Roanoke Diversity Center hosting special screening of “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - A special screening of the new biographical drama “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” will take place Wednesday night at The Grandin Theatre.

The event was organized by the Roanoke Diversity Center and Roanoke City Council member Joe Cobb, in partnership with the Council of Community Services.

Cobb says the goal is to educate local residents about living with HIV and AIDS, as well as the groundbreaking work Tammy Faye Messner (Bakker) did with the LGBTQ+ community.

The film starts at 6:30 p.m., followed by a panel discussion. Speakers include Steve Pieters, a longtime survivor of HIV and AIDS, who is featured in the film, as well as Pam Meador, Director of The Drop-In Center.

The center is celebrating 16 years of providing a safe place for the LGBTQ+ community in Roanoke, offering testing for HIV and HEP-C as well as counseling services and other resources.

Meador says there was a dramatic decrease in people coming in for testing during the pandemic, with the center seeing only one or two people a month versus about 100 during pre-pandemic times.

Additionally, employees have been unable to visit correctional facilities and college campuses for testing and outreach programs.

Meador says getting tested early is very important for successful treatment.

“Times are so different these days but you have to get tested to know. The old cliche that knowledge is power, with HIV knowledge is power. It’s the power for you being able to live a long and healthy life,” says Meador.

For more details and tickets for the event, click here.

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