shaped the 80's." His first major run, in 1986-87, the American Run for the End of AIDS (A.R.E.A.), started and ended in New York City, covering 9,000 miles around the perimeter of the United States. His second, in 1990, went from San Francisco to Vancouver, the site of
Gay Games
The Gay Games is a worldwide sport and cultural event that promotes acceptance of sexual diversity, featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) athletes, artists and other individuals.
Founded as the Gay Olympics, it was star ...
III. His third, in 1994, this time leading a seven-person team and using roller skates, went from San Francisco to New York, site of Gay Games IV. He is also active with
ACT UP and was made an Honorary Life Member of the Federation of Gay Games.
In 2010 he was named as the winner of the Tom Waddell Award, the highest honor of the Federation of the Gay Games. He also created the International Rainbow Memorial Run, which carries a rainbow flag from San Francisco around the world to the city hosting the current Gay Games. It promotes both AIDS and breast cancer prevention.
In his professional life, he worked in New York City as an actor, writer, stage manager, lecturer, archivist, photographer, optical designer, curator and art gallery administrator.
He is the subject of an upcoming feature documentary entitled "For the Love of Friends." In 2020, he returns to the stage in New York as an actor and playwright in "For the Love of Friends: A story about the life and work of Brent Nicholson Earle."
He was born in
Niagara Falls, New York, and grew up in nearby
Lockport, New York
Lockport is both a city and the town that surrounds it in Niagara County, New York. The city is the Niagara county seat, with a population of 21,165 according to 2010 census figures, and an estimated population of 20,305 as of 2019.
Its name d ...
. As of 2020, he is still an AIDS activist in New York City.
References
External links
Human Sexuality Collection at Cornell University Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Earle, Brent Nicholson
1951 births
HIV/AIDS activists
American health activists
American LGBT people
LGBT rights activists from the United States
Living people
21st-century LGBT people