Nicholaus is giving back, volunteering with the HIV/AIDS community.
Currently, he works full time doing case management and substance abuse counseling. “Whoever would of thought it could happen to a ‘junkie’ like me.” Next year, Nicholaus is transferring to a four-year college. This June, with Pride-and three associate’s degrees, Nicholaus is graduating from community college. Now five years clean and sober, Nicholaus is committed to showing people that there’s a better way to live than being strung out on drugs. Today, his virus is undetectable, but it has been a long struggle getting his CD4 count up. Ironically, it was during June 2010-Pride month-when Nicholaus became extremely ill and was hospitalized. And yet, he’s now facing another challenge. Nicholaus celebrates being gay these days. Joyce Mitchell, president of Capital City AIDS Fund, at a Pride event “I think it’s important that we stick together now more than ever because of the climate of this country.” “I am definitely going to Pride this year,” Nicholaus said. We need to continue enforcing that motto. We live in a society that professes equality for all. Still, Nicholaus, like so many others, could not continue living a lie. “And when I did finally come out at 22, my dad was shocked.”
Though Nicholaus said he knew all of his life that he was gay, he denied it out of fear of being rejected. Sacramento’s 27-year-old Nicholaus Johnson was raised by a military dad. Over the years, Gay Pride has evolved into a celebrated event, a party where we play, have fun, and continue to carry the message that equality matters. Why?īecause today-more than ever-we all need a safe space and time where we can be ourselves. Sometimes they make big announcements, declaring sexual preferences, or they suit-up and show-up to support Gay Pride.