In 1988, Ray Navarro moved to New York City. Although his time was short, Ray made an incredible impact on theLGBTQ community during the height of the AIDS epidemic.An active and fervent member of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition toUnleash Power) and a founding member of DIVA TV (DamnedInterfering Video Activists), Ray used his camera to capture not only his own life, but also that of the many people who were a part of the fight for rights, responsibility and representation. Ray challenged everyone to become part of direct action and media interference:
“Instead of just being grabbed by [a] TV camera and being shown on the news, another way to do it is to pick up the camera rig yourself and to shoot yourself, your friends and other people you are involved and organizing efforts with and getting that stuff on the air."
An active participant in many demonstrations, rallies and protests, Ray spoke candidly about the importance of being present and the act of documenting these events for consumption by the public.
"After the PDA Demonstration, media makers were still being accused of being MTV activists. And that was a pejorative term that was really leveled against us, against a form of activism that included a sense of style, a sense of editing tapes that was gonna be flashing and watchable by the general public. We tried to seize that term, MTV activism, and turn it around and we called it More Than a Virus Activism. Yes, it’s MTV activism; it's more than a virus that is killing us. Therefore, we are making MTV."
In response to the Catholic church’s position—particularly as espoused by Cardinal Joseph O’ Connor—against the use of contraceptive devices, Ray saw the die in demonstration at St. Patrick’s Cathedral as an important opportunity for condom activism. Ray, dressed as Jesus Christ, acted the part of an on-the-scene news correspondent.
“This is Jesus Christ. I am in front of St. Patrick's cathedral on Sunday. We're here reporting on a major AIDS activist and Abortion rights activist demonstration taking place here all morning. Inside, Cardinal O’Connor is busy spreading his lies and rumors about the position of lesbians and gays. And we’re here to say, ‘We want to go to heaven too.’”