Erika Castellanos

Erika Castellanos (born 1975 or 1976)[1] is a Belizean human rights activist, advocating especially for HIV-positive people and sex workers. In 2023, she became executive director of Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE).[2]

Biography

Erika Castellanos was born in Belize.[3] She moved to Mexico in the 1990s, finding a more tolerant climate for LGBTQ people there, especially transgender women.[3]

In 1995, Castellanos was diagnosed as HIV-positive, with a two-year life expectancy.[4] She remained in Mexico to receive the necessary care. Upon her return to Belize, she encountered very marked serophobia in the medical community,[3] and turned to drug use and sex work.[4]

In 2009 or 2010, Castellanos and some relatives created a network of HIV-positive people in Belize,[3][5] after being invited to a training workshop organized by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund).[4] From 2011 to 2016, she was executive director of the Collaborative Network for Persons Living with HIV (C-NET+) – Belize. In this position, she coordinated the assistance received through the Global Fund at the national level.[3] She studied in parallel at the University of Belize, then completed the University of Pittsburgh's LGBT health research certification in May 2015.[6]

In April 2017, Castellanos joined Global Action for Trans Equality (GATE), an international LGBT rights organization that works in partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), as a program director. In February 2022, she became acting executive director of the organization, then executive director in January 2023.[2] During this period, she moved to the Netherlands,[7][5] married and had two children.[5]

On June 1, 2018, Castellanos became the first openly transgender person appointed to the Board of Directors of the Global Fund.[2][3][8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Musenze, John (10 August 2026). "'Reaching 50 is a success story': how one trans woman survived HIV and stigma in Latin America". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 "UNAIDS welcomes the appointment of Erika Castellanos as Executive Director of GATE". Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. 13 December 2022. Archived from the original on 2025-04-26. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Erika Castellanos". Global Fund Advocates Network. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "8 mars, les femmes contre le sida : Erika Castellanos". Seronet (in French). 2016-03-08. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  5. 1 2 3 "Erika Castellanos". Prevention Access Campaign. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  6. ↑ "Intro - Erika Castellanos". The Well Project. 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  7. ↑ "Organizing Committee - Erika Castellanos". International AIDS Conference. International AIDS Society. 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  8. ↑ "Erika Castellanos à la tête de Gate". Seronet (in French). 2023-01-09. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
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