MIAMI — In the mid 1980s, as the HIV/AIDS epidemic was spreading rapidly, Haitians were stigmatized and being Haitian was erroneously labeled by the U.S. government as one of the four risk factors for contracting the disease.
Many Haitians in Miami dying of the disease were afraid to look for help because of their undocumented immigration status.
Dr. Larinus “Larry” Pierre wanted to know more. It was 1987 and he had just relocated from Haiti, where he attended medical school and was working on HIV, to Miami where he had a fellowship at the University of Miami.
