Chris Bartlett is an American gay activist, feminist, educator, and researcher who lives in Philadelphia, PA, and is the Executive Director of the William Way Community Center. He was director of the SafeGuards Gay Men’s Health Project in Philadelphia from 1991–2001, where he developed innovative programs addressing the broader health needs of gay and bisexual men beyond HIV and AIDS. In 2003, Bartlett joined forces with gay activist Eric Rofes to create the Gay Men’s Health Leadership Academy, a national center for excellence for leadership development of gay and bisexual men and their allies based at the White Crane Institute. In 2005, he directed the LGBT Community Assessment, an assessment of the broad health related needs of LGBT populations in the Philadelphia region. The City of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Foundation subsequently funded an LGBT Youth Assessment, which he also directed. He has created an on-line Wiki to document the deaths of gay men from AIDS between 1981 and the present. The site acts as an on-line AIDS quilt, on which community members and families can document the lives of their friends and loved ones. His work has shown a continuing interest in participatory democracy, starting with his early participation in ACT UP Philadelphia. During his tenure at the William Way LGBT Community Center, he has focused on community building through arts and culture, empowerment, and community connections.
