Date: Fri, 11 Nov 1994 11:48:14 -0800 (PST) From: Rex Wockner Subject: (fwd) Pedro Zamora dies - press release For immediate release: Contact: Lynora Williams November 11, 1994 (202) 986-1300, ext. 33 Nationally Renown AIDS Peer Educator Dies Pedro Zamora, AIDS Action board member, dedicated HIV/AIDS peer educator and cast member of MTV's _The Real World_, died on November 11th at approximately 5am of AIDS. He was twenty-two years old. Zamora, who fled Cuba at the age of eight with his family during the Mariel boat lift in 1980, became infected with HIV as a freshman in high school. He began speaking publicly to groups of young people about AIDS soon after learning of his HIV infection as a high school senior as his way of coping. Zamora went on to become one of the nation's leading AIDS educators, appearing on television, nationally and internationally, telling his story to the National Commission on AIDS, to members of Congress and to thousands of young people around the country. "In his abbreviated lifetime, Pedro did more for HIV prevention than anyone or any organization I know. His honest, nonjudgmental presentations made him an invaluable advocate for young people with HIV/AIDS or at risk of HIV infection," said Jay Coburn, AIDS Action legislative representative and longtime friend of Zamora. "Pedro dedicated his too-short life and work to educating and enlightening those around him," said Daniel T. Bross, AIDS Action Council executive director. "The simplicity, clarity and immediacy with which Pedro shared his experiences and ideas with AIDS Action's staff and board of directors set an example for how we as a nation should be fighting this epidemic." Zamora spent the first half of this year in San Francisco filming MTV's _The Real World_, a program that captures the adventures of and relationship between six young adults living under one roof. MTV invited Pedro to the cast to portray exactly who he was: a young man living with HIV. "His character added a new dimension and depth to the program and allowed Pedro and his important message to reach young people around the country," Bross said. As a result of his MTV involvement, Zamora developed a large following of fans who corresponded with him regularly and contributed to a fund established to help with his medical bills. Zamora had no health insurance and accrued thousands of dollars in medical expenses over the last months of his life. In cooperation with AIDS Action, Zamora testified repeatedly before congressional committees on HIV prevention and the need for health care reform. In July he told members, "I am frustrated with programs that are more concerned with offending people in the general public than with saving lives. If you want to reach me as a young gay man, especially a young gay man of color, then you need to give me information in a language and vocabulary I can understand and relate to. I will be much more likely to hear the message if it comes from someone to whom I can relate," he said. Zamora added, "I needed positive messages about my sexuality. I needed to know about condoms, how to use them correctly and where to buy them. I needed to know that you can be sexual without having intercourse. I needed skills to negotiate relationships. I needed to know how to say 'I don't want to have intercourse, I just want to be held.'" In lieu of flowers, the Zamora family has established the Pedro Zamora Memorial Fund at AIDS Action Foundation to help continue his HIV prevention and education work. Contributions should be sent to the Pedro Zamora Memorial Fund, AIDS Action Foundation, 1875 Connecticut Ave, #700, Washington D.C. 20009. For more information, contact: Shannon Snead at (20) 986-1300, ext. 29. AIDS Action Council, founded in 1984, is the only national organization devoted solely to advocating at the federal level for more effective AIDS policy, legislation, and funding. The council represents more than 1000 community-based AIDS service organizations throughout the United States. ----- End of press release ----- You can also donate to the Pedro Zamor Memorial Fund by calling 1-800-790-2332.