On March 12, 1987, AIDS activist Larry Kramer founded the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) in New York City. The group was created to confront government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and other institutions to demand urgent action to combat the AIDS epidemic. ACT UP became known for its bold, direct-action protests that aimed to raise awareness, speed drug approval, and fight discrimination, activism that led to significant changes in public health policy and drug regulation. The organization pressured the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to accelerate the approval of promising HIV treatments, demanded affordable drug prices, and fought against stigma affecting those living with HIV/AIDS. It also worked to influence research priorities and increase public education efforts, and was recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the most effective health activist groups in history.

In 1982, Kramer co-founded GMHC, and later in life, he was recognized for his 2011 Broadway revival of “The Normal Heart,” which won three Tonys, and for a 2013…