The Drag Initiative to Vanquish AIDS (The D.I.V.A.s)

Founded in 2001, the Drag Initiative to Vanquish AIDS (aka "The DIVAs") reach out to the GLBT communities about drug use and unsafe sex with a sassy wisdom that only drag queens can get away with! Each of the DIVAs is named after a safer sex product. For example: Loofah Styles (Lifestyles), Maggie Num (Magnum), Daisy Durex, and Helen of Trojan. The DIVAs distribute safer sex packets as well as other sexual health information (testicular exam anyone?) to anyone who stays still long enough.

The DIVAs have brought their sexual health edu-tainment exploits to past events such as Hot Shots! (in collaboration with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene), the Gay Erotic Expo, the Gay Life Expo, the Gay Pride Rally, Folsom Street East, among others. Since 2005, the DIVAs have served as the headlining emcees for the annual Gay Pride March in NYC at the 42nd street review stand. In 2005, Heritage of Pride honored the DIVAs with the PRIDE Award for outstanding contribution to the organization by volunteers in the past year.

For more information
If you’re interested in becoming a DIVA or having the DIVAs participate in your event, please contact:
Ruben Jimenez
Recruitment Director
212-206-7919 x 913
mailto:rjimenez@chestnyc.org