In August 2026, we (a group of youth from around the world) studied Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart and sat down with people who lived through the early years of the AIDS crisis to record their stories so they don't disappear. Most of us were never taught this history in school, so we went and got it directly from the people who were there.
What we made became the first entries in the Normal Heart Virtual Memorial: a living archive where these stories can continue to be told. We invite you to explore their entries below, and to add your own story, helping us reach queer youth across the country, including those in places where this history is currently illegal to teach in public schools.
"It helped me realize the importance of sharing people's stories... I got to learn what it was like to be gay in the 80s, and it made me very grateful and present with everything I have now, understanding the journey that got us there." — Quinn
"This experience has not only helped me understand the AIDS epidemic but also made me feel seen and respected." — Lilith
"We created a very loving space I hope more people can be a part of in the future... Theater has created the perfect space to tell queer stories to people who do not feel seen or heard." — Carter
"I felt like my voice was heard when it needed to be, but also that I got to listen and enjoy other points of view... I didn't expect to find my own bravery through this experience." — Alley
Believe in Yourself
The Boy Scouts of America v. Dale plaintiff on losing at the Supreme Court, winning in public opinion, and playing a role that hit close to home.
Find Your People, Hold Them Close
The Tony-nominated director of Suffs on why The Normal Heart is a story we live through "then, now, and again."
Civil Disobedience
ACT UP co-founder Eric Sawyer, living with HIV since 1981, on Reagan's silence and why civil disobedience still matters.
Just As I Am
Segment from a documentary film recorded for UNC-TV from 1995, Dwayne Cantrell speaks to a group of teenagers in North Carolina.
We Have Gone Backwards
A retired North Carolina English teacher on how the classroom protections she once had for LGBTQ students are gone, and why safe spaces outside school now matter more than ever.
Removing Boxes That Never Needed to Be There
Broadway casting director Benton Whitley on rethinking who gets to tell this story 40 years later.
Finding Hope in Darkness
Founder of Out Leadership on remembering those who made it possible for us to be here.
It Taught Me Why I Wanted to Be an Actor at All
Tony-winning actor Francis Jue on the play that sent him volunteering at Gay Men's Health Crisis — and the mother who called a hotline to understand him.
Telling Your Own Story
Tony Nominee Katy Sullivan on authentic representation, humor, and the power of arts education