By Ella Shapiro
As a member of Generation Z, the HIV epidemic has always felt distant to me. Growing up in the early 2000s and 2010s, I remember hearing stories about the epidemic. I heard about how it impacted the LGTBQ+ community, how Princess Diana famously shook the hand of a person living with AIDS in 1987, but ultimately...
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By Ella Shapiro
Growing up in Garfield Park, Zahara Bassett remembers having to frequently travel to the North Side of Chicago to access gender-affirming spaces and receive medical care, food and housing assistance. Despite loving her neighborhood, it was clear to Zahara, as a Black transgender woman, that...
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By Ella Shapiro
For those of us working to end the HIV epidemic it is not news that housing is health care, but perhaps for others that connection is not so obvious.
When you have a house, steady employment and a primary care provider it becomes easy to prioritize your health because your basic needs are...
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By Brian Solem
When I hear the word “dashboard,” the first thing that comes to mind is the illuminating glow of a car’s control panel, telling me how fast I’m going, what song is playing and whether I need to refill my gas tank (usually, the answer is “yes”).
The Getting to Zero Illinois (GTZ-IL) Dashboard...
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By Ella Shapiro
Before Margaret Russell began her medical career as a family physician and certified HIV specialist she worked in technical theatre. While working as a stage manager, Margaret made many friends within the LGBTQ+ community. As her friendships developed, Margaret shared her...
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By Ella Shapiro
Davon Lawrence ’s passion for service was inspired by his mother. Raised in New Jersey, Davon grew up watching his mother work for the Salvation Army as an Intake Counselor. He saw the way that his community improved through the work she and her colleagues did by caring for others. From a...
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By Bailey Williams
For more than 50 years, Illinois Medicaid has offered millions of residents access to health insurance for free or reduced rates. Illinois Medicaid is the largest health insurer in the state, providing coverage to about 25 percent of the state’s residents including people living with HIV, working families,...
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By Timothy S. Jackson
October 3 marks 12 years of living with HIV for AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC)'s Director of Government Relations.
A Black man.
A Black gay man.
A Black gay man living with HIV.
I am all of those and greater than the sum of the parts. My intersecting identities. The things that make me who I am and who I want to be. The identities...
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By Ella Shapiro
One day in 2014, Chris Pazdernik was taking a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train when they noticed an ad for that year’s AIDS Run & Walk Chicago fundraising event. Five years prior, Chris had tested positive for HIV. At the time, they were left with a lot of insecurities. They didn’t know what kind...
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By Bailey Williams
For the past three years, Mayra Olivares has helped people living with HIV and AIDS achieve better health outcomes. As a Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program case manager at Erie Family Health Centers, Mayra makes sure her clients receive needed medication, medical appointments and referrals for vital services like housing. Prior to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Mayra...
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