When Sean Strub asked me to join him in helping create his vision of a magazine that could simultaneously provoke, inform and entertain in the vast arena that is AIDS, I knew that I would forever be changed as an editor. What I did not fully expect, however, was to be changed as a person as well. I am a better person, a more compassionate person, a more knowledgeable person because of POZ.

There are many who unselfishly gave of their time, expertise and counsel along the way. Most of those people appear in our magazine’s masthead as POZ editors, writers, artists and staff. All of the editorial contributors have gone far and beyond the call of duty when it came to helping us. I will always be grateful to these talented individuals.

Others who have been invaluable in the creation of POZ include so many friends who have helped us in a million different ways: Greg Calejo, Terry Zarikian, Patti Escoto, Joe Pena, Clifford Finn, Shirley Brooks, Andy Bernstein, Geoffrey Blatt, Jim Long, Charlie Cinnamon, Mirna Ramiro Hernandez, Michael Grumet, Katie Kahn, Greg Tiplady, Roberto Posada, Glenn Albin, Janice Lusky and of course, H. Richard Garcia.

I am proud to be a part of something so important, so necessary and, ultimately, so very human.