Nicholas Snow's Notes From The World: Empowering Millions With Music

Nicholas Snow's Notes From The World: Empowering Millions With Music

(This column was originally published in print in Southern California in December, 2009)

If this was the last day of your life and you knew this, what would you do differently? Do you have some sort of unexpressed truth? Have you wondered if perhaps your whole purpose for being on the planet is to express this truth? Wouldn’t it be a shame if you left the planet without sharing this gem of understanding, these rays of enlightenment with your sphere of influence?

No one gets out of life alive. We will all die one day. Some people see death coming at them with some sort of advance warning while others in some sort of tragic twist of fate leave us in shock and sadness. This realization hit home for me rather poignantly at the age of about nineteen when my best friend from high school committed suicide within a year of our graduation. My great grandmother also died around the same time.

Five years later, in 1985, as a senior at Arizona State University, I received six credit hours in the College of Public Programs for a self-designed internship during which I founded a gay and lesbian speaker’s bureau. At some level I had realized the importance of expressing my life force which seems to be what I have valued more than anything else. As a communications major I learned that human beings are part of the circuitry that allows knowledge or enlightenment to flow.

Two years ago, on January 3rd, I tested HIV positive, having become so the previous August in a lapse of judgment during a moment of passion—as I have written before. I have since learned that in Asia 200 MSM (men who have sex with men) become HIV positive every day, so clearly I am not unique. What is unique is my decision to tell my story as widely and broadly as possible, in as many mediums as possible, as often as possible, in a part of the world where openly HIV positive people are virtually nowhere. It’s about connecting the dots.

In 2004 I was deeply moved by the film Beautiful Boxer, about a Thai kick boxer who came out as transgendered during his/her rise to fame as one of the best in his/her sport. This film was scored by Bruno Brugnano who won the equivalent of the Thai Academy Award for the film. I was introduced to Bruno the following year and he became a good friend.

In 2006 I met a philanthropist from the United Kingdom—Dr. David Lake—who made a significant donation (anonymously, at the time) through me to the Bangkok Pride celebration and later to a Tsunami orphans art project. In 2007 I met O Nathapon, a rising star writer, director and producer. He mentioned his forthcoming feature film A Moment In June, a powerful story about second chances, which I had the opportunity to report about on numerous occasions.

Dots connecting, I conceived the idea of creating an awareness anthem to promote HIV testing and safer sex. I introduced Bruno to O, who agreed to collaborate, and Dr. Lake agreed to fund 99% of the project. Hence, 'The Power To Be Strong' song and music video campaign has been created to reach millions of people around the world about the importance of voluntary HIV counseling & testing and increased adherence to safer sex, and to empower the valiant efforts of any organization or individual participating anywhere in the battle against HIV/AIDS. The song and video have been produced for about $3,000 USD and lots of donated time and talent, but would have cost at least $100,000 if produced in Los Angeles at all the going rates.

As I write these words only about 20 people have heard the song, the music video is in post-production, and the digital release of the song is imminent. While in English, the plan is to release many editions of the video subtitled in different languages so as to carry the message to millions of people around the world. Four minutes that can change the world? Yes. Perhaps the most important truth I could have expressed in my life? Definitely! Could I have done this alone? No.


Bruno is quite humble but as a renowned producer, arranger, composer and musician, but has recorded and performed with many well-known musicians around the world, including over 100 albums for Thai and International artists. His major client today is Her Royal Highness Princess Ubol Ratana, His Majesty the King of Thailand’s eldest daughter—Bruno composes and produces the music for her TV series, The Princess Diaries—and for her films.

While O Nathapon was born and raised in Thailand, he has lived in Los Angeles and now London, and speaks English and Thai fluently. His official bio explains that “his first short film, Bicycles & Radios, was nominated for a student Academy Award. In 2005 the film was screened at the Cannes Film Festival after he was selected by Kodak to be one of its Emerging Filmmakers. He was also chosen as one of the 30 young “Talent to Watch” by GM+ Magazine. O was recently awarded the Best New Director from the South Festival, Norway, for his feature film A Moment In June, which he wrote, produced and directed.”

A Moment in June was also selected for the Pusan International Film Festival for its world premiere, and O was one of the winners of the IWC/Channel 4 “Coming Up” program in the UK for which he directed Saving Baby Rio (written by Dewi Bruce-Konuah). This short film was selected by the UK’s leading newspapers a “must watch” the night it aired, and “The Power to Be Strong” is just the latest of many music videos O has directed.

The videos will premiere at YouTube.com/ThePowerToBeStrong, but keep an eye out for the Coachella Valley premiere on CBS2’s Eye on the Desert and who knows where else! The song will be available (maybe now!) for free download at ActionEqualsLife.com. For the latest news, follow the song at Twitter.com/PowerToBeStrong or visit www.ThePowerToBeStrong.com.

Let me be quite clear. I don’t intend to die of AIDS. Because I know that I am HIV positive, I can seek and follow medical advice and most likely live a long life—a key message of the song, “Get tested and live longer and be strong.” And hopefully, by continuing to share my story I can continue to make HIV real for people who are still HIV negative, inspiring them to increase their adherence to safer sex. What I know for sure is that my life goes on, and today I have a voice. More importantly, because of the love and support of O and Bruno and David and so many others, my voice can share these messages forever.

Is there a moral to this story? At least one! Embrace, honor and express your life force. Change your life and change the world.

Related Story:

HIV TESTING/SAFER SEX AWARENESS ANTHEM TO INSPIRE MILLIONS IN 2010 ...



Nicholas Snow's Notes From The World

Nicholas Snow

This column presents stories of courage, strength and hope of individuals worldwide who are passionately involved in the struggle for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered civil rights as well as the battle against HIV/AIDS, demonstrating how these issues are inseparable from the overall fight for human rights for everyone. In addition, the column infuses travel and entertainment reporting into the mix to not only celebrate the freedoms that exist for many of us, but to contrast these freedoms against the dark realities of individuals living in more oppressed situations where sometimes their very lives are at risk. More columns...


The Action Equals Life World Service Project

ActionEqualsLife.com is bringing people from all walks of life together who share the common goals of creating HIV/AIDS Awareness; supporting the worldwide fight for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people; and supporting human rights in general. Please create a profile at ActionEqualsLife.com.

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This column, Nicholas Snow's Notes From The World, was conceived out of a longtime collaboration between Nicholas Snow, editor/mentor Mona de Crinis, and The Bottom Line Magazine in Southern California, the "anchor publication" of the print version of this column.

For information on how your media outlet (newspaper, magazine or web site) may secure rights to carry this column (and become a media partner with the NotesFromTheWorld.com family of web sites) please email Nicholas Snow directly at Orbit@NotesFromTheWorld.com. Our debut media partners are acknowledged in the above gallery.

Masthead photo of Nicholas Snow credit/copyright Kevyn Major Howard