About the Gay Men of Color Fellowship
Now entering its sixth year, the GMoC Fellowship continues its mission of building community leaders by providing knowledge, skills, and support they need to make a meaningful impact. The program is designed to help fellows participate confidently in local and national decision-making conversations.
At its core, the fellowship ensures that the people most affected by HIV are helping to guide the direction of the movement. By building a strong network of informed and empowered leaders, GMoC is advancing a more equitable approach to HIV.The Gay Men of Color (GMoC) Fellowship seeks to equip its members with the tools needed for impactful advocacy. The program’s goal is to ensure that they have what it takes to engage in local and national decision-making processes.
Gay Men of Color Comic Series
For the second year in a row, the Gay Men of Color Fellowship has provided tools to its members to develop a comic series about HIV treatment and prevention. This initiative aims to educate and engage the community through creative storytelling, ensuring that stories come directly from the community and are reflective of their own voices.
We started in 2024 by recruiting three fellows to create a series of traditional full-color comic panels on topics like stigma, U=U, and PrEP. We got a great response!
From there, we built upon 2024’s momentum to create a second cohort of comic-makers. Two are returning fellows from 2024, and two joined in 2025. We wanted to try something new in 2025 – animated shorts! We look forward to showcasing the cohort’s work and highlighting the power of creative communication in HIV education.
2025 Comics: Now Animated!
Introducing the 2025 superheroes (and reintroducing some familiar faces). Enjoy getting to know Bayani, PrEPpy, Sentinel, and U-Man!
Bayani – The Strength of Compassion
In the streets of Iloilo, where HIV stigma still casts its shadow, one man refuses to back down. Bayani fights with courage, strength, and heart. When his best friend faced rejection after an HIV diagnosis, he turned pain into purpose, becoming a voice for truth and acceptance.
Now, alongside fellow community heroes, Bayani builds bridges of hope and understanding. Wherever prejudice casts a shadow, Bayani and his allies rise, proving that the greatest power of all is found in community.
Bayani’s Creator: Concept developed by Benjamin Ignalino, a proud Asian American who has worked for over 20 years in the HIV field and who currently serves as the Program Manager for the Regional Office at the Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center housed at UCSF in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.
PrEPpy
Meet Preppy, a superhero with the power of HIV prevention. With his shield, he makes sure everyone has the protection they need to feel confident, sexy, and ready for a good time. Join him on his adventures as he navigates through challenges, educates, and empowers communities to prioritize their sexual health and well-being.
PrePPY’s Creator:
Concept developed by Andrew Ogata, a fourth-generation Japanese American who hails from the small town of Kealakekua, Hawai’i. With a deep-rooted connection to his heritage and community, Andrew works as the Director of Marketing & Development at the Hawai’i Health and Harm Reduction Center (HHHRC).
Give Andrew a follow on Instagram!
Sentinel
Introducing Sentinel, the hero who fights misinformation one post at a time. Inspired by the journey of HIV ambassador Raúl, Sentinel patrols the digital world to protect his community from fear and ignorance. His superpowers? Unshakeable truth, radical visibility, and the ability to turn a follower into an advocate. Join the fight against stigma. #KnowYourStatus #Sentinel #HIVHero
Sentinel’s Creator
Raúl is a community ambassador with over eight years of experience in HIV, specializing in fieldwork with vulnerable populations like migrants and the LGBTQI+ community, and is currently pursuing his Master’s in Public Health at CUNY, where he investigates how social support networks improve healthcare needs in the Latino community. As a community ambassador for the CDC’s “Let’s Stop HIV Together” campaign and a former member of the NMAC “Gay Men of Color Fellowship,” he has actively developed strategies focused on prevention and treatment, using social media to alleviate the anxiety and stigma associated with HIV. Raúl stands as an inspiring leader and advocate for universal access, whose consistent work makes him a role model for promoting resilience and community support.
Give Raúl a follow on Instagram!
U-Man
U-Man nace de la necesidad de generar un cambio real en nuestra sociedad. Surge desde la experiencia personal de vivir con VIH, enfrentando el estigma, la soledad y el rechazo, y del deseo profundo de ser aceptado por quien realmente soy. U-Man (Undetectable Man) me ayudó a superar una depresión que creí imposible, recordándome que el verdadero héroe está dentro de mí y que todos podemos ser parte del cambio. Su poder es la educación; y su meta es difundir el mensaje de que Indetectable = Intransmisible. Erradiquemos juntos el estigma del VIH. ¡Sé parte de el cambio!
English:
U-Man was born from the need to create real change in our society. It emerges from the personal experience of living with HIV—facing stigma, loneliness, and rejection—and from the deep desire to be accepted for who I truly am. U-Man (Undetectable Man) helped me overcome a depression I once thought impossible, reminding me that the real hero is within me, and that we can all be part of the solution. His power is education, and his mission is to spread the message that Undetectable = Untransmittable. Let’s eliminate HIV stigma together. Be part of the change!
El creador de U-Man
Inspirado por su propia trayectoria con el VIH desde 2011, José Salgado, puertorriqueño de 36 años, está comprometido a apoyar a otras personas que enfrentan desafíos similares. Con cuatro años de experiencia en la defensa y el trabajo comunitario relacionado con el VIH, se desempeña como Navegador Par/Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) en el Programa RWSS de Community Healthcare Network en Nueva York. José siente una profunda pasión por usar sus experiencias personales para educar y elevar a su comunidad.
¡Sigue a José en Instagram!
English:
Inspired by his own journey with HIV since 2011, 36-year-old José Salgado, from Puerto Rico, is dedicated to supporting others facing similar challenges. With four years of experience in HIV advocacy, he works as a Peer Navigator/SDOH with the RWSS Program at Community Healthcare Network in New York. José is passionate about using his personal experiences to educate and uplift his community.
Give José a follow on Instagram!
Check out 2024’s comics!
The Comic: Bayani
Bayani is one of many HIV superheroes in the world. He spends his time fighting the Stigma Supreme. Why, you ask? Stigma Supreme loves to share misleading and hurtful stories about HIV. These stories keep our family and friends in a state of fear and can prevent them from accessing HIV services such as HIV testing, HIV care, and PrEP. Stand with Bayani, and be brave as we fight together to shut down Stigma Supreme.
Bayani’s Creator:
Concept developed by Benjamin Ignalino, a proud Asian American who has worked for over 20 years in the HIV field and who currently serves as the Program Manager for the Regional Office at the Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center housed at UCSF in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.
The Comic: UndetectaBAE
UndetectaBAE is a mentor, speaker, leader, fashionista and the newest HIV-positive superhero joining the fight to end HIV stigma. They use the power of U=U to continue to educate the community on HIV treatment and prevention. By taking one pill a day and getting tested regularly, UndetectaBAE has managed to remain undetectable for 13 years which means that they cannot transmit HIV through sex! Their mission is to uplift the community and inspire everyone to see themselves as a superhero.
The Comic: PrEPpy
Meet PrEPpy, a superhero with the power of HIV prevention. With his shield, he makes sure everyone has the protection they need to feel confident, sexy, and ready for a good time. Join him on his adventures as he navigates through challenges, educates communities, and empowers others to prioritize their sexual health and well-being.
PrEPpy’s Creator:
Concept developed by Andrew Ogata, a fourth-generation Japanese American who hails from the small town of Kealakekua, Hawai’i. With a deep-rooted connection to his heritage and community, Andrew works as the Director of Marketing & Development at the Hawai’i Health and Harm Reduction Center (HHHRC).
Give Andrew a follow on Instagram!