1983: The Forum (The 30 30 Campaign) 

This is absolutely historic GOLD.

Very interesting, I'm surprise this has so little views regarding the historial relevance of this footage.

Absolutely incredible and rare footage of the first-line -- Gaetan Dugas, Paul Popham. Truly valuable piece of history here. I had never previously seen any live footage of either of those gentlemen. Thanks for putting this out here!

Very rare stuff here. From Paul Popham to Gaetan Dugas, this footage is very educational.

This video, although containing incredibly valuable historic footage, spits on all the graves of my friends who died of AIDS. To dedicate this video to a man who knowingly infected people is reprehensible and sociopathic. Randy Shilts is a hero who chronicled the history of AIDS, and like Larry Kramer becomes vilified by the very people he's telling the truth to. Gaetan's doctor is so unbelievable it's frightening. My teenage and early adult years were also distinguished by a disturbing, frightening reality that landed in my world just as I was released from Sylmar Juvenile Hall to the streets at 17 in 1982. Actually, I landed in the middle of it: AIDS, and the deaths of almost everyone I knew.On the streets back then, death was everywhere, walking among us, palpable to all of us who were ostracized from society. Can you imagine losing over 30 of your close friends at 17 to a disease that had no name yet? You were probably enjoying your senior year of high school, looking forward to graduating. I was surviving, but terrified, while caring for the sick and dying, nursing kids who were castigated not only for who they were, but who then had to suffer the indignity of dying alone while their families self-righteously ignored them. One sick young man told me to warn everyone that something horrible was happening “out there” and he did not want it to happen to them. He said this to me while dying in my arms. At the end, he was love and light. His father was a minister who had kicked him out of the house for being gay, and then refused to attend his own son’s funeral because he died of that “gay disease.” Watching the world (especially supposed Christians) not only burn houses down but brutalizing my friends - true victims - with such voracious hate seared anger and frustration into my soul. Instead of extending compassion to dying human beings, the Christians condemned them. Instead of leading with love, they led with judgment. They hated, so I hated them back. I resented Christians for years, but I have since learned that holding on to resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. I will never forget, but I have forgiven them. I was an early volunteer at APLA and delivered groceries and medicine to men on their deathbeds. By 1991, I had been to 97 funerals. How dare you dedicate this video to a sociopath like Gaetan Dugas. some

Incredible footage. The last glimpse of Dugas the world probably has.

Fascinating. Thank you for posting this!

From my understanding even after that small Vancouver meeting Gaetan still didn't warn people before hand but he would afterwards

This is the only film footage of Paul Popham that I've ever found. He was a good man. Thank you for posting this!

*Thank you for this amazing footage*

Anyone have the full video of Geatan speaking at the town hall that's not edited and parts cut?

This was the first AIDS Information Forum on March 12, 1983 at Vancouver’s Westend Community Centre and Gaëtan Dugas who appears at the 6:57 minute mark died exactly one year later on March 30, 1984.

Unbelievable this was over 40 years ago; halfway back to 1942 and the world engulfed in war. A fascinating glimpse of a dark and urgent time as if the fear of a medieval plague.

Reading Shilts' book now. He's a good storyteller. Without passing judgment on what is and isn't correct in his book, I'll say that I notice in his writing a quietly seething, bitter, at times sarcastic overtone - a looming feeling that "all of you f***ers could have done more and saved so many more lives" including Shilts' own life - AIDS got him in 1994. I can only imagine how such an experience might magnify the contempt one might feel for those who disregard the importance of safety.

Geoff Mains is mentioned as moderator in the commentary, does he appear onscreen? Not having many photos of him I was unable to pick him out.

6:40 there you go

AIDS Vancouver is the only AIDS service organization worth its weight. Positive Living Society of BC has a bloated membership for funding purposes that cannot be justified. AIDS Vancouver provides a safe place and much needed services.

Where can I find footage of the entire meeting of AIDS Vancouver at Westend Community Centre?

Gaetan Dugas pisses me off. He knew he was spreading it. He reminds me of someone I knew (not friends with,but he was friends with someone I knew) that found out he was positive and continued to have sex with naive 18 years old that were just coming out of the closet and didn't know about his reputation. No protection, nothing said about his status...word got around and I believe he finally stopped. He refused to take meds and passed away about five years ago. I didn't feel sorry for him at all, just like I have no pity for Gaetan. At least Gaetan was dead within a year so that he couldn't keep spreading it.

Are there any episodes of Vancouver Gayblevision News available on RU-vid? Can any be uploaded? Thx

I think I remember an interview when Randy Shilts spoke to the podcaster Making Gay History (he was a writer back then), Randy said the publishers of his book And the Band Played On really added embellishments to his book. Randy did say awful things about Dugas, which are unforgivable, but my point is that it was not just Shilts when it came to that book. I imagine there were homophobes in that publishing house that really wanted to ham up and demonise Dugas. Dugas had every right not to trust the CDC, the medical establishment had treated homosexuality like it was a mental illness, and there were gays who were even tortured in asylums. Why trust a system that has treated you like garbage. RIP Gaetan, you were not a bad person, you wanted to live ❤

I left in '83 after losing a few freinds from Portland. London was going to be my new home.

While it is true that many of the original AIDS victims in the United States were young gay men, AIDS doesn't just affect gay people. For example, subSaharan Africa has been ravaged by AIDS for decades, and there is no way that all of the individuals who've died in SubSaharan Africa were gay. Also, it must be remembered that since HIV the virus that causes AIDS has no way of distinguishing between a gay person and a heterosexual.

Moving. Thank you. 'And the Band Played On' has so much to answer for.

Hi, I can't thank you enough for this video. To see the birth of a beautiful effort against AIDS in it's starting years had been an eyeopener. I am a student of history and need some unbiased information about Gaetan Dugas. for a project. Whatever I find in the net is a somewhat stilted view of Randy S. The Gaetan I saw here is so different!!! Can you please advise me as to where I can find information about him and his last days? Thank you so much for this wonderful video Mimi

Gaetan Dugas rambles on and on . I was trying to understand what he was saying. I understood a little. But some of his questions are incoherent.

I can see why everyone wanted to do it with Dugas. Hottie

10:28 "I've got gay cancer" lol

Gaetan is VERY cute, I have to say..