Erika Castellanos

Erika Castellanos is a Belizean human rights activist, advocating especially for HIV-positive people and sex workers. In 2023, she became Executive Director of Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE).[1]

Biography

Erika Castellanos was born in Belize.[2] She moved to Mexico in the 1990s, finding a more tolerant climate for LGBT people, especially transgender women.[2]

In 1995, Castellanos was diagnosed as HIV-positive, with a two-year life expectancy.[3] She remained in Mexico to receive the necessary care. Upon her return to Belize, she encountered very marked serophobia in the medical community,[2] and turned to drug use and sex work.[3]

In 2009 or 2010, Castellanos and some relatives created a network of HIV-positive people in Belize,[2][4] after being invited to a training workshop organized by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund).[3] From 2011 to 2016, she was executive director of the Collaborative Network for Persons Living with HIV (C-NET+) – Belize. In this position, she coordinated the assistance received through the Global Fund at the national level.[2] She studied in parallel at the University of Belize, then completed the University of Pittsburgh's LGBT health research certification in May 2015.[5]

In April 2017, Castellanos joined Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE), an international LGBT rights organization that works in partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), as a program director. In February 2022, she became acting executive director of the organization, then executive director in January 2023.[6] During this period, she moved to the Netherlands,[7][4] married and had two children.[4]

On June 1, 2018, Castellanos became the first openly transgender person appointed to the Board of Directors of the Global Fund.[6][2][8]

References

  1. ^ "UNAIDS welcomes the appointment of Erika Castellanos as Executive Director of GATE | UNAIDS". www.unaids.org. Archived from the original on 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2025-06-29.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Erika Castellanos". Global Fund Advocates Network. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "8 mars, les femmes contre le sida : Erika Castellanos". Seronet (in French). 2016-03-08. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  4. ^ a b c "Erika Castellanos". Prevention Access Campaign. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  5. ^ "Intro - Erika Castellanos". The Well Project. 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  6. ^ a b "UNAIDS welcomes the appointment of Erika Castellanos as Executive Director of GATE". Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  7. ^ "Erika Castellanos". International AIDS Society. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  8. ^ "Erika Castellanos à la tête de Gate". Seronet (in French). 2023-01-09. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
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