Opinion: An Interview with Mary Fisher

All people have the same rights. Everyone has the right to live, be free, feel safe, and be heard. Sometimes, words don’t come easily when we go through difficult situations. But some people dare to speak out loud about what they are going through and become an inspiration to others.  

Mary Fisher is that kind of person. She became a vocal advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention, education, and the treatment of individuals living with HIV/AIDS after acquiring the virus from her second spouse. Fisher’s historic speech before the Republican Convention in 1992 is especially noteworthy. «One of the best American speeches of the 20th Century» is how some have praised the 1992 speech.

In Uneasy Silence (Uneasy Silence: An activist seeks justice and courage over a lifetime of change), her new book, she tells her story of living with AIDS, and at the same time, she is trying to inspire others to find the strength to stand up, speak up, and make a difference. Fisher says Uneasy Silence is my art, my heart, my story.

Read her interview for CEOWORLD magazine.

Q: What has your diagnosis of AIDS taught you through the years? 

Mary Fisher: It taught me to embrace my children (and now grandchildren) and my friends every day. It opened doors around the globe because, tragically, AIDS has been and continues to be a scourge in every nation on earth. It was a severe teacher in some ways, but it also introduced me to heroes with unrivaled courage – think Larry Kramer – and the reality that we are now two generations separated from the AIDS Epidemic and public awareness. Given that division, and the forgetfulness that has surprised me, I need to bear witness to those who lived and suffered and died.

Q: What compelled you to write Uneasy Silence at this time?  

Mary Fisher: I had moved to LA right before COVID-19 hit and immediately became isolated. I had my family close by, however, I still felt totally vulnerable. During the months and years that the Pandemic endured, I had time to reflect on my life. It occurred to me that perhaps my life still had purpose, and that this purpose was to give voice to those that remain voiceless by way of this book.

Q: What do you hope readers will take away from Uneasy Silence: An activist seeks justice and courage over a lifetime of change? 

Mary Fisher: My main message is that we need to be willing to end our silence when we see injustice, lest silence become complicity. This is the book’s primary theme, and it comes with my hope that people will be willing to stand up, step up and speak up.

Q: You speak truth to power, give voice to the voiceless and have transformed your life into one of purpose and service. How does that feed your soul? 

Mary Fisher: Speaking to others, no matter how large or small the group is, is one of the most satisfying experiences that I have. I missed being able to speak to groups of people during COVID-19 and I’m grateful to resume that part of my life. Give me a pulpit and I’ll preach; show me the way to the podium and I’ll speak. With the Pandemic’s isolation this work – this bearing witness – was stopped, and I’ve welcomed its return.

Q: A portion of the proceeds from Uneasy Silence will be donated to Project Angel Food, which you are on their board. Has philanthropy always been important to you? 

Mary Fisher: Yes, I’ve always believed that those who have resources to help those who do not are obliged to do so. It isn’t just a matter of charity; it’s a matter of justice.

As Marian Wright Edelman says, Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.

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