Robert Suttle

When I look back at moments like these, I’m reminded of how far the journey has taken me, from silence to storytelling, from surviving to leading. This reel was created earlier this year when I refreshed my website, but the message still rings true: every stage, every audience, every conversation has helped me grow and stay grounded in purpose. My work continues… @sarahbassy Creative Director | Designer

Ten years ago, we founded the Louisiana Coalition on Criminalization and Health (LCCH) with a belief that sustained, community-led advocacy could change the law. Last week, at The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation’s Night of Compassion, we had the opportunity to mark what that commitment made possible: a decade after LCCH was established, Louisiana enacted reforms to an outdated HIV "exposure" law rooted in the stigma and misinformation of the 1980s into closer alignment with modern science. It was especially meaningful to have two of LCCH’s co-founders present for the event. As a co-founder of LCCH and Chair of ETAF’s Council of Justice Leaders, I had the honor of connecting this Louisiana milestone to ETAF’s broader HIV is Not a Crime initiative and introducing Dietz, LCCH’s Executive Director, who has been at the forefront of this work. This victory did not happen overnight. It came from years of organizing, relationship-building, testimony, community education, persistence, working alongside national and local partners and the leadership of impacted individuals living with HIV and communities in Louisiana most affected by HIV criminalization. ETAF’s support helped make that work possible by investing in the coalition and strengthening the infrastructure needed to sustain advocacy and move reform forward. The moment reminded me that changing a law is rarely one action or one person’s accomplishment. It is what can happen when lived experience, local leadership, long-term investment, and collective strategy come together. Ten years of coalition-building. Years of advocacy. A law finally changed in May 2026, which significantly limits prosecutions to actions posing substantial likelihood of transmission. That is a legislative milestone worth honoring and a foundation for the work still ahead.

#AIDS2026 in Rio. Honored to co-present “Exposing Inequity,” my first poster examining the scope and enforcement of HIV criminalization laws and their disproportionate impact on women and Black, brown, and LGBTQ+ people in the United States. My contribution centered on a message I continue to carry into this work: HIV criminalization is not only a legal or public health issue - it is a systems issue. The disparities reflected in the research are connected to how laws are written, how institutions exercise power, how public health and legal systems interact, and whose lives are most exposed to punishment. Evidence is essential, but evidence must be translated into policy, institutional accountability, and meaningful action. I’m grateful for the experience, the collaboration, and the opportunity to help move the conversation from documenting inequity to changing the systems that produce it.

Grateful to be part of @ETAForg, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation community, and this collective work. 2025 reminded us that progress is never linear, but solidarity, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to justice make forward movement possible. Thank you for continuing to center dignity, equity, and the voices of those most impacted. Looking ahead with hope and resolve.

Episode 3 of The Recruiters with Tom Duane features Robert in a conversation about justice, stigma, and the fight to end HIV criminalization. Filmed at Manhattan Neighborhood Network, the episode pairs Robert's lived experience with Duane’s signature wit and political insight, offering an honest and inspiring look at advocacy, resilience, and the power of visibility. youtube.com/watch?v=kDZRXBYc…

Latest podcast episode with comedian Paul Gilmartin on The Mental Illness Happy Hour, a weekly podcast where artists, comedians, and everyday people open up about mental health, trauma, and resilience. In this episode, I share my story, how an unexpected arrest related to my HIV status changed my life, what I experienced during my time in prison, and what it means to live with HIV today. It’s a deeply personal conversation about survival, stigma, and finding strength through truth. Listen now! #HIVisNotaCrime #MentalHealthAwareness #LivedExperience #Storytelling #Resilience podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

