It is with profound sadness that AIDS United joins the HIV community in mourning the passing of A. Cornelius Baker, an extraordinary advocate whose dedication and compassion transformed the landscape of HIV/AIDS advocacy and health equity. Cornelius’s contributions, spanning many decades, reshaped HIV/AIDS policy and expanded access to care for vulnerable communities, particularly for Black Gay and Same Gender Loving Men. His enduring legacy leaves an indelible mark on our national and global efforts to end the HIV epidemic.
Throughout his expansive career, Cornelius exemplified an unwavering commitment to advocating for the rights, dignity, and respect of all people living with and impacted by HIV and other health disparities. Cornelius demonstrated that commitment through his service in prominent government and global health roles working under leaders from President George H.W. Bush to Global AIDS Coordinator Deborah Birx, to D.C. City Councilmember Carol Schwartz. His work for people living with HIV was foundational and included serving as executive director for the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA) and the Whitman-Walker Clinic. And his tireless leadership extended to numerous advisory positions and boards, including with the Black AIDS Institute and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. At the time of his passing, he was serving as Special Advisor to the Office of AIDS Research and PEPFAR Liaison at the National Institutes of Health and as Board Chair for Us Helping Us People Into Living, Inc.
As a Black gay man living with and advocating for people living with HIV, Cornelius’s influence resonated across generations of advocates. As an advisor to the National Black Gay Men’s Advocacy Coalition and the Young Black Gay Men’s Leadership Initiative, he dedicated himself to creating a pipeline that empowered Black gay men to participate fully and be prioritized within the HIV policy landscape. His impact was felt at HIV/AIDS convening, including AIDSWatch, where in his keynotes and on panels he shared our history and his wisdom with emerging advocates and created lasting memories alongside many colleagues and friends.
Reflecting on Cornelius’s legacy, Jesse Milan Jr., JD, President and CEO of AIDS United, shared, “I had the pleasure of serving side by side with Cornelius Baker across the decades on boards, committees and events. Cornelius was a courageous voice for our cause and a brilliant strategist with unwavering commitment to the HIV community and Black gay men. He was not only my brother living with HIV but also my brother in faith. Our community owes him eternal thanks for his tremendous legacy. He deserves eternal rest, and I am grateful to have called him not just a colleague but a friend.”
Cornelius Baker’s wisdom, compassion, and dedication to social justice will be deeply missed. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his partner, family, friends, and the many colleagues who were privileged to work with and learn from him. His legacy will continue to inspire our mission and our commitment to ending the HIV epidemic. The HIV sector remains indebted to his legacy.
For further reflections on Cornelius Baker’s life and legacy, please see the obituary and celebratory commentary here. See his participation in the AIDSWatch 30th Anniversary Plenary Panel here.
