Q&A With Esteban Duarte
Give our readers a brief history about you.
Esteban M. Duarte was born and raised in San Diego, CA. When not working as a Project Manager for an aerospace firm, he enjoys cooking and spending time with family, friends, and his dog Maui. He is driven to help others who may face some of the same challenges he did while growing up Gay and Latino in Southern California. Honors he’s received in recognition of his work in the community include San Diego Pride Volunteer of the Year, AIDS Walk San Diego, and San Diego Magazine’s Latino Impact Award.
Esteban founded VIDA to provide LGBTQ Latinx youth with education, open dialogue, and strong role models in the fight against HIV, and that mission now includes a scholarship fund to support inclusive equality for all through the educational goals of young people. He believes that building on the progress that our community has made means helping young people know they’re not alone in continuing the tradition of working for change.
What is VIDA?
Since its formation in 2014, VIDA has placed value on the lives of all young Latinos and Latinas. Their goal is to work hard to foster education for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), to help reduce and hopefully eliminate HIV among the Latinx youth. VIDA’s purpose is to educate, support and celebrate life!
VIDA is dedicated to resolving the HIV crisis within the Latinx community, where social stigma, poverty, language barriers, education, and access to care, deter testing and increase the infection rate. VIDA recognizes its mission by promoting health & HIV education, building networks with community partner organizations and leaders, & advocacy and awareness to mobilize an effective community response to meet challenges and eradicate health disparities in our communities. Other key goals of VIDA include:
- Provide the Latinx community with education, resources, treatment, & prevention of HIV transmission in both English & Spanish.
- After conducting a brief intake/survey, provide at least 100 take home HIV test kits to those who have not been tested or are unaware of their status.
- Coordinate community events that provide information and/or funding for Latinx educational scholarships for individuals creating positive change in the world today and tomorrow.
- Disseminate the latest research on HIV prevention and treatments
- Promote pride, unity, love, & the celebration of life.
This program just begun in September 2021 and already has established support in the community. Twenty-four tests were given out in the last quarter of 2021. For 2022, Urban MO’s, a popular Gay bar in Hillcrest, has already agreed to have VIDA set up a table at their front door at least once a month, at their busiest time in the evening, which will provide education materials in English and Spanish, condoms, local communities resources, and take-home HIV test kits to those who complete a brief intake survey. Our volunteers are bilingual in English and Spanish as well which eliminates barriers to a large portion of our audience who might not otherwise feel comfortable asking questions.
Aside from the monthly table at Urban MO’s, plans are already set to attend other community events such as Pride, Latinx Pride, South Bay Pride, Pride at the Beach, National Transgender AIDS Awareness Day, National AIDS Awareness Day, as well as VIDA’s signature scholarship event and its Día de los Muertos fundraiser. All of these events are largely attended by the target populations including the Latinx and LGBTQ communities.
Who is on the Board?
I have a strong board that touches every aspect of our community:
- Anthony Coronado of UCSD Health
- Bill York of 211 San Diego
- Abi Sanchez
- Carol Ledezma
- Mark Dassow
- Jamie Arangure of Proyecto Trans Latina
How can people participate and get involved?
Contact me, Esteban M. Duarte @ [email protected]
The 2nd Annual Día de los Muertos is coming up Monday, October 31st at MO’s, tell us what the event is about and what fun things can attendees look forward too?
VIDA’s 2nd Annual Día de los Muertos is about a celebration of life of those loved ones who have left us either due to COVID, AIDS, old age, etc. It could be a celebration of life of tu abuelita, tu abuelito, familia, primas, amigos, etc. It’s what you make it in your heart. Familia is everything.
We are working on a video to celebrate those lives while Mariachi Continental de San Diego sings “Amor Eterno”. If you would like to submit a picture of a loved one to be part of this video, please submit to [email protected]
This fundraiser will raise much needed funds to continue our working in providing FREE HIV Self-Tests Kits & feeding the homeless this holiday season.
What to expect:
Mariachi Continental de San Diego
Proyecto Trans Latina Ballet Folkerico
Painted Face Contest
Face Painting by Sergio
DJ PUR FLO spinning the latest in cumbias and salsas
Raffle Prizes
Free HIV Self-Test Kits
Homage video to loved ones who have passed away
Great performances by Jazmin as Selena, Jamie as Celia Cruz, and other great performances by ChiChi, Jazzlene, Annabelle, Bibi Star, Marte, and more!
What time is the event?
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
What other events is Vida working on?
VIDA is working on the 3rd Annual Feeding the Homeless. This year’s goal is to feed 300 homeless. I was once homeless living on the streets, so I know their struggles, discrimination, and stigmas associated with being homeless. It took someone to show me love to know that everything will be ok, and I will get through the moment. From that love comes feeding the homeless and showing them, we care. The bottom line, we are on this planet together; we are all we have. Let’s share some love and just “maybe” we will change someone’s life.
VIDA will be passing out FREE HIV Self-Test Kits on the following days:
National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day, MO’s – 10/15
Celebrando El Día Nacional Latinx de Concientización Sobre VIH – 10/16
MO’s – 10/19
Palm Springs Pride – 11/5 and 11/6
MO’s 11/09
MO’s 11/23
World AIDS Day, MO’s – 12/01
MO’s – 12/21
3rd Annual Feeding the Homeless – TBD
Where can folks get more information?
