Kirk D. Myers, M.P.H., is the founder and President/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Abounding Prosperity, Inc. The agency’s mission is to address health, social and economic disparities among Black men including gay, bisexual and transgender (male- to-female) individuals and their identified families living in Dallas County, Texas. In fulfilling this mission, Mr. Myers has drawn upon his extensive network of Black men and organizations through his leadership in the Texas Black Gay Network where he was a founding member for the Dallas Chapter, as well as the State of Texas Community Planning Group (CPG) where he has served in many positions including Chair of the Interventions Committee. He is also a member the City of Dallas lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Task Force.
A tireless advocate for Black men, Mr. Myers’ activism and community mobilization efforts have focused attention on the issues of equity and service pertaining to eradicating the disproportionate impacts of HIV/AIDS in Black communities. Through advocacy, he has helped to shape policies and the development of programs that would support Black men as they transition from prison and acclimate back into society, especially those whom are in need of housing, mental health and substance abuse treatment.
Mr. Myers has been involved in both the public and private sector to influence research affecting Black men; with an emphasis HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment biomedical advances. Most noted is Mr. Myers’ participation at the 2012 Antiviral Drugs Advisory Committee (AVDAC) hearings at the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. During the meeting, Mr. Myers provided expert testimony on behalf of Gilead Sciences Inc. for the benefits of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which uses the drug TRUVADA (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 infection. This partnership resulted in Abounding Prosperity Inc. receiving one of the first community education grants from Gilead Sciences to support increased awareness and utilization of PrEP. The project was overseen by Mr. Myers and was evaluated by Kimberly Parker, PhD; thus producing data that allowed Dr. Parker to successfully apply for additional resources to support a subsequent project targeting Black women. The sum total of his local, regional and national efforts to end HIV within the Black community, led to the development of a Texas State-wide plan to increase PrEP awareness, literacy, feasibility and utilization.
Mr. Myers has conducted trainings, provided capacity building assistance and facilitated workshops that helped to disseminate information that informed Black men of their basic human right to good health and well being. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has consulted Mr. Myers on health issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS infection among Black men who have sex with men (MSM) and young, MSM. In addition to his work at Abounding Prosperity Inc., he serves on nonprofit boards across the United States, holding various roles and positions. For the past several years, Myers has and continues to inform the national research, advocacy and service delivery system’s agenda as a PrEP Advisory Board member for Gilead Sciences, AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition’s (AVAC) PxROAR Program and Business Advisor for Dallas Southern Pride, Dallas’ Official Black Gay Pride Event. Mr. Myers uses his enormous social and political cache to create culturally-specific spaces that improve health outcomes among Black and Latino MSM/YMSM through Abounding Prosperity Inc.’s Ball/House and Pageant (B/HAP) Communities Leadership and Health Disparities Conference, Juneteenth Festive, Black Gay Pride Events, educational campaigns, and provider capacity building and technical assistance trainings.
Kirk D. Myers, MPH, is widely published with numerous abstracts, papers, and commentaries, many related to HIV infection and prevention.
