Short Version
Todd Fuqua (they/them) is a queer artivist and photographer based in Indianapolis who has been living with HIV since 2012. They serve as Secretary of the Marion County Ryan White Planning Council and as Coalition Building Lead for the HIV Modernization Movement–Indiana, working to align laws with science. Todd also founded #CelebrateUU, a national movement that encourages people living with HIV to mark their undetectable anniversaries. Through exhibitions and projects across Indianapolis, they use photography and advocacy to confront stigma, celebrate resilience, and expand visibility for people living with HIV.
Longer Version
Todd Fuqua (they/them), 57, is a queer artivist, connector, and reflector based in Indianapolis, Indiana. After over two decades in the corporate world, Todd experienced a transformative pivot in 2010 following job loss. That life shift fueled their passion for asset-based community development, social justice, and self-advocacy—especially within LGBTQ+ communities, mental health, addiction recovery, HIV/AIDS, and reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals.
In 2012, Todd was hospitalized with sepsis due to untreated stage-2 syphilis, leading to a diagnosis of HIV. With immediate antiretroviral therapy, they reached undetectable status in nine months. Though initially private, Todd publicly embraced their HIV status in 2019 through a local article about The Damien Center, followed by national visibility in TheBody.com’s “Eye on the End” series. Their advocacy expanded to include roles on the Ryan White Planning Council (now Secretary), the Marion County EHE Task Force, and participation in the International AIDS Conference (IAC2020VIRTUAL). In 2025, Todd was selected for NMAC’s 50+ Strong & Healthy Program and earned a scholarship to the HIV Is Not a Crime Training Academy for their digital artwork When HIV Is No Longer A Crime. Todd was also invited to participate in a pilot rollout of U=U University, sponsored by Prevention Access Campaign.
Todd is the founder of CelebrateUU, a social movement rooted in the U=U message, encouraging people living with HIV to celebrate the anniversary of becoming undetectable. In 2024, a 25-story photo series from the movement was exhibited at the Marion County Central Library for World AIDS Day. As Coalition Building Lead for HIV Modernization Movement – Indiana, Todd organizes grassroots efforts to reform HIV criminal laws through community engagement and policy education.
An award-winning photographer and Certified Professional Photographer, Todd’s visual work explores themes of queerness, vulnerability, and resilience. Projects include: Mass Transit Is NOT a Drag; the “HIV Is Not a Crime” art series; Spirit Journey—a multimedia project exhibited through the IUPUI Arts & Humanities Institute; #BLOOM: A Dudeoir Series of Gender Resistance; and #ShadoWORK: Embodied Layers. Their creative work has been recognized with state and national photography awards and featured in exhibitions across Indianapolis. Todd’s approach—blending art, advocacy, and storytelling—aims to dismantle stigma, celebrate resilience, and empower communities living at the intersections of HIV, mental health, and queer identity.
For more, visit www.celebrateuu.org or www.ctoddcreations.com or www.ctodddudeoir.com. Their online blog as Professor Peacock can be found at https://ctoddbenow.net.
For current information on education, certifications and volunteer work please check out Todd’s Linked IN profile or their artistic resume.
