Coming together to celebrate Angelina Namiba and Garry Brough at ACT UP’s sold-out event This Is Your Life at the Cinema Museum in late November 2025 was something I knew that I had to be a part of as soon as Dan Glass asked me! Angelina and Garry are titans in the HIV community, as educators, change makers, voices of hope and service providers for people living with HIV.
The 3 months leading up to the event, so many in the HIV community were compiling memories, photos, videos, and voice clips with the help of our amazing hosts Alan Turkington and Alix Fox, whilst keeping the secret from both Angelina and Garry (which, believe me, was not easy!).
Video credit: credit Kamlam Munsamy – www.kam.gallery
So often, we are so busy trying to educate and change the way people see HIV that we don’t get to celebrate the people doing the work, which is why this night was so special for so many. Angelina and Garry are both so loved and respected that people were more than happy to be part of it.
Looking back, as the person tasked with getting my friend Angelina to the venue that night, one or two white lies might have been used to make it happen, but the vibe in the Cinema Museum was all about celebrating both the stars of the night.
Angelina and Garry both have years of experience educating and sharing their stories, and to see the numerous guests we had for both of them, sharing the differences that had been made in their lives because of them, was very fitting.
Garry’s mum was there, as was Angelina’s daughter, and they both spoke about how proud they were of their son and mother for not only what they had done but what they continue to do with their lives.
Garry’s mum shared with us memories and photos of Garry in his 20s when he was going through his goth phase and her feelings of total heartbreak when she found out Garry was HIV positive, but also how he educated her as someone living with HIV. Garry’s partner (and soon-to-be husband) Perry choked back tears as he told us how much he loved Garry and the impact he had made on his life so far.
Hearing so many young people and women share their stories of the changes that Angelina has made in their lives was beautiful. Angelina’s writing buddies Winnie, Memory, Bex and Charity, have so many years of friendship between them (totalling more than they wanted to admit to!). This had given them the foundation they needed to write their book “Our Stories Told by Us”.
There was laughter and there were tears, friends from near and far, singing from Joyful Noise, food from The Food Chain, merch from ACT UP, and a real feeling of love in the room for these two very special people. So, finally (I have always wanted to say this) Angelina Namiba & Garry Brough, This Is Your Life.
Stephen Hart biography
Stephen Hart first spent 3 years training to be a nurse, then a year after qualifying, gave it up to become an actor/YouTuber/radio presenter, and advocate.
He has worked in London’s West End in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Bombay Dreams. Stephen then headed to New York with his hit one-man show about his life, Shadowed Dreamer, which ran Off-Broadway and is currently on a UK tour.
Stephen also talks publicly about living with HIV and works with The Terrence Higgins Trust as a positive voices speaker, as well as being a speaker and performer in the Joyful Noise Choir for NAZ and other HIV charities.
