Jay Cohen is a gay man who has lived in San Francisco since 1971. Throughout his life, he has encouraged people to listen deeply to one another and make a positive impact in their local communities and the world. During the AIDS crisis, he joined the board of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, working to change legislation at both the state and national levels. He also helped create safe injection sites and provided counseling to people before and after testing. Jay continues his philanthropic work, supporting many different communities in honor of those he has lost.