Michael Callen

Michael Callen (April 11, 1955 - December 27, 1993) was a singer, songwriter, composer, author, and AIDS activist. He was a significant architect of the response to the AIDS crisis in the United States.

First diagnosed wi

Michael Callen (April 11, 1955 - December 27, 1993) was a singer, songwriter, composer, author, and AIDS activist. He was a significant architect of the response to the AIDS crisis in the United States.

First diagnosed with "Gay Related Immune Deficiency" in 1982, Callen quickly became a leader in the response to the epidemic, coining the phrase "people with AIDS (PWAs)" in contrast to the then-current "AIDS victims". He was a founding member of the People with AIDS Coalition among other organizations, and he testified before the President's Commission on AIDS and both houses of Congress.