Alphonso King Jr.
Alphonso King Jr honoured with award for exceptional volunteer service to the HIV/AIDS community
Alphonso King Jr. is being recognized with The Casey Award for exceptional volunteer service to the HIV/AIDS community. The award honours King’s dedication to being an advocate for people living with and affected by HIV.
Alphonso is a self-described female impersonator, vocalist, recording artist, DJ, actor, writer and out HIV+ activist, also known under his drag recording artist name Jade Elektra, and disc jockey name DJ Relentless. Alphonso is a strong advocate for people living with and affected by HIV. He brings attention to issues faced by marginalized communities and people of colour while creating awareness around the many facets of racial discrimination, inequity and inequality, queer rights, and stigma.
Originally from Florida, Alphonso was young gay and HIV+ when he moved to New York City in the early 90s. Love brought him to Toronto in 2009, where he found an HIV+ community more hidden away than the one in New York. Alphonso took action and started POZ-TO, a monthly social event and fundraiser created to fight stigma associated with being positive, and to build community.
In partnership with his husband John Richard Allan, he created Facebook groups, produced events and fundraisers for the queer and POZ communities, such as the Daddy Issues Fundraiser, and the POZ-TO Awards, which recognizes community members for their activism. Mingle is another community fundraiser; hosted by the beautiful Jade Electra the events raise funds and awareness for a variety of AIDS service organizations such as ACT and ASAAP.
Alphonso has travelled extensively to bring attention to PrEP, PEP and U=U, important topics around sex positivity. His single ‘Undetectable’, sung to Nat King Cole’s ‘Unforgettable’ created an inspirational song for the community and a creative vehicle for a message about science.
Combining the desire to build a stronger HIV+ community with fundraising for causes that support the community is a passion for King. Casey House extends warm congratulations to Alphonso for achieving this recognition of his volunteerism and fundraising.