The accomplishments of Act Up are staggering.

Now, just to name a few, over the course of six years, from 1987 to 1993, the grassroots

political group did things like create a fast-track system, where those who could access unapproved

and experimental drugs, they ended an insurance exclusion for people with AIDS, they made needle

exchange legal in New York City. They also ran a four-year campaign to force the CDC to change

the official definition of AIDS to include women. This specifically was a massive deal which we will get into more and a bit.

And in the process of all of this, they redefined how the world thought about people with

HIV AIDS and also the larger LGBTQ plus community.

Instead of being weak or invisible, suddenly we were seen as this vibrant and powerful grassroots

force.

So how did they do it?

Well, that is where Sarah Shulman comes in.

Her new book called Let the Record Show explores just that.

It breaks down the many misconceptions about ACT UP and HIV, many of which I had as you will

soon hear, and the book serves as an utterly crucial guidebook for effective activism.

ActUp forced the world to change.

And now with this book, their methods, exactly how they went about it, can now be seen

and studied and applied to other movements. So let's hear it. I they went about it, can now be seen and studied and applied to other

movements. So let's hear it. I'm Jeffrey Masters, and this is LGBTQNA with Sarah Shulman.

You know, reading the book, the thing that struck me over and over was what a massive and highly organized operation it was.

You know, there was different subcommittees working simultaneously in arranging meetings and planning actions.

I think it's hard to convey just how complex the organization was.

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