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A partnership to help expecting parents living with HIV evolves in 2020

November 18, 2019

Thirteen years ago, the Pediatric AIDS Chicago Prevention Initiative (PACPI) and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) joined forces to share an office and administrative support while collaborating on projects that prioritize pregnant people living with HIV. The partnership also aimed to eliminate vertical HIV transmission, which means transmission of the virus from parent to child. At the end...
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Do YOUR thing! Sign up for 2020 health coverage before it’s too late!

November 11, 2019

Marketplace Open Enrollment begins Friday, Nov. 1, 2019 and ends Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019 . Plan begins Jan. 1, 2020 To make sure you have health insurance for 2020, you have to enroll between Nov. 1, 2019 and Dec. 15, 2019 . If you miss the Dec. 15 deadline, you could be locked out of health insurance until 2021 AND forced to pay 100% of your medical bills. It’s not worth...
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Living with HIV and thinking about pregnancy? Start here!

October 18, 2019

Making the decision to give birth can be both exciting and full of unknowns, especially if you or your partner is living with HIV. However, with advancements in science and knowledge around HIV, it is possible for people living with HIV to have healthy pregnancies and give birth to children without HIV while under the guidance of HIV and pregnancy specialists. We connected with Anne Statton,...
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Over 2,000 HIV advocates “lived true” and raised $440K (and rising) at AIDS Run & Walk Chicago

October 11, 2019

“We want to make sure that the HIV epidemic is no longer able to sustain itself by achieving both HIV prevention and access to care goals,” said AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) President/CEO John Peller in his opening remarks to a crowd of over 2,000 runners, rollers, walkers and volunteers. “We don’t make these advancements toward getting to zero on our own -- we do...
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What you need to know about HIV criminalization in Illinois

October 10, 2019

By Coleman Goode  The term “HIV criminalization” refers to criminal prosecution of people living with HIV/AIDS including for non-disclosure of their HIV status, potential or perceived HIV exposure or HIV transmission.  These laws were put into effect during the early years of the HIV epidemic when there was little to no understanding about how HIV was transmitted...
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Finding his purpose through advocacy and community

September 25, 2019

By Raven Feagins One night in 1991, 23-year-old Chancelor Cunningham woke up unable to breathe. He had been previously diagnosed with bronchitis, but this time he was admitted into the former Michael Reese Hospital in Bronzeville for an extended stay. It turned out he had pneumonia. Chancelor’s mom stayed by his side, even sometimes staying the night, and continuously advocated for...
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Inspiring action through community

September 24, 2019

To the backdrop of Fahrenheit Chicago , Serette  B. King ( Zoliy Miyake-Mugler) and Terry Dudley from Howard Brown Health and David Dodd from Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus share what inspiring action means to them, and how their work helps inspire action within Chicago’s LGBTQ+ and HIV communities.  On Saturday, Oct. 5, HIV advocates from across Chicago will gather...
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I advocate because...

September 20, 2019

Every year, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) mobilizes advocates and staff to talk with elected officials in Springfield about the needs and concerns of the HIV community. The legislative session gives us an opportunity to talk about current legislation that directly impacts us and the communities we serve. We speak up to humanize health care, housing and employment policies intended to help...
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“There’s still life after HIV”

September 18, 2019

Curtis Montgomery has been an advocate with the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) for over 10 years. Currently serving on the Ryan White Consumer Advisory Board (CAB), Curtis is passionate about educating people about HIV prevention and serving as an example that being diagnosed with HIV is not the end. He, along with his fellow CAB members, are embarking on a mission to spread awareness about...
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Public Health Boot Camp accelerates learning for emerging health pros

September 6, 2019

This summer, emerging public health professionals came together to get an accelerated, hands-on training at the Public Health Boot Camp (PHBC). Co-sponsored by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) and the Institute of Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the program is designed to prepare HIV/AIDS public health leaders through a one-week...
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