Like many of our colleagues around the world, we at HANC/Legacy are grieving the death of Dr. Stephaun Wallace. Stephaun was a colleague, a friend, a brother, and an inspiration. Stephaun moved to Seattle in 2013 to join the HANC/Legacy family. Being a part of Stephaun’s journey was an honor.
We
are grateful for the time that we had with Stephaun to experience his intelligence, his passion, his smile, and his laugh. Since receiving the news of his death, we have been reflecting on various Stephaun memories. Stephaun’s deep, soulful laugh always filled up any space he occupied. His trademark pauses, followed by the side-eye glance could stop a speeding train in its tracks. We also cherish the softer side of Stephaun that not everyone had the chance to witness. Stephaun would gaze out the window and remark on how Seattle’s overcast weather brought him comfort. His favorite Final Fantasy game was VIII (ours too). He could endlessly chatter about the Zodiac signs, and on occasion he gossiped about his dates. But make no mistake—Stephaun could also read
. We probably heard him read most of the people reading this! We’d be fools to think he didn’t read us too, and frankly, it’s an honor to attract enough of Stephaun’s attention to deserve a read.
Stephaun gave so much of himself to making this world a healthier place—especially focusing on Black, Brown, and transgender communities—and his legacy will live on. To honor his legacy, we will continue to speak up and do our part to address and eradicate disparities that impact global communities and populations most impacted by HIV. We are still processing this tremendous loss and will share more later.
A supernova happens when a star has reached the end of its life and explodes into a brilliant burst of light. Stephaun, we honor and celebrate your light, laughter, and brilliance. We pledge to continue uplifting, embracing, and supporting each other as we remain unapologetic in making this world a safer and healthier place for all.
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