How can we use storytelling to make complex public health issues understandable, relatable, and actionable? This session in our Public Health Training Series offers practical insights for anyone looking to strengthen their capacity to communicate more effectively, mobilize communities, and influence policy agendas. Our panel of public health advocates and comms professionals will explore the art of crafting narratives that not only inform but also inspire change, translating data and policy into messages that resonate deeply with diverse audiences. If you’re working to advance health equity, shape policy, or amplify your organization’s impact, this conversation is for you. Register at eqfed.org/advocacypower #HealthEquity #Storytelling #PolicyAdvocacy #CommunityEngagement

October 14th marks 22 years since learning I was living with HIV. At age 24, I couldn't have imagined how that moment, one filled with fear and uncertainty, would become a defining turning point. What felt like an ending would instead become the beginning of a purpose-driven life devoted to truth, justice, and community. Living with HIV has taught me that survival is more than staying alive; it's about living fully, creating meaning from pain, and turning stigma into strength. Today, I stand in gratitude for all who have helped me walk this path, the long-term survivors, friends and family, and persistent advocates who continue to build a world where people living and aging with HIV are not criminalized or silenced, but celebrated and empowered. Here's to 22 years of living openly, courageously, and purposefully, and to continuing the fight for justice and dignity for all.

Today and every day, I honor the fullness of who I am - Black. Gay. Gifted. Unapologetically me. ✊🏾🏳️‍🌈 📸: Sanjay Johnson #NationalComingOutDay

Opening Night Party & Preview of “Gay Harlem Renaissance” at the New York Historical Society was a celebration of art, culture, and the enduring legacy of Black LGBTQ+ brilliance in the 1920s and 1930s. To stand among stories that echo resilience, creativity, and unapologetic expression reminded me how deeply our history and lineage shape who we are, and the futures we’re building. Grateful to witness this powerful exhibition come to life, and to everyone who continues to preserve and uplift our shared lineage of courage, artistry, and love. #GayHarlemRenaissance #NYHistory #BlackQueerJoy #CulturalLegacy #HarlemRenaissance

One sentence. A lifetime of resilience. Nearly two decades ago, my own encounter with the criminal legal system changed the course of my life. What began as an experience rooted in stigma and punishment became the foundation of my purpose: to challenge injustice, confront #HIV criminalization, and reclaim agency, leadership, and healing that “our systems” so often deny. I’m honored to speak at Beyond the Sentence: Black Voices on Incarceration and Resilience, a fireside chat hosted by the Northeast Black Law Students Association @NEBLSA. Together, we’ll shed light on the realities of the carceral system, stigma, and the pursuit of freedom. Future lawyers and advocates, join the conversation on incarceration, identity, and the power of perseverance. Register at neblsa.com/events #BeyondTheSentence #JusticeReform #BlackVoicesMatter #Resilience #SecondChances #NEBLSA #NBLSA

Honored to share the heart of ETAF’s advocacy at The Elizabeth Taylor Night of Compassion. 💜 The theme resonated deeply with all of us, especially in these times of multiple crises, reminding us of the importance of compassion, hope, and collective action. As Chair of the Council of Justice Leaders, I spoke about our HIV is Not a Crime initiative, the heartbeat of our work to end unjust laws and center the voices of those most impacted. #HIVIsNotACrime

Honored to be featured in The @Independent “As Told To / Life Stories” series. In this piece, written in my own voice through an interview with journalist Ellie Muir, I share my journey of living with HIV, the impact of criminalization, and how I’ve worked to transform that painful experience into leadership and advocacy. Outdated HIV laws in two-thirds of U.S. states continue to criminalize people like me, rooted in fear and stigma rather than science. It’s time to change that with more conversation and action. #HIVisNotaCrime

What happens when outdated laws and stigma collide with your most personal truths? In this compelling episode of #ChoosetheBear, I share my lived experience of an HIV prosecution under Louisiana’s HIV criminalization law, and how that conviction shaped my journey through dating, intimacy, and identity as a gay Black man in the South. We dive into the realities of building a full life after incarceration, examine how HIV laws perpetuate injustice, and explore why, for some, living single can be a radical act of freedom. Listen here for the conversation on resilience, truth-telling, and ending HIV criminalization. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…

