A brief history of how the HIV/AIDS epidemic shaped the underground club culture in the 1980s. The first official AIDS case was reported June 5, 1981, per the CDC. Government inaction, stigma, and misinformation sped up the epidemic. Black, queer, and low-income communities faced the highest impact due to limited access to care. During this period, underground clubs became sanctuaries. Spaces like The Loft, The Warehouse, Paradise Garage, and The Clubhouse offered safety, joy, and survival after Disco Demolition in 1979 pushed Black, queer, and Latino gay men out of other venues and businesses. This is where modern HIV prevention began. With the Clubhouse in DC with owner Rainey Cheeks mobilizing, NYC’s ballroom community education and advocating for testing and prevention, and Paradise Garage in 1982, holding its first AIDS benefit event raising $30,000 to $50,000 for Gay Men’s Health Crisis. Underground club culture has long persisted and continues to be a vital space of joy, li...