As the capitol of the most powerful nation on Earth, Washington, D.C., is a city dominated by wealth and political influence, but when you move past the Beltway and haunts dominated by the federal government and those who serve it, a very different town emerges. The significant majority of Washington, D.C.'s, permanent residents are African-American and Latino. A large number are gay, live in poverty, abuse drugs and have inadequate housing. Since the early 1980s, D.C. has also dealt with another crisis, AIDS—at least 3 percent of the city's population is HIV-positive, a staggering rate higher than parts of Africa, and some have estimated that as many as 7 percent may carry the virus.

Filmmaker Susan Koch explores the impact of the AIDS crisis in Washington, D.C., in the documentary “The Other City” and offers a penetrating glimpse into the city that tourists rarely see, as well as the people who are living with the disease, survivors dealing with their loss (some of whom are also HIV-positive) and those working to make a difference through education and needle exchange programs.  Behind all the stories of heartbreak, loss, and struggle there are also the incredible, encouraging stories of the people behind grassroots movements to extend education, combat stigmas, and spread hope.  This eye-opening and inspiring documentary tells the unseen and unheard stories behind the epidemic in our nation's capital. From a mother of three who has used her plight with government housing as motivation to campaign for reform, to a former drug addict now advocating for funding of needle exchange programs on Capitol Hill, to the self-described "privileged" young people volunteering at Joseph's House shelter_

“The Other City” was an official selection at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.

Here is a member of the YouTube community that has made their own documentary about the racial and ethnic divide in the LGBT community here within the United States.  It is interesting to see how some members view these issues in the LGBT community and how they affect relationships within their own lives.  What do you think of their ideas and opinions?  Do you see the LGBT community where you live seperated by a racial and ethnic divide?  There are four parts of this internet documentary. 

A few years ago, BET aired a documentary focusing on men on the down low and the connected epidemic of HIV.  It explains the importance of learning about HIV, communicating with your sex partners, getting yourself tested and learning how to prevent the spread of HIV.  Here are the videos of part one and part two.

Clip taken from "Out of the Past" - 400 Years of Lesbian and Gay History in America a Documentary:
Edited by ELIZA STARR BYARD
Executive Producer ROBERT S. THOMAS
Art Director CHRISTINA TZOURAS
Producers JEFF DUPRE CHRISTINE MCKENNA
Writers ELIZA STARR BYARD JEFF DUPRE CHRISTINE MCKENNA