“Living Beyond Labels means refusing stigma, shame, and punishment, and instead claiming our humanity, resilience, and power.” On Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, I returned home to Shreveport for the North Louisiana HIV Stigma Summit. Read my full reflection here: robertsuttle.com/suttlepoint…

Patients are struggling now more than ever to afford the cost of healthcare, all while hospitals are using 340B revenues to add water features to their lobbies. Demand complete 340B transparency from all eligible providers. youtu.be/pxOhzEqzuQA @adapadvocacy

Across 30+ states, outdated HIV criminalization laws continue to punish people living with HIV. These laws, born in the fear and misinformation of the 1980s, are still being used today, undermining public health and reinforcing stigma. I recently joined Jeffrey Masters on the LGBTQ&A podcast to share my story of being prosecuted under Louisiana’s HIV law. For the LGBTQ+ community and our allies, this is more than one individual’s experience; it’s about how systems of fear and punishment continue to shape queer lives, public health, and justice. Listen here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas… After listening, I encourage you to share this episode with your networks and help expand the conversation. And if you can, support LGBTQ&A on Substack, independent queer media matters more than ever. #HIVisNotaCrime #endHIVcriminalization #publichealth #LGBTQ

Honored to return home to Shreveport as a plenary speaker at the North Louisiana HIV Stigma Summit. From learning I was HIV positive as a student at LSUS, to being prosecuted under Louisiana’s HIV criminal law, to now standing in community to promote stigma reduction, U=U, and PrEP, this truly feels full circle. I grew up in Shreveport. In 2003, I graduated from LSUS, and just two months before that graduation, I learned I was HIV positive while trying to enlist in the military. Because of a federal ban, I was told I could not serve. Later, I was prosecuted under Louisiana’s HIV criminalization law, an experience that revealed to me how #stigma becomes written into law. But Shreveport was also the place where I began to rebuild. After release, I volunteered at the Philadelphia Center, then was hired as a case manager supporting Black gay men living with HIV, and eventually began organizing for justice to decriminalize HIV. That’s why it is deeply meaningful to return as a speaker at the inaugural North Louisiana HIV Stigma Summit at LSUS. I’ll join community leaders to promote stigma reduction, public health education, and the power of U=U and PrEP in advancing equitable HIV responses. I’ll pose a central question for us all: If stigma is not justice, where do we go from here?

I am grateful to have joined my dear friend and colleague, Kamaria Laffrey, Co-Executive Director of Sero, for the inaugural 2025 Minnesota Statewide Conference on #HIV, hosted in Minneapolis by the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Together, as advocates living with HIV, we co-facilitated two sessions that centered lived experience, community-rooted strategies, and policy insights. We brought the fullness of our work in advocacy and grassroots organizing to those Minnesotans on the front lines of HIV care, prevention, and justice. Special thanks to Patrick Ingram, Implementation Project Manager with the Midwest AIDS Training and Education Center (MATEC), for his partnership and vision. His #leadership helped shape a gathering that felt both local and national, featuring some of my esteemed colleagues. This convening served as a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility to center the needs of Black, Native, and Latine communities, Medicare-eligible individuals, and people with disabilities and access needs, as we work to end the HIV epidemic and empower those living with and aging with HIV in #Minnesota and across the United States.

It was a pleasure to speak with @drdrewpinsky on his podcast, @AskDrDrew, last week about HIV criminalization and the path forward for people living with HIV in the United States. I'm continuing my work with @elizabethtayloraidsfoundation state by state to modernize HIV laws and align them with the current reality in which many people living and aging with HIV are undetectable and demanding a better quality of life! Thanks again to Dr. Drew for having me on and helping me to spread my story far and wide. The full conversation is up! Watch the full-length interview now on robertsuttle.com, or tune in to the audio version wherever you get your podcasts.