Community activist.
Born at Rolling River First Nation on 23 January 1961, son of Solomon and Nora McKay, he became well-known for his gay rights and HIV/AIDS activism. After learning he was HIV positive, he dedicated his life to helping others who were living with the disease, and to raising awareness about the AIDS epidemic. Spending countless hours speaking and counselling in school gymnasiums, community halls, and health centres, he educated people about the hardships faced by people living with HIV/AIDS and to implore them to learn how to protect themselves from infection. He particularly enjoyed speaking with Aboriginal young people about AIDS and was considered one of the leading Aboriginal voices for HIV prevention in Canada. He served on the boards of the Manitoba Aboriginal AIDS Task Force and Nine Circles Community Health Centre. At the national level, he served on boards for the Canadian AIDS Society, Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network, and Canadian AIDS Information and Treatment Exchange. As a committed gay rights activist, he was a member of the Snowy Owl Monarchist Society, a not-for-profit organization that raises funds for charities and other provincial institutions that directly impact LGBTTQ communities. He died at Winnipeg on 9 January 2004 and was buried in the Rolling River Reserve Cemetery.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 10 January 2004.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 3 November 2020
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