…intravenous drug users,” he admits. “In fact, I had gotten some false advice early on from a physician who actually said, ‘You’re a straight man, and you can’t get it unless you’re a gay man or a drug user,’ so I’m thinking, ‘Okay, I’m cool.’ That was until Magic Johnson made that announcement.”
White says that he was particularly moved by the campaign message “Greater Than AIDS” because he feels there have been generations of people believing that they are “less than.” “We call ourselves by names that are less than who we are,” says White, who eventually channeled the fighting spirit of his youth into martial arts: He holds black belts in shotokan, ITF tae kwon do, tang soo do and four other karate styles. “I feel that there are people in our communities who really don’t feel that they deserve clean bills of health. I really try to encourage Black people to respect their bodies and work out. I live as an example of someone who believes in physical fitness and being healthy.”
Because, he adds, “we’re descendants of the strongest of the strong, and I believe that’s something to be very proud of. We are worthy of so, so much.”