Bob Rafsky

Background: Bob is a 44 year old white man. He grew up in Philadelphia, went to Harvard, was expelled then readmitted, and became the managing editor of The Harvard Crimson. He moved to New York and started working in public relations. He is currently a senior vice president of Howard J. Rubenstein & Associates, a public relations firm. He was married to Babette Krolik and they have a daughter, Sara. He came out as gay in 1985 and he and Babette divorced (though they share custody amicably). In 1987, he and his lover at the time discovered they were HIV-positive and his lover dragged Bob to an ACT UP meeting.

Role in ACT UP: Bob was a former chair of the Media Committee, and is still heavily involved in developing media strategy. 

Groups/friends at the meeting: Media Committee

Specific tasks at the March 13, 1989 meeting: Bob is on the agenda to lead off the report about Target City Hall by reading an excerpt from a recently-published book called His Eminence and Hizzoner by mayor Ed Koch and Cardinal O’Connor in which they pat themselves on the back for handling the AIDS crisis well. Bob will get the Floor to share his anger as he reads the excerpt in which Koch talks about being scared to even touch people with AIDS even though all scientific evidence shows that there is no risk. The Administrator (Jason Heffner) is bringing the book, and Bob should get it from him before the meeting so Bob can read the excerpt.

Additional information: Bob is one of the more inspiring orators at ACT UP, which you can see in this video: https://actuporalhistory.org/actions/target-city-hall at about the 9:42 minute mark of the ACT UP Meeting Prior to Target City Hall