25 faces: Leaders fighting HIV/AIDS in Colorado

15 Coryn Fairchild / Zoey Diddim

“It seemed like every other week I was going to a funeral,” said Coryn Fairchild, 45, speaking about a summer in the early ’90s when many of his friends were dying of AIDS. Fairchild has been raising funds for CAP and HIV/AIDS independently and through the drag group, the Denver Cycle Sluts. Fairchild’s persona as Zoey Diddim allows him to breach the issue with humor.

“Laughing diffuses the tension and overpowers depression,” he said. As Diddim, Fairchild is the master of ceremonies at the Smackdown against AIDS fundraiser.

“The main issue is trying to get young people to understand that HIV/AIDS is still a terrible disease. I don’t know how to put fear into young people who think they’re immortal – but I have a lot of HIV-positive friends and they don’t need to be in despair, either.”