The National AIDS Memorial announced today that Sarah Frank, a freshman at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island is the second recipient of the Mary Bowman Arts in Activism Award.  The Award honors the life of Mary Bowman, the young poet, advocate, author, and singer living with AIDS, who passed away in early 2019 at the age of 30.

Funded through a multi-year grant from ViiV Healthcare, the Award offers support to artist-activists who are working and committed to making a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS and advancing social justice.

“We are pleased to honor novelist, poet and performer Sarah Frank with this year’s Mary Bowman Arts in Activism Award,” said John Cunningham, Chief Executive Officer of the National AIDS Memorial. “Sarah’s poetry reflects on her personal experiences that raise awareness and inspire action.”

Sarah, a freshman at Brown University studying writing and psychology, is a novelist, poet, and performer. In addition, she is the founder of Studyist, a nonprofit that combats education inequity. An author of four published books, Sarah performs in poetry readings, has spoken to over 5,000 students at elementary/middle schools, and has competed in numerous poetry competitions. Sara writes about everything from her own life to the lives of those around her, from history to the current state of the world.  She writes and performs her poems as a catalyst for change, with particular focus on anti-semitism, feminism and climate change.

“Sarah believes that her poetry can do two major things for social advocacy – bring awareness and trigger action. Like Mary Bowman, Sarah is not afraid to speak up. Mary Bowman took what she had gone through and what she noticed about the world and used it as fuel for her fire. And while for different causes, Sarah does the same thing. As Mary said, poetry is universal. Poetry can be written in one language but understood by them all,” continued Cunningham.

“As a Jewish person, I have experienced antisemitism firsthand,” said Sarah Frank. “I performed one of my pieces about the Holocaust at a poetry reading. Afterwards, I was approached by someone who told me my piece reminded them that there is still much work to do to combat antisemitism. I plan to use this scholarship to continue lending my voice and my poetry to raise greater awareness around stigma, bigotry, health and social justice.”

ViiV Healthcare has supported the multi-year program with more than $100,000 in funding to the National AIDS Memorial.  In 2022, two $5,000 awards will be granted to eligible artist-activists and a fellowship program will also be established.

“This award supports young artists and activists like Sarah who use their creative talents and share their message of change through the arts,” said Marc Meachem, Head, U.S. External Affairs, ViiV Healthcare. “Like Mary Bowman’s, Sarah’s work shows how culture can change stigma and deepen connections with people to breakthrough prejudices and activate action.”

ViiV Healthcare recognizes the power of culture to break down HIV/AIDS stigma and isolation, and the company proudly supports arts and culture programs that engage and inspire individuals and communities in the fight to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.  A beautifully-produced video tribute to Bowman, created by the National AIDS Memorial through the support of ViiV Healthcare, captures that spirit and Bowman’s life and work.

Born with HIV, Bowman lived out her experiences of growing up and living with HIV (and losing a mother to AIDS) through her art. As a young, out, woman of color, she was a dynamic, vital voice for the next generation of individuals living with HIV — proud, willing to speak of her own challenges beyond HIV — and also a fierce advocate for other young people with HIV for whom a voice was lacking. For Bowman, the arts gave her the platform and voice to channel her creative energy, her passion, her truth.

Details about the application process and requirements for the award can be found at  www.aidsmemorial.org/marybowman.  Applications are now being accepted for the next Awards.

About the National AIDS Memorial:  The mission of the National AIDS Memorial is to share the story of the struggle against HIV/AIDS and to remember, in perpetuity, the lives lost, offer healing and hope to survivors, and inspire new generations of activists in the fight against stigma, denial, and hate, for a just future. Through the National AIDS Memorial Grove, AIDS Memorial Quilt, and inspiring programs, the National AIDS Memorial ensures that the story of AIDS, and the AIDS movement, is never forgotten and connects four decades of healing, hope, remembrance and survival, to issues faced by society today. Learn more at www.aidsmemorial.org.

About ViiV Healthcare: ViiV Healthcare is a global specialist HIV company established in November 2009 by GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) dedicated to delivering advances in treatment and care for people living with HIV and for people who are at risk of becoming infected with HIV. Shionogi joined in October 2012. The company’s aims are to take a deeper and broader interest in HIV/AIDS than any company has done before and take a new approach to deliver effective and innovative medicines for HIV treatment and prevention, as well as support communities affected by HIV. For more information on the company, its management, portfolio, pipeline, and commitment, please visit www.viivhealthcare.com.