Petrelis Files

IRS 990:
AIDS Fdtn of Chicago to Post 3-Years' Filings

(Munar, in a 2010 photo from POZ.com)

The new issue of POZ magazine arrived recently in the mail, and contained a profile of David Ernesto Munar who's the executive director of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and also a person with AIDS.

Conducted by Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr., the POZ chat with Munar gave me a sense of his nuanced thinking on Latinos and HIV, cocktails and side effects, and new methods of treatment-driven prevention.

Over the years, I've had good dealings with AFC's prevention chief Jim Pickett, and long admired his Life Lube project that beautifully combines messages promoting gay wellness, STD prevention, healthy sex, and uses images of real gay/bi/queer/trans men of many shapes, colors and ages.

I made a mental note to check out the organization's parent web site and see if it included any IRS 990s, and when I did and saw no tax filings were disclosed decided to reach out to Munar directly and request the addition of the filings to the site. Late this afternoon, he received an email request from me to join the fabulous and expanding club of AIDS advocacy and service organizations agreeing to post at least three most current IRS 990s.

A trusted source of mine in Chicago told me on the phone that they had much respect for Munar, his commitment to transparency and that it would be surprising if he didn't get with the fiscal transparency campaign I'm waging. Very happy to report my source was accurate in assessing Munar.

When I returned home from the YMCA, this wonderful note from Munar was waiting for me:

Thanks for your voicemail. We will gladly post 990s for the the past three years on our website. We just launched a redesigned website earlier this year and are still populating it. We'll work on this in the next week or so.

So terrific to add AIDS Foundation of Chicago to the list of nonprofits agreeing to expand their commitment to transparency as part of their democratic engagement with the public.  Can't wait to see their filings!

In about a month's time, I've persuaded AIDS United, GLAAD and the National Association of People With AIDS to post three tax filings, while also persuading the Long Island Association for AIDS Care to post one 990 and the National Center for Lesbian Rights share their 2010 filing.

Now, if we could only Lorri Jean at the LA Gay and Lesbian Community Center and Paul Kawata at the National Minority AIDS Council, two mature nonprofit directors who've been key leaders of AIDS Inc for decades, would like a valuable lesson from the newish kid on the block - Munar - and let the sun shine in, I'd really be happy.

Kudos to David Ernesto Munar - a new, more responsible AIDS nonprofit leader.