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SHAME: AFC denounces House Republicans' eleventh-hour push to repeal the ACA

May 5, 2017

The AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) strongly condemns House Republicans’ repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which has provided access to comprehensive healthcare coverage to nearly 24 million Americans and over 1.2 million Illinoisans. The ACA dramatically increased health insurance coverage for people living with HIV in Illinois.  If enacted by the Senate and signed into...
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BudgetWatch: House's Lifeline budget moves to Senate and several AFC backed bills move out of the House

May 1, 2017

by Dan Frey, Director of Government Relations Quick update on a busy at the Capitol. Substantive Legislation Friday marked the deadline in both houses for substantive bills in their original house to be heard, so there was a great flurry of activity going on on the floor of each house. The bills AFC has been working on with partners include: HB 2800 ( Flowers...
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"We don't always have the choice of being sexperts."

April 25, 2017

by Cristal As a child of immigrants, I was taught to migrate in order to survive. In the past three years, I have bounced in between California, Chicago, and Mexico searching for both community and financial stability. One thing that I have learned as a migrating queer chicanx is that outside of protests (and sometimes even then) and queer+trans circles – we are constantly FORCED...
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Ava's Change4Youth collects votes to raise visual awareness of youth homelessness

April 19, 2017

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...
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LGBTQ aging summit to address advocacy and service needs in Chicago

April 18, 2017

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...
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Anton X: Finding community through advocacy

April 12, 2017

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...
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BudgetWatch: Health care repeal blocked and the state House in session

March 28, 2017

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...
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Quiz: How screwed are we with the new health care plan?

March 24, 2017

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.  
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BudgetWatch: Several bills move out of committee and to the House floor

March 20, 2017

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...
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Choosing Life: How and Why to Disclose Your Status

March 10, 2017

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...
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