Elia immigrated from Mexico City to Houston after high school. Soon after, she learned her best friend Gustavo had died of complications from AIDS. Grieving but determined to fight back, Elia started volunteering for the Houston AIDS Foundation, bringing food, prayer, and compassion to people with AIDS. Five years later, she founded what became FLAS (Fundación Latino Americana de Accion Social / Latin American Foundation for Social Action) to address HIV stigma in the Latinx community. Today, under Elia’s leadership, FLAS is still going strong.
Watch Elia’s full interview here
Preserve stories like Elia’s:
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LifeCyle Rider: Saul Lua
“As a son of immigrant parents from Mexico, I deeply connect with Elia and the struggle to find a sense of belonging where you are embraced with cultural sensitivity. It is my honor and privilege to share Elia’s mission and to ride in support of her efforts to create a healthier environment for LGBTQ Latinos and beyond.”
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Saul is part of #TeamOUTWORDS. Each cyclist on Team OUTWORDS is riding in honor of an OUTWORDS interviewee who has brought courage and vision to the battle to #endAIDS.
