Receives AIDS diagnosis; nearly dies of Sarcoidosis
1985
Chicago, IL
1987
Moved
June 15th, 1987
New York, NY
Attends first ACT UP NY meeting
September 9th, 1987
New York, NY
1999
Led seminal ACT UP protest against candidate Al Gore for hindering generic AIDS drugs for Africa
June 16th, 1999
Carthage, TN
2000
Only protester to gain entry to fundraiser and shout down then-candidate George Bush on his Texas AIDS record
September 5th, 2000
Hanover Township, PA
2002
Met Gerry Valero
2002
New York, NY
Led protest at Chinese consulate in New York that freed imprisoned AIDS activist Dr. Wan Yanhai
2002
New York, NY
2004
Infiltrated RNC convention to protest President George W. Bush
2004
New York, NY
2017
Organized and led intergenerational Rise and Resist “cough-in” protest inside Trump Tower to decry the potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) under President-elect Trump
January 15th, 2017
Trump International Hotel & Tower New York, Central Park West, New York, NY
First person to protest Donald Trump as president, blowing whistle during his oath of office for his first term
January 20th, 2017
Washington D.C., DC
2020
Won landmark federal discrimination case against a New York surgeon who had refused to treat him because he had HIV.
2020
New York, NY
2022
Commitment Ceremony with Life Partner Gerry Valero
2022
New York, NY
2026
For his “extraordinary leadership and contribution to the struggle for HIV treatment access worldwide,” Mark to be posthumously honored with Alan Berkman Global Health Justice Award for 2026 by Health GAP.
2026
New York, NY
Passed away
January 3rd, 2026
New York, NY
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