Mikael Wagner, who came of age in San Francisco in the early days of the AIDS crisis, lost many friends and loved ones to the disease and was himself diagnosed with HIV in 1990, when diagnosis was considered a death sentence.

Unsure where to turn, Mikael reached out to his mother who, at the time, was the last person in the world he could imagine sharing his story with. However, he was pleasantly surprised—and even comforted—by her response. “She explained to me that we now had a lot in common with each other. . . . In the sweetest voice, she said, ‘All of your friends are dying and so are mine. So, let’s figure out this together and how we will survive.’ At that time, my mom was the age I am today.”

Now, nearly 33 years later, Mikael offers that same wisdom, hope and encouragement to others as he advocates for the Diverse Elders Coalition, a nonprofit that “removes the barriers facing our communities” and “envisions a world where all older adults can live full and active lives as they age.” He’s also served on the Advisory Board with UCSF Alliance Health Project, Art for AIDS fundraising campaign and volunteers with the Bay Area Alzheimer’s Association to reach aging members in the LGBTQ community. Newly relocated to Melbourne, Australia, Mikael continues his volunteer work with several HIV and aging organizations there. When Mikael paints a picture of what “full and active lives” might look like for people 50-plus, he recalls his favorite quote from Betty Friedan, “Aging is not lost youth, but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” Throughout his career and advocacy work, Mikael has always focused on ending inequalities through education about HIV/AIDS.