At a time when many LGBTQ+ organizations are shrinking under political and financial pressure. Empact Global is doing the opposite.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the international advocacy organization is expanding its reach, launching new initiatives and strengthening its mission to protect queer health and human rights around the world. For Executive Director Andrew Spildener, this moment feels less like a celebration and more like a call to action.
“Our community needs us now more than ever,” Spieldener told Gaity. “When it comes to fundamental human rights, you cannot scale back.”
Impact over 20 years and future trends
Founded in 2006 as the Global Forum on MSM and HIV, Mpact began as a coalition to address the disproportionate impact of HIV on gay and bisexual men. Today, the organization works in more than 60 countries, supporting grassroots leaders and shaping global health policy.
In retrospect, Spieldener cites both size and intimacy as metrics that define an organization’s activities.
“For more than 20 years, we have invested more than $20 million in LGBTQ organizations around the world,” he said. “We have also cultivated communities of queer people living with HIV in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia, increasing visibility, connection, and empowerment.”
He highlighted the group’s role in global advocacy fora, including the 2021 United Nations High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS. The meeting sought to ensure that Mpact represents queer communities in funding and policy-making.
At the same time, community-driven moments like Besotón Sidoso (HIV Kiss-In) remain central to its identity.
“This was a culmination of queer people living with HIV shamelessly and openly expressing their sexuality,” he said.
From survival to longevity, but the stigma remains
Spildener’s perspective is shaped by lived experience. Having been openly living with HIV for decades, he has seen the medical landscape change dramatically.
“When I was first diagnosed, I was told I had five years to live, and if I was lucky, 10 years,” he says. “The message now is that as long as treatment is available, people can live a normal lifespan.”
However, this progress has not erased the stigma.
“The stigma around HIV still exists,” he says. “As queer people living with HIV, we need our community to thrive.”
He noted that while technology has made connectivity easier, physical space is shrinking. “I’ve been in a time where there was more investment in community centers and safe spaces than there is now.”
Global backlash is felt locally too
Mpact’s anniversary comes at a tumultuous time for LGBTQ+ rights. Funding cuts and political hostility have changed the landscape of queer health activism.
“The funding cuts were severe and sudden,” Spieldener said. “Everything we took for granted has been changed or eliminated.”
He pointed to a broader cultural shift that is politicizing even basic medical conversations.
“We live in a time where the term ‘trans health care’ is considered a partisan statement,” he said. “I don’t have a rosy picture.”
The results are visible. LGBTQ+ people can be pushed into health systems that are ill-equipped to serve them, increasing their risk of discrimination.
“Our communities must find new ways to organize and get support,” he added. “I can’t go back to ‘normal’ anymore.”
Why visibility still matters
Despite the changing landscape, Mpact continues to invest in bold, awareness-driven campaigns, including our ‘Right To’ initiative and public demonstrations like Kiss-In.
“The premise is very simple,” Spildener explained. “Demonstrating the value and power of the sexuality of queer people living with HIV.”
For some, that visibility has global significance.
“One of my proudest moments was when my partner in sub-Saharan Africa said to me, ‘Be gay, which we can’t do,'” he said. “We are proud to have you represent us.”
Contribute to the community in new ways
One of Mpact’s new initiatives is partnering with adult content creators to promote sexual health. This is an approach that challenges traditional public health standards.
“Sex is one of the most commonly shared experiences in our queer community,” Spildener said. “Adult content creators are astute. They’re knowledgeable and creative.”
By partnering with creators, Mpact aims to reach audiences that traditional campaigns often miss.
“With these projects, we can advance their rights and increase health knowledge for all,” he said.
Building strength for the next decade
Looking to the future, Spieldener believes there is a need to strengthen regional and global collaboration.
“We need to do another power buildup,” he said. “Each community has different needs, and community advocacy will highlight them.”
As priorities shift in countries like the United States, Mpact also works directly with other governments to secure support.
“If the United States doesn’t prioritize LGBTQ resources, we need other governments to understand the important role LGBTQ people can play,” he said.
The battle is far from over
If there’s one thing that resonates with Spieldener, it’s urgency.
“Queer health and human rights are under attack around the world,” he said. “We’re seeing clinics closing. Conversion therapy is still legal in many places.”
Yet the community persists.
“In many parts of the world, being LGBTQ is still very dangerous,” he said. “But people are still finding ways to come together.”
For Mpact, the next chapter isn’t about reflection, it’s about momentum.
“As a community, we are all part of that larger movement,” Spildener said. “People have to invest in organizations that need support.”
Twenty years later, that mission has not eased. If anything, it’s honed.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
