To improve awareness of PrEP among Chicago’s Black cisgender women and the providers who serve them, the local award-winning HIV prevention campaign PrEP4Love today released a three-song “visual EP” in partnership with local OB/GYN and rapper Dr. Every Woman — a.k.a. Dr. Wendy Goodall McDonald — and Northwestern University-based media platform OTV - Open Television...
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By Raven Feagins
Cannabis has had a long, demonizing and even racist history in the United States. However, throughout the country, laws are changing to legalize the sale and use of cannabis (also known as marijuana, pot and other casual names) for both recreational and medical use. Even Illinois , which currently has legalized medical cannabis and decriminalized possession of small...
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Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker gave his first budget address on Wednesday, Feb. 20, which included level funding for HIV services in fiscal year 2020 (FY2020). Pritzker stated that his proposed budget is more austere than he would like, but it is the first step in a four-year plan to put Illinois back on the path of prosperity and growth for its people, communities, businesses and economy. The governor...
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On Friday, Feb. 1, Governor JB Pritzker expressed his administration’s commitment to ending the HIV epidemic by signing Executive Order 2019-08 in Rockford. We share our deepest gratitude for Gov. JB Pritzker's commitment to signing an Executive Order to strengthen investment in HIV services and programs , and to use viral load metrics to ensure Illinoisians living with...
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Our hearts are with actor Jussie Smollett and his family. Jussie was attacked Monday in Chicago because he dared to be an out. Black. Gay. man. His attack illustrates what a fragile bubble our lives can be in this environment of unleashed racism and homophobia like we have not seen in a long time.
According to reports, Jussie’s attackers were two white men who cowardly hid their faces...
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Happy 2019! The new year brings in renewed energy, and AFC staff are back at work continuing their plans towards advancing health equity! With new and continuing projects underway, we checked in with three staff members about to see what they are most excited about for 2019.
"In 2019, I am looking forward to being able to give the reentry returning citizens housing and employment opportunities...
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By Pride Action Tank
Today, we bear witness to one of the ways Donald Trump will influence American history for years to come. On this day, the Supreme Court of the United States, in a five to four decision, led by the conservative justices, allowed discrimination against transgender people in the military to stand while legal battles continue to play out in lower courts. Pride Action Tank...
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By Jared Smith*, Edited by Raven Feagins
AFC received a packet in the mail in May 2018 with AIDS ribbon lapel pins and a beautiful, hand-written note. We followed up to find out more. Here’s a story from a young man about his father and how the pins arrived at AFC.
An eye doctor by profession, a friend to many, a husband, an uncle and a father. My father was a man of many...
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2018 was another year full of policy and legislative ups and downs on all levels. However, AFC and like-minded advocates across the country stayed strong when faced with sometimes harsh and inhumane policies that threatened the livelihoods of our communities. Here are a few of the most influential policy and legislative highlights of the year.
Illinois Medicaid hepatitis C...
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The application process for capacity building and technical assistant mini-grant support to bolster Chicago-area HIV/AIDS organizations will be released in January 2019. This opportunity will support up to five community-based organizations in Chicago.
The grant will offer selected CBOs a one-year program to improve their strategic clarity and strategic planning goals, board development,...
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