Young activist Ava Santos-Volpe, age 12, is a girl on a mission. While working on a class leadership project two years ago, Ava asked a youth homelessness advocate to visit her school to discuss Chicago’s youth housing crisis. After learning more, Ava decided she needed to help — but didn't know how. That summer, while on a family trip to Florida, she spotted a parking meter collecting...
Read more...
Pride Action Tank, AARP and Affinity Community Services will host OUTAging: Summit on Our Possibilities , including an opening reception, on May 23-25. The summit will bring together LGBTQ older adults, service providers, clinicians and advocates from across the nation to talk about the needs of LGBTQ older adults (55+ years of age) in the Chicago region.
OUTAging will begin with...
Read more...
Unexpected life challenges can propel us to become more involved with our communities. For Anton X, re-connecting with his father and getting tested for HIV were the pivotal moments that led him to become the HIV advocate he is today. Now at 23 years old, he is changing the face of leadership in the health equity movement.
Originally from Maywood, a village just outside of Chicago, X currently...
Read more...
by Dan Frey, Director of Government Relations
Though the Senate spent last week in recess, the House was in session in Springfield, and I wanted to provide a quick update on how things are progressing in our state capitol.
Budget Update
Unfortunately, there has been little public movement on a state budget in Springfield in either house since the Senate’s...
Read more...
Confused about the what the American Health Care Act (AHCA) will mean for you? Want to know how it differs from the Affordable Care Act (ACA)? Take our quiz to learn more. Then call your legistor to ask them to vote NO on AHCA.
Read more...
by Dan Frey, Director of Government Relations
Good afternoon everyone, just wanted to take a quick moment to update you on a busy week in Springfield.
Substantive Bills
This week saw a number of bills AFC is working on moved out of committee and to the House floor:
HB 2800 (Flowers) passed unanimously, 12-0-0, out of the House Human Services...
Read more...
By Cotrell Loftin
Jessica Glaspie and I met in a small Starbucks in Mundelein, IL, on a Sunday morning shortly after I returned to Chicago on a 6-hour overnight bus trip. The precious caffeine helped fuel both my energy and an incredible conversation. In recognition of National Women's and Girls' HIV & AIDS Awareness Day, Glaspie, a powerful advocate featured in a prior Inside...
Read more...
By Sara Semelka and Pamela Tassin
1. Women’s experiences with HIV are unique, powerful and important
About 1 in 4 people living with HIV in the United States are women and 19% of the new HIV infections in the U.S. in 2014 were among women . Despite this, women are still often left out of conversations about HIV. HIV has impacted women since the...
Read more...
By LeSherri James
LeSherri is an HIV advocate living in Chicago and a Mobile Engagement Team Member for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
In 2003, I was pregnant, homeless, and HIV-positive. But worst of all, I felt completely helpless and had nowhere to turn for help. I received my diagnosis after my senior year of high school. In college, I thought I might be pregnant. I...
Read more...
Despite the uncertainty of the ACA's future and fear about the new administration’s discriminatory policies, AFC’s case managers stay committed to providing the quality care clients need.
By Cotrell Loftin
Mara Williamson is standing outside the conference room, warmly greeting people as they enter. “Good morning and welcome to the training. Don’t...
Read more...
