While America's Black churches have been battling racism and poverty for decades, and rightfully so, their newest opponent -- American gay citizens fighting for equal rights and same-sex-unions -- has caused them to inappropriately funnel millions of dollars to wage war on an undeserving enemy; all the while neglecting to focus their attention, energy, and resources on the growing AIDS pandemic that threatens to claim the lives of millions of their children.
But as communities of color face one of their toughest challenges, the AIDS epidemic, activists and progressive ministers say that many African-American churches are reluctant to provide care and education. Some won't even welcome people with the disease. While this may be true of countless religious organizations, it is not true of Pulitzer Prize nominee Terry Angel Mason who fearlessly shares his story of triumph over HIV/AIDS with the entire world, even after garnering international attention, recognition, and media acclaim for his inspiring new book, Love Won't Let Me Be Silent.
Terry Angel Mason is highly regarded for his ability to overcome adversity. Many would go so far as to say that Mason is a "Maverick of an angel" since his life reads like an excerpt from Tony Kushner's Angels in America. He has a momentous quest, having overcome two life-threatening illnesses. Mason's thought-provoking articles, life-changing stories, and sensual romantic poetry about the Black gay experience touches and inspires millions of lives worldwide, as is evidenced by the numerous distributors that carry his much sought-after literary masterpiece, Love Won't Let Me Be Silent.
The critically-acclaimed collection of writings, short stories, and poems is one of the most celebrated debuts to arrive on the literary scene in years and has recently been nominated for several national literary awards -- with a literary voIce That is nothing short of a miracle!
Click here to view a video entitled Terry Angel Mason and the Neighborhood House Association
Pulitzer Prize nominee Terry Angel Mason talks about his diagnosis with HIV/AIDS and how the Neighborhood House Association helped him regain his health and happiness.
Another production for the Media Arts Center of San Diego by Patrick Avilés.
