Meet the Panelists for the RENT Pre-Show Panel Discussion | March 4!

 Join us on Saturday, March 4, at 6:00 p.m. in the Howard Drew Theatre. Four panelists will offer their perspectives on RENT as well as share their lived experiences as persons living with HIV.

Meet The Panelists:

Moderator: Tommy Young-Dennis

Tommy Young-Dennis, born in Omaha, Nebraska, is a gay Black man, LGBTQ+ advocate, HIV activist, and educator. After being diagnosed with HIV+ in 2010, Young-Dennis turned his devastation into action. Within three months of his diagnosis, he founded an HIV+ support group for young adults, began volunteering at Nebraska AIDS Project, and dedicated his time to supporting and educating others living with the disease. In 2017, Young-Dennis joined the Nebraska AIDS Project (NAP) full-time as their prevention and outreach specialist. He does onsite testing, Linkage to Care, and focuses on providing resources and education to Black, gay, and same-gender-loving men (BGBM), a population disproportionately affected by HIV. Tommy was promoted to Outreach Coordinator in June 2020 and then to Outreach Manager in 2022. Additionally, Young-Dennis serves as one of the co-chairs of the National LGBT Juvenile Justice HIV sub-group, which focuses on de-criminalizing HIV laws and those who they impact.
In 2018, Tommy was awarded the Young Black Influential Award for his advocacy. In 2021, he also received the Kuwasi Balagoon Award for his work on HIV education and outreach from Black and Pink, the nation’s largest LGBTQIA+ Prison abolitionist organization.

Pastor Darryl Brown Jr.

Pastor Darryl Brown, Jr. is the only openly gay Black founding and senior pastor of Kingdom Builders Christian Center of Omaha, NE (2009), in Nebraska, and the director of reconciliation and restorative practices at Planned Parenthood. Brown has been recognized within his community with awards, including the Omaha Chamber of Commerce’s “Change Maker Award” (2020), Omaha Jaycee’s “Ten Outstanding Young Omahans Award” (2021), YBI’s “Young Black & Influential Award” (2021), and Black & Pink National’s “Kuwasi Balagoon Award” (2021). As a nationally recognized author, sexual health educator, spiritual life coach and teacher, his work intersects spirituality, healing, black advocacy/liberation, and LGBTQ+ identities. Brown’s most recent work, I’m Positive, I Forgive You (How I Forgave the Man That Gave Me HIV), candidly reveals how he navigated his shocking HIV diagnosis and, after four years, decided to forgive. Seeing the total person “living in their abundance” is the desired outcome of Pastor Brown’s work.

Erin Fulton

Erin Fulton has been a financial professional in Omaha, Nebraska, for 15 years. She was diagnosed with HIV in 1994 when she was 17 years old. Fulton attributes her positive health outcomes to adhering to her treatment plan. She has been undetectable for 29 years. She's a wife in a serodiscordant marriage for 13 years. Fulton has two daughters, who are 22 and 12. Fulton's passion is to help others learn about living with HIV.  

TJ King

TJ King is a Nebraska native born and raised in Lincoln and currently lives in Omaha. He was diagnosed with HIV in 1993. King has always been steadfast in community engagement and using his gifts to improve and uplift others. He currently works for the Nebraska AIDS Project as the prevention, testing, and outreach specialist.