By Bill Keller
Our addictions can bankrupt us. I definitely did that to myself and the relationships I had. I kept doing the same things, expecting to get a different result until I finally hit my rock bottom. I’m sharing my story to possibly reach someone who might be struggling and can relate to my journey. Know that things can get better and be different. ...
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By Bailey Williams
Each year, several people living with HIV volunteer to serve on AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC)’s Ryan White Community Advisory Board. Having received services and case management under the Ryan White Care Act, the Board members bring firsthand experience to their advocacy on the Board. Their feedback and insights on new AFC initiatives, programs and case...
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By Bailey Williams
Darrow Alexander, 57, of Chicago, started having pain in his pancreas, breathing problems and occasional chest pain. He wasn't sure what was going on and knew his options were limited because he was uninsured, but one day, he decided to go to Rush University Medical Center and inquire about his ailments.
While there, a staff member recommended...
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By Bailey Williams
Tim Jackson vividly remembers the first political campaign he worked on at age 12 in Jackson, Mississippi.
Tim was at home with his mother when they both heard a knock on their door. His mother went to answer it, and Tim observed nearby, listening to the conversation taking place. Their alderman was running for re-election and wanted their...
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By Mike Ziri, (he/him), Director of Public Policy at Equality Illinois
“2020 is the most important election of our lifetime.”
You’ve probably heard that a lot this year, and it’s true. And not just because of the presidential election.
The 2020 election should matter to LGBTQ+ Illinoisans for 3 big reasons that you may not realize:...
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By Colleen Connell, Executive Director of ACLU Illinois
The news of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death just weeks before the 2020 General Election solidified for many the role that Supreme Court of the United States will play – likely with an expanded conservative majority – in addressing numerous civil rights and civil liberties issues that affect our lives. ...
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By Bailey Williams
Currently, there are two FDA-approved pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drugs available for HIV-negative people looking to prevent HIV transmission. These include Truvada, a generic equivalent to Truvada from Teva Pharmaceuticals (just made available October 1), and Descovy. Each of these drugs typically require daily dosing - meaning individuals take one pill each day coupled...
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In the coming weeks, Illinois residents will vote on an amendment to the state Constitution that seeks to transform for the better how the state taxes each resident's income.
Currently, all residents are taxed on a non-graduated or flat rate of 4.95%. For example, a person making $35,000 per year is taxed the same percentage of their income—4.95%—as a person making $35 million. ...
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By Timothy Jackson, AFC’s Director of Government Relations
What’s at stake is a question that many political pundits are opining and asking as the nation approaches the Nov. 3, 2020, general election. From the volatility of the economy and the civil unrest surrounding police brutality and racial injustice to the nation’s lack of coordinated response to the COVID-19...
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By Gary B. Beringer,
Dr. P. H.
Co-Chair, Policy & Advocacy Committee, AFC Board of Directors
I am an epidemiologist. Today, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, my profession now is understood by many people who inquire about it. This is the backstory of an important occurrence in my rehabilitation from a stroke.
In October 2003, I had the first of my four strokes over...
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