We are very pleased to announce that Rodney Lofton has joined the board of directors of Diversity Richmond. Rodney has been a voice and advocate for those living with HIV for almost 20 years. He has served as a keynote speaker and requested facilitator by the New Jersey World AIDS Day Celebration, the United States Conference on AIDS, the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association Conference among others. He served on the United States - Saratov Oblast HIV prevention partnership program, in the Saratov-Oblast region in Russia.

Rodney is a former freelance writer and public relations professional, having worked with Kool and the Gang and Mary Wilson of the legendary Supremes. He served as a columnist for the online website GBMNews. His column focused on issues around HIV/AIDS and African-American gay men.

His debut novel, The Day I Stopped Being Pretty: A Memoir, along with his sophomore effort No More Tomorrows: Two Lives, Two Stories, One Love, were both nominated for Lambda Literary Awards. He is a member of the Balm in Gilead's Community Advisory Board and the 7th District Health and Wellness Initiative in Richmond, VA under the leadership of City Councilwoman Dr. Cynthia Newbille, and a former board member of VAPride.

Rodney is also being recognized by Equality Virginia as an OUTstanding Virginian for 2015.