By Livvie Avrick
Life is Work, a non-profit organization that serves the Black transgender and non-binary community in Chicago, goes beyond providing tangible services; it provides hope, liberation, encouragement. Life is Work creates visibility and changes the narrative for trans people.
For Dymond Haynes, program coordinator at Life is Work, having visibility is hope...
Read more...
To realize the priorities and goals of the Getting to Zero Illinois (GTZ-IL) plan to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) is proud to advocate and prioritize the following state legislative agenda in partnership with and through the leadership of community organizations and coalitions across Illinois. For more specific information about the legislation highlighted...
Read more...
Racism is a public health crisis. This is evident in the decades of public health data that show disproportionate levels of morbidity and mortality among people of color, and in particular Black and Latino/a/e/x people. These trends are rooted in the legacy of racism and the extent to which it has permeated into public health, health care, and other systems. Beyond health care, we have...
Read more...
“I don’t prescribe those kinds of medicines” the older, White, gray-haired physician said in his judgmental southern drawl. I am sitting in this exam room at the public health department in Mobile, Alabama with a mix of emotions. I am grateful for the partner that thought enough of me after our encounter to provide my contact information so that I may receive STI testing...
Read more...
By: Omar Martínez González, Sr. Manager, Policy & Advocacy
CHICAGO, IL – On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed a $1.7 trillion omnibus budget bill to fund the federal government through September 30, 2023. The omnibus bill included $858 billion for defense funding and $772.5 billion for non-defense discretionary programs like the...
Read more...
By Indigo Quashie
Caprice Carthans is a member of AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s Board of Directors and Community Advisory Board (CAB) and fierce advocate for competent transgender health care across the city. As a Black transgender woman herself, Caprice centers her advocacy work around supporting, inspiring, and protecting her communities and the physical spaces they inhabit...
Read more...
By Omar Martínez González, Senior Manager, Policy & Advocacy
Photo credited to Omar Martínez González
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) issued a devastating blow to the right of women and pregnant people to access safe abortion services. Not only did it give Mississippi the green light to enforce its harmful 15-week...
Read more...
By Indigo Quashie
Timothy S. Jackson, Director of Government Relations, State Senator Mike Simmons, and State Representative Kelly M. Cassidy following live committee vote
SPRINGFIELD – On March 23 rd , 2022, HB4430: Increasing Access to PrEP & PEP Through Community Pharmacies was passed by the Senate Executive Committee on a bipartisan vote of 14-2! Sponsored...
Read more...
By Dr. Nic M. Weststrate
I’m a story scientist with an important message: Storytelling is good for your health . I’m not talking about fairy tales, big fish stories, or other flights of fancy meant to entertain. I’m talking about what happens when you tell your life story . You see, I belong to a group of researchers—we call ourselves narrative...
Read more...
By Indigo Quashie
On March 9, 2022, AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) virtually hosted the annual Illinois HIV Advocacy Day in support of the Getting to Zero Illinois Plan (GTZ-IL ) to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. More than 230 advocates from across the state joined together to take action on AFC’s legislative priorities by making direct connections with their state...
Read more...
