Jaime Arroyo deals with HIV/AIDS on a daily basis—personally and professionally.
He is the community liaison lead at Children's Memorial Hospital, working exclusively with HIV-infected and at-risk youth. He works with troubled teens and transgender individuals, among others, many directly impacted by the disease and the stigma that follows it. He helps HIV-infected patients who are afraid to admit their status and others who simply don't know where to go for help.
Plus, Arroyo has had a family member die from AIDS.
"[The disease] is near and dear to my heart," said Arroyo, 28, who lives in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood.
Arroyo is among 16 bicyclists on Team CUR—short for Chicago Urban Riders—which is participating this summer in the annual Ride For AIDS to benefit Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN). Arroyo also completed the 200-mile ride last summer.
Team CUR is shooting to raise $30,000.
"It really means a lot to me to be able to make a difference," Arroyo said.
He will be joined on the journey by his younger brother, David, a North Carolina resident who will be making his debut in the Ride. Jaime, months before the July 14 opening ceremony, is already emotional for the Ride and the family affair that the 2012 event will be.
"He's my best friend, my biggest advocate. We've always been very close," said Jaime, who is openly gay. David is straight. "He signed up for the Ride the night I mentioned it to him."
Added Team CUR rider Keith Stryker: "David is a remarkable guy."
Stryker, 39, also lives in the Edgewater neighborhood. He is a bartender at Big Chicks bar in Uptown and a student in massage therapy and acupuncture. This is Stryker's second Ride—and definitely a personal venture for him.
Stryker was diagnosed HIV-positive in 2003.
"This Ride is my way of giving back, especially for all that has been given to me," Stryker said.
Team CUR is a new Ride team this year, with 15 men and one female. The female and David Arroyo are the lone straight Team CUR members, ranging in age from 25 to 53.
"A friend got to me [several years ago] at a drunken moment. He told me about the Ride and I said, 'Sure; I'll do it; it sounds amazing,'" admits Jorge Partida, who is participating for the third consecutive year in the Ride. "My first year, I also really wanted to do it because I needed a distraction because I was going through a breakup.
"I have since come back [for the 2011 and 2012 events] because of the camaraderie that comes along with the Ride, seeing so many people come together for a single cause. It's amazing, heart-warming, a truly eye-opening experience.
"I have many close friends affected by HIV; they are HIV-positive. In return, I am affected by [the disease] because I have some very close, dear friends who are HIV-positive. This Ride is a great way to give back—to them and the community."
Joe Iverson, 27, who lives in Lakeview and works for the Museum of Contemporary Art, is making his Ride debut with Team CUR. He's not only one of his team's top fund-raisers, but one of the overall event's top fund-raisers.
"I have friends who are HIV-positive and I enjoy bicycle riding. This is a perfect way to be more involved with the community and also help a wonderful cause," Iverson said.
Added Stryker: "We can't ignore the fact that HIV has impacted [the LGBT] community so horribly, so tremendously. I want to be part of a change."
In fact, it's the cause—much more than the personal physical challenge—that motives Team CUR members.
"We're raising funds for significant outreach programs that do meaningful things for individuals impacted by HIV. There really is tangible affect," of the funds raised, Iverson said.
Added Richard Cordova, TPAN director of athletic events, "Team CUR has it all—passion, dedication and charm. They embody the true spirit of Ride for AIDS Chicago. Working together, as a team, to accomplish one goal—supporting those impacted by HIV."
Partida, 28, who lives in Andersonville and manages the Cheetah Gym in Edgewater, is riding in the event for the third consecutive year. He has raised more than $7,500 for TPAN over the past two years.
"For me, the highlight is the people I meet on the Ride, the fact we're all there for the same thing. Some [riders] are just acquaintances, but some become long-term friends."
Partida's partner, Raul Garcia, is a first-time rider. Garcia was part of the crew last year, but he'll be pedaling 200 miles with Team CUR this summer.
"The opening ceremony is so memorable," Partida said, "because that's when and where you truly understand and appreciate how many people are participating."
For others such as Arroyo, meanwhile, their most memorable moment from the 2011 Ride was, well, resting at the campsite after the first 100 miles, knowing that the majority of the hills were done. They relaxed, ate, swam and roasted marshmallow by the campfire.
"Through the Ride, you get to experience a sense of community that you can't find elsewhere," Arroyo said.
To donate to Team CUR, visit www.tinyurl.com/TEAMCUR2012.
