Darren is 56 years old. He walks with the assistance of a walker – the toll that physical labor and illness has had on his wiry frame is obvious, but it does not dampen his energy. Behind his smile are years of hardships. Born and raised in the Chicago area, Darren was one of ten children. His parents divorced when he was three, after his sister was kidnapped walking home from school. As...
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Jeff Tomlinson is what you might call a “normal guy.” He was born and raised in rural Illinois; he has worked as a teacher in the U.S. and in other countries; he goes out and dates and volunteers. But he worries about things that some don’t have to worry about: as someone living with HIV who depends on vital, threatened programs like ADAP, he knows that his health care...
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By Cotrell Loftin
Alaina Kennedy is a self-proclaimed “daughter of Chicagoland” who recently joined AFC’s staff as its first-ever Manager of Health Equity. Her passion for the city of Chicago doesn’t stop at the food or the amazing architecture: Alaina wants to build up the people, especially those who face inequity in quality of life because of stigma surrounding...
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Joseph Varisco, Program Coordinator for Art AIDS America Chicago , writes about the first exhibition to explore how the AIDS crisis forever changed American art
Four years ago, I was diagnosed HIV+. Since that time, I have been working across communities with one vital directive: create productive, powerful and engaging interactions. As a performing arts curator and producer, I use...
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At the end of September, Arturo Bendixen retired from his role as the executive director of the Center for Housing and Health, a supporting organization for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago that has focused on innovative housing models to shift the landscape of supportive housing in Chicago and across the U.S. Art worked at AFC and the Center for a combined 13 years. Taking his role as the Center’s...
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by Raven Feagins and Cotrell Loftin
The Black Lives Matter Series: Race, Politics and Restorative Justice Conference on Oct. 6 explored the relationship between mass incarceration, racial equity and social justice in the criminal justice system. Raven Feagins and Cotrell Loftin attended this conference to investigate the challenges and opportunities of transitioning from incarceration to...
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by Cotrell Loftin
AIDS Run & Walk Chicago was back on Saturday, Oct. 1, but we’re still feeling the excitement! In the week leading up to the event, we held an Instagram challenge that received many great entries. Congratulations to the daily winners and the grand prize winner @Ricanflava who won a ticket to World of Chocolate! See the winning posts below and stay tuned...
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What do you do when you’re 15 years old and your good friend comes out to you as HIV-positive?
Alfredo Flores (now 21) knows how it feels. After he came out as gay in his teens, Flores joined Mpowerment , an HIV prevention program for young gay and bisexual men. Mpowerment runs programs across Chicago to help people stand up to the stigma around HIV.
“When I first...
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by U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL)
Today, on National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we ponder the significance of HIV and AIDS as an American and international reality. 35 years have passed since our country initially confronted the biological challenges of this epidemic. We still grapple — oftentimes clumsily — with stigma and our social response, while contending...
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Events like AIDS Run & Walk Chicago don't come together by themselves; they happen because talented volunteers come together and make it happen! Do you have what it takes to be a volunteer for this year's event on Saturday, Oct. 1 at Soldier Field? Click here to learn more.
Still on the fence? Read seven reasons other volunteers come back year after year to support the HIV...
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