By Isabella Guzman
I was invited and inspired by my uncle, Armando Ramirez, whom I love very much, to participate in AIDS Run & Walk Chicago 6 years ago. He was diagnosed with HIV 14 years ago. All I knew at that time was that I was going to be supportive and have fun with my mom and uncles. I would get my own shirt and my own running number and that was exciting in itself!
My...
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AFC joins the chorus of those speaking out against the Trump Administration’s Zero Tolerance and Family Separation policies. We are disgusted and angered by these clear, unapologetic efforts to tear families apart, and to criminalize and imprison immigrants and refugees.
We acknowledge our nation’s long history of dehumanizing people of color, and view the current administration’s...
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By Coleman Goode
On a dark May morning, I arrived at work before the sun was up fighting off nerves ahead of my first large Springfield Advocacy Day here at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC). Our mission: deliver over 100 advocates to the state capitol to advocate for a positive budget with their state legislators. Our message was clear: they need to fully fund HIV programs and...
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SPRINGFIELD, June 1, 2018 – Each year, May 31 marks the end of the Spring Legislative Session in Illinois. The Illinois General Assembly adjourned on Thursday, after a productive and effective Spring Session, a stark contrast to the past years.
The House and Senate passed a bi-partisan budget that received near unanimous support across the aisle and across chambers. There are high...
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By Jes Scheinpflug
I’m greeted with, “Good afternoon, ma’am. How can I help you?” as I walk into the office. “I’m here to see Judy,” I tell the receptionist as I question to myself exactly what about my appearance made her gender me with ma’am. “I have 3 o’clock appointment,” I continue, wondering if I should tell her I am...
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By Cris Lee
In September 2015, I started my first full time job and besides getting used to the responsibilities of my new role, my other major life task was to purchase health insurance. I found a plan that fit my needs and set up an online profile so I could track my premium, co-pays, appointments, and overall wellness.
Before I had even chosen a Primary Care Physician, I...
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By Kirstin Brockenborough
Coleman Goode is our new Community Organizer! You may have most recently seen him around Springfield serving as Chief of Staff for long-time HIV advocate State Representative Greg Harris. We’re getting into who Coleman is and how he’s tackling health inequalities.
You can get to know Coleman and his plans for turning up our advocacy...
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by Peter McLoyd
POZ published Mark S. King’s article, “ The Truth About the 7,000 – Why are there still so many AIDS-related deaths? ” on April 2, 2018. The article moved HIV leader Peter McLoyd ; this is his response.
I woke up to the headline above in an article POZ Magazine. As I frantically read Mark S. King ’s...
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By Paige Miller
If you’ve googled “sexual health” recently, you know the only results are how to improve sexual performance. Well, you can’t improve anything until you know you’re educated on what you like and are being true to yourself. But what does that really mean?
Sexual health is the state of being mentally, physically and socially comfortable...
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by Raven Feagins
Having a stable place to live can determine our health , including our vulnerability to HIV. This is especially true for young people who already account for 22% of new HIV diagnoses in the US. In Chicago , an estimated 15,000 youth experience homelessness each year and of those young people, about 3,000 identify as LGBTQ.
Some of the top needs of LGBTQ youth...
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