Earlier this month, AFC’s Policy & Advocacy team, sponsored by ViiV Healthcare, wrapped up a six-week fall fireside chat series featuring people with lived experience and policy experts exploring issues in local, state, and federal efforts to end the HIV epidemic.  

Named after AFC’s 2025-2026 policy agenda, “A Positive Way Forward,” this series explored topics related to HIV policy each week, including aging with HIV, harm reduction, HIV prevention options among marginalized communities, LGBTQ+ discrimination, and leading with racial health equity to end the HIV epidemic. 

The panelist line up was stacked with powerhouses from local and national organizations, including the ACLU of Illinois, Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus, AIDS United, GLMA, Latino Commission on AIDS, Positive Women’s Network-USA, and Taskforce Prevention and Community Services, to name a few. 

To ground each discussion, AFC’s senior director of Policy & Advocacy and series moderator Timothy S. Jackson began by asking each panelist what a “A Positive Way Forward” looks like to them for the communities we serve. 

"The Policy Fireside Chat Webinar Series was exactly what is needed right now--real, honest, and authentic conversations about our efforts to end the HIV epidemic amidst the challenges we face,” Timothy says. “The panelist stories and perspectives amplified what we've always known--that there is hope even in our darkest days and that community will always be at the center of our work as we continue our positive way forward." 

Panelists offered their brilliance and expertise, and the conversations were sobering yet hopeful. A connecting thread throughout all six chats was the immense need for community care – which was evident with the fact that over 650 individuals joined these conversations over the course of the series. The hour flew by each week, and the conversations felt organic, with great engagement from the audience through the chat and Q&A.  

For a complete overview of each session, including panelist information, resources, and webinar recordings, visit the series webpage.

Policy and advocacy work is not possible without the support and input of the community. We encourage you to stay engaged with our work through signing up for our mobile action network here and completing our webinar feedback survey here to help improve these series.  

Together, we can dream up a positive way forward and make it reality. 
AFC Policy & Advocacy and Communications are not supported by federal funds.