Robin Webb was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1957. Robin’s parents loved him and his two brothers unconditionally; he describes them as the “best parents in the world.” When Robin was two, the family packed up and moved when his father, a Southern Baptist preacher, was called to a church several states away in Ruleville, Mississippi. 

As Robin describes it, 1960s Mississippi was “full of movement and movements.” Although most of the local Civil Rights activity remained outside Robin’s radar, he recalls a sense of “breaking the rules” that defined his childhood identity. His Baptist upbringing mingled with his early awareness of queerness, resulting in a complicated relationship with religion. 

After high school, Robin, a talented pianist, was awarded a scholarship to Rice University in Houston, Texas, where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He then attended the University of Arizona, where he received his doctorate in music. For the next several years, he worked on cruise ships as a jazz pianist, an experience that sparked his decades-long love of travel. Robin has now been to all seven continents and over 120 countries. 

In 1985, Robin moved to New York City, where he would reside for the next 20 years. In 1987, he was diagnosed with HIV; in 1988, he was diagnosed with AIDS. After trying several diets and new therapies to no avail, he sunk into an addiction that lasted three years. Eventually, with the support of his family and his partner Al, he “found life again.” 

Robin would not come out to his parents as gay until his mid-30s, around the same time that he began attending silent retreats at Anglican monasteries in New York. As a child, his father frequently preached against homosexuality from the pulpit; his adult experiences with “Episcopal passion” differed greatly.

Around 2005, Robin moved back to Mississippi. He was horrified by the lack of resources for people living with HIV in his home state, and started his own organization, A Brave New Day, to help create a network of support. The nonprofit, now run through an organization called My Brother’s Keeper, empowered, advocated for, and amplified the voices of people living with HIV in Mississippi. Now, Robin envisions a future in which the HIV movement continues to deepen in its understanding of intersectionality, racial justice, and health equity. 

Today, Robin continues to use his musical talents to play piano and compose music. When speaking about his plans for the future, Robin says that he loves “not just having dreams, but working on those as hard as [he] can.” This ethos shines through his life story, which unfolds as a symphony of resilience, hope, and the enduring power of love.