As the world prepares to commemorate World AIDS Day, a different kind of movement is gathering at the U.S.–Mexico border on November 30, one built not only on advocacy, but on visibility, courage, and even joy. MPact Global Action, the organization behind the cross-border Kiss-In and Besoton Sidoso Internacional event, is flipping traditional activism on its head by centering queer migrants living with HIV and celebrating their humanity, not just their struggle.
For Alex Garner, Director of Community Engagement at MPact, this work is personal, and deeply political. He believes that when queer migrants living with HIV gather to kiss, to hold hands, or simply to show up unapologetically, they’re making one of the most radical statements of all: We exist, we have agency, and we will not be erased.
“Joy Is an Act of Rebellion”
Visibility is powerful, but for queer migrants, it’s rarely safe. That’s why, Garner explains, MPact creates spaces where individuals can decide their own level of visibility, their own narrative, and their own form of resistance.
“Visibility is an individual choice,” he says. “Throughout the years, many queer people have accepted the risks that come with being visible because they felt it was important to make an impact. Our job is to help create space so they can choose their visibility, and be protected as much as possible when they do.”
This year, that space looks like a kiss: loud, public, and deeply political. For some, it’s a form of protest. For others, it’s a love letter to their younger selves who were taught to hide.
“Joy is an act of rebellion,” Garner shares. “To prioritize our sexuality in these hostile times is a declaration of our humanity.”
When Migration and HIV Status Become Criminalized
While MPact’s border activism highlights resilience, it also draws attention to harsh and often ignored realities facing detained queer migrants living with HIV. According to Garner, health care in detention is not just inadequate, it’s routinely denied.
“People in detention are simply denied access to healthcare. They are completely dehumanized, and there is evidence showing that LGBTQ migrants are vulnerable to physical and sexual assault and their health needs are ignored or not addressed,” he says.
One of the clearest calls he makes is to decriminalize migration altogether. “These are not violent criminals. They are people fleeing violence and discrimination, and seeking to live where they can fully express their sexuality and gender.”
From Punishment to Participation: The Power of Community-Led Movements
The Besoton Sidoso Internacional, a community-led gathering created by and for queer migrants living with HIV, exemplifies this shift from advocacy for marginalized people to advocacy by marginalized people.
“It demonstrates that our community exists,” Garner says. “They are willing to speak up and take a stand against homophobia, serophobia, and xenophobia.”
Whether through political speech or public affection, these acts reclaim both movement and meaning.
Fearless Visibility: A Legacy in Motion
Garner has been openly living with HIV for nearly 30 years, but what gives him hope isn’t his own resilience, it’s witnessing new generations take the torch.
“When people decide to be visible as queer, or HIV-positive, or migrant, it means they are accepting the risks because they know it will be better for those who come after them,” he says.
And for younger activists? He has one message: Do not lead with fear.
“I grew up in the 80s, and my adolescence was consumed by fear. But the world has changed. It’s still difficult and hostile, but we’ve made progress. The next generations need to approach their activism with fearlessness.”
A Border That Connects, Not Divides
For Garner, borders, whether political, social, or emotional, are constructs that can be dismantled. And thanks to social media, even those who can’t physically attend the border event can still participate in the movement.
“Share your own posts demonstrating your sexuality,” he says. “Queer migrants and people living with HIV, from Africa to Asia to the Middle East, need to see themselves represented.”
Because as Garner reminds us, this isn’t just a localized protest, it’s a global reimagining of activism.
This November 30, on the eve of World AIDS Day, MPact invites the world to rethink HIV activism, not as a fight fueled by fear or tragedy, but one defined by agency, sexuality, migration, and yes, joy.
“Courage is what gives us hope,” Garner says. “When we show our courage, we remind the world that our lives matter. That is how change begins.”
