Pride Without Fear: VIDA Brings a Binational Conference to San Diego

For more than a decade, VIDA has been doing something life-changing: making sure people have the information, support, and sense of community they need to take care of their health. Born from a desire to make HIV information more accessible within Hispanic/Latine LGBTQ+ communities, VIDA has grown into a trusted community voice, creating space for honest conversations about HIV, prevention, testing, treatment, and sexual health without shame or judgment. Its work is especially important for young people, who can face stigma, misinformation, cultural barriers, and fear when trying to find care or simply when looking for someone they can trust.

VIDA understands that health is about more than a clinic visit or a pamphlet. It is about trust. It is about seeing yourself reflected in the people doing the work. And sometimes, it is about finally having a place where you can ask the question you were afraid to ask.

That spirit of connection comes to life this October with Pride Without Fear, VIDA’s first of its-kind binational conference in San Diego. Taking place October 16 at the New School of Architecture & Design Gallery A, the conference will bring together community leaders, health professionals, advocates, and partners to explore the realities and possibilities of HIV prevention, care, and LGBTQ+ health across the U.S. Mexico border.

But Pride Without Fear does not end when the conference doors close. On October 17, participants will cross the border into Tijuana for a firsthand visit to two HIV clinics, offering an opportunity to see the work being done on the ground and meet the people helping communities access care across the border.

That experience is at the heart of what makes VIDA’s work so powerful. The border may separate two countries, but it does not separate families, relationships, culture, or health. Pride Without Fear is an invitation to look beyond that border to listen, learn, share stories, and recognize what becomes possible when communities work together. For VIDA, it is another step toward a future where HIV does not carry the weight of fear or stigma, and where everyone can access care with dignity, knowledge, and pride.

Ahead of the conference, we had the opportunity to chat with three of the presenting speakers and the conference keynote speaker about their work, their experiences, and what they hope people take away from Pride Without Fear: Alicia Espinoza, who leads the Office of Border Health (OBH) at San Diego County Public Health Services; Cesar Arevalo, HIV Epidemiologist for the County of San Diego; Victoria Castro, founder and Executive Director of T4T Empowerment: Desde un Corazón Trans; and conference keynote speaker Erica Alfaro, award-winning author and educational advocate. Their stories offer a closer look at the people behind the work and why creating spaces for connection, visibility, and fearless conversations matters now more than ever.