2020   Honoree 

Luis M. Solivan Jr.  is a long time patient and friend of the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine. He was born with HIV and has been in treatment since 1993 He is a fighter-brave and humble. He plays piano, learning on his own, by ear, and has developed his skill and fortitude through weekly music therapy sessions for the past 2 decades. Formerly threatened with frequent, long, hospital stays due to complications of his health when he was a minor until pre-teens, his treatment at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Peter Krueger Clinic, with the right medications and music therapy helped control and maintain his health.  Luis is a professional Cosplayer.
 

He composes and has served as MC of the Center’s Arts Festival for several years. His professional artistry grew out of his earlier love of hobbies in the hospital and he is seen as a hero and activist for positivity among the HIV and hospital community. 

 

Luis'  favorite aspect of music therapy is:  "...being able to improve myself to be better and gain more positivity, not just through learning music, but through letting the music remind me to not let my disease conquer what I love to do" 

 

His 11-year relationship with partner Gilberto Ruiz, has been a support and s blessing for him.