The POZ 100 debuted in 2010. In hopes of supporting the work of HIV and AIDS advocates, POZ spotlighted 100 longtime warriors in the fight against the virus. We wanted to honor their service and provide them with recognition to inspire them to carry on.

The list had a slightly different focus each year, such as youth or long-term survivors. It also varied from having only HIV-positive people to sometimes including HIV-negative allies. Despite those differences, the idea remained the same—thanking those in the HIV and AIDS struggle for their work.

POZ is a mirror for the community, so we wanted to reflect back on all the efforts being made by so many. Some honorees were well known, but many of them were only known to their local communities before being nationally recognized. No list is ever definitive, but we did our best to make each POZ 100 list representative of the epidemic.

Here are the POZ 100 honorees:

POZ December 2023 cover
2023
Working together to end HIV
POZ December 2022 cover
2022
Celebrating Latino advocates
POZ December 2021 cover POZ 100
2021
Celebrating Black advocates
POZ December 2020 cover
2020
Celebrating 10 years of the POZ 100
POZ December 2019 cover
2019
Celebrating transgender, gender-nonconforming and nonbinary advocates
2018
Celebrating HIV-positive individuals who are 50 and over and fighting HIV/AIDS
2017
Spotlighting HIV-positive and HIV-negative women who are fighting HIV/AIDS
2016
We focus on a geographic region: the South.
2015
Long-term survivors living with HIV/AIDS making a difference in the fight against the virus.
2014
Youth under the age of 30, both positive and negative, taking a stand against HIV/AIDS.
2013
Unsung heroes in the fight against AIDS who also live with HIV.
2012
Recognizing advocates, both positive and negative, accelerating the end of AIDS.
2011
Celebrating 100 people (both positive and negative), things and ideas that improved how we tackle HIV.
2010
Heavyweights in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the United States, both positive and negative.