2017 Issue 6 Nov/Dec - Focus Mid-South Magazine

the judge answering, “Because
I said so.” Rowan left the
courtroom even more furious
than Holiday. Neither man
was ready to back down. The
ACLU had assured payment
for Holiday’s legal fees all the
way to the Supreme Court,
if necessary. There was no
question about it. They were
going to appeal to the Sixth
Circuit Court of Appeals.
Even though it turned out
to be the most important legal
leg of his journey, Holiday was
not very involved in the circuit
court appeal. That stage of a
legal battle isn’t about facts, it
is about the application of law.
When it was time to argue the
appeal, Rowan asked if Holiday
wanted to accompany him to
Cincinnati, but Holiday said
no. Money was tight, and he
trusted Rowan to handle the
case appropriately.
Soon after, Rowan called
Holiday from Cincinnati to tell
him that he thought things
were looking good for their
case. Three or so months later,
the court returned a ruling
in Holiday’s favor: The City
of Cincinnati had not been
entitled to rely on the doctor’s
unfounded recommendation
and revoke his offer of
employment merely because
of his HIV+ status. It was over,
and Holiday had won.
---------------------
These days Holiday lives a
quieter life. He is in his sixties
now and considers himself
an extraordinarily lucky man.
He remains close to Theresa
Harrison, the woman who
acted as Rowan’s paralegal
and second in command
throughout his case.
He just finished treatment
for colon cancer and counts
it as a victory that he did
not lose his hair. He wears it
in long dreadlocks and cuts
it periodically to donate to
Locks of Love, an organization
that turns hair donations
into hairpieces for children
suffering medical hair loss.
Holiday’s viral load has been
undetectable for longer than
he can remember. His HIVrelated
medical regimen—once
a complicated daily schedule
of 12 pills—is down to a single
pill a day.
He doesn’t consider himself
particularly courageous for
standing up to fight against
the City of Chattanooga. It was
more a matter of taking the
necessary next step.
“I would never allow anyone
to discard my constitutional
rights,” he said, “or disgrace
my humanity.”
To the extent that Holiday is
still fighting, he fights for those
like himself, living with HIV, by
volunteering for the Nashville
HIV service organization,
Street Works. Holiday came to
Street Works as a client, then
later became a member of the
board.
When asked what he would
say to young men living with
HIV today, Holiday didn’t
hesitate.
“Never give up,” he urged.
“If you give up, you have
surrendered. You may lose a
battle or two, but if you give
up you have lost the entire
war.”
For more information about
Streetworks, and the work
they do to provide education,
prevention, and care to those
affected by HIV/AIDS on the
inner-city streets of Nashville,
go to street-works.org, or
find them on Facebook at
nashvillestreetworks
and Twitter at
@streetworks.
In addition to the work promoting justice and kindness in the
world, Holiday is a writer of epigrams and aphorisms—short
sayings that capture a commonly experienced truth.
If you are unwilling to take a step, you’ll be unable to
make tracks.
Strong words are always better than bitter blessings.
All it takes for the betterment of humanity is the
good of a human.
Ignorance is merely not knowing. Stupidity is when
you learn yet choose to be ignorant.
Friendship is the sharing of souls through the love
of hearts to stimulate minds. (Inspired by his
friendship with Theresa Harrison, who served as
paralegal in his case.)
Joyful Noise/ NOV+DEC 2017 / focusmidsouth.com / Page 31