Tom Griffiths Centers Connection in Galveston HIV Prevention

When Tom Griffiths talks about HIV prevention, he rarely starts with statistics. Instead, he talks about connection. “Everybody needs to be seen. Everybody needs to be heard somehow,” says Griffiths, Outreach & Prevention Coordinator at Access Care of Coastal Texas (ACCT). “And I think that’s what ties in the LGBTQ community because we’re always trying to connect.”

That philosophy shapes both his work and his life. A longtime resident of the Gulf Coast region, Griffiths moved back to League City in 2014 after nearly three decades in Austin. The move came during a pivotal chapter in his life. “August 11, 2014 was the last day I used crystal meth. And then August 12th of 2014 is my sobriety date,” he states.

After returning home to care for his mother and focus on recovery, Griffiths found work at a drug rehabilitation center. There, representatives from Gulf Coast Center regularly visited to provide HIV education and testing. Eventually, they encouraged him to apply for an opening in HIV prevention. “They trained me from the ground up,” he recalls.

The opportunity also brought him to Galveston, a community he quickly embraced. “I can live, work, and play on the island all the way around,” he points out.

Griffiths credits much of his commitment to service to his father, a military veteran who later volunteered with the Knights of Columbus. “I just remember him saying, ‘If you think of me, help somebody in need,’” Griffiths recalls as a lump forms in his throat. That advice has stayed with him. “At that point, I had made my decision that I was going to go into some type of service work of some nature of helping other people.”

Today, Griffiths brings both professional expertise and lived experience to his role. He has lived with HIV for decades and spent years keeping that diagnosis private. “I’ll say that I didn’t choose HIV,” he says. “Gulf Coast Center and the HIV department chose me to work in that field.”

His openness has become one of his greatest strengths as an outreach worker. “I got this job also because I’ve lived a lot of this,” he explains. “I’m pretty much an open book.”

Much of Griffiths’ time is spent outside the office. He visits drug rehabilitation centers, homeless shelters, health fairs, and community events throughout the region. “No two days are ever the same,” he emphasizes. “A big part of my job is to normalize the conversation around sexual health, HIV, and talking to people without judgment.”

That approach often helps him reach people who may be struggling with stigma, addiction, homelessness, mental health challenges, or a new diagnosis. “It’s a matter of not judging them and not putting them into a box because none of us fit in one box,” he shares.

For Griffiths, ACCT’s mission extends far beyond HIV services. The organization provides testing, education, transportation, housing assistance, insurance support, and other resources that help people stay healthy and connected to care. “We are here to make everybody feel at home, feel loved, feel seen,” he says.

That emphasis on connection mirrors what Griffiths loves most about LGBTQ+ life in Galveston. While the island’s queer population may be smaller than Houston’s, he says it offers something unique. “We have a strong sense of almost family down here because we all know each other,” he claims.

That community comes together through venues such as Robert’s Lafitte, Island Time, and Lucky Lounge, as well as organizations like the Galveston Pride Center and annual events including Pride Galveston. “We start showing up for one another when they have fundraisers,” he says. “Small community, colorful community, lots of personalities.” The island’s resilience also shapes its culture. “We’re a strong family community down here and very resilient because of all the hurricanes that hit here as well,” he adds.

Whether discussing LGBTQ+ life, recovery, or HIV advocacy, Griffiths continually returns to the same idea. “We humans all thrive on connection,” he emphasizes. It’s a lesson he sees reflected every Thursday when dozens of ACCT clients gather for lunch. “It’s not for the food, to be honest,” he says. “It’s about the camaraderie and being in a room with other people.”

As ACCT approaches its 40th anniversary, Griffiths remains optimistic about the future. “My biggest hope is that we will always have that connection for people to be heard and be felt,” he says.

For someone who once wondered what to do with the next chapter of his life, the answer seems clear today. “I try to look at the whole person rather than just HIV,” Griffiths explains. “There’s more to somebody than a job title or whatever other hats they’re wearing.”

For more info, visit accttexas.org.