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...
Read more...
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 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...
This article highlights the successes the AIDS Foundation of Chicago achieved in 2016. Read more about our work in our Annual Report .
Hear from AFC's boldest voices for change as they describe their fight in 2016:
We are AIDS advocates. We FIGHT BACK. We fight for women to be treated with respect. We fight for Black lives, trans lives,...
Read more...
This article highlights the successes the AIDS Foundation of Chicago achieved in 2016. Read more about our work in our Annual Report .
On a brisk January evening, the leaders of several Chicago-area HIV organizations arrive, after a long day of work, at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s conference room to tackle some of the questions that will determine the fate of their organizations...
Read more...
This article highlights the successes the AIDS Foundation of Chicago achieved in 2016. Read more about our work in our Annual Report .
In the heart of the near South Side, The Village – University of Chicago Medicine, is poised to end the HIV epidemic, one call, tingle and appointment at a time. The Village, a project of the Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, is home...
Read more...
This article highlights the successes the AIDS Foundation of Chicago achieved in 2016. Read more about our work in our Annual Report .
Glenn Baker is a 44-year-old Chicago native who currently works doing food prep for a catering company. He has a very calm demeanor, tends to keep to himself and is even self-described as anti-social. However, Baker's magnetic personality...
Read more...
