By Bailey Williams
Imagine: you have been recently living at Cook County Jail, one of the epicenters for the new coronavirus (COVID-19). Despite still having time left in your sentence, you are notified you’ll be one of the hundreds of people released to decrease crowding in the jail.
Despite the jail‘s efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, as of May 4,...
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AFC's 2019 Annual Report: Turning Point
Review photos from the event
Hi, everyone! Thank you all so much for coming out tonight, and thank you, Terri, for introducing me and for stepping up to lead our Board. You and I have run, swum and biked together through our endurance event program TEAM TO END AIDS so many times, and I’m glad to be alongside you on this new journey...
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Remember when we could swipe through Tinder, meet up with someone new and later have an amazing sexual encounter? Though the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is keeping us indoors, the time will come when we're able to enjoy in-person sex outside our homes. When that day arrives, you'll want to know what preventive options are available.
Thankfully, you have options to prevent...
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By Bailey Williams
Prior to March 13, Alex Delakis spent most of his day meeting with people living with HIV in their homes and at public establishments like McDonald's. As a medical case manager for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC), Alex coordinated clients' medical care and associated services such as financial assistance and transportation. In the last few weeks, the routine...
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It’s almost Census time, and while it might seem scary, the Census is important, safe, and easier to complete than you may think.
by Anthony Ruth
In 2010, Dan Savage started “It Gets Better,” Lady Gaga wore the meat dress, Oprah still had her daytime talk show, and everyone with a smartphone—which wasn’t yet everyone—was playing Angry Birds....
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By Zac Hansen
I am a runner by choice rather than natural inclination. And that choice came about because I was a coward.
I pride myself on three key components: self-sufficiency, planning well and limiting risk. The first I gained by being gay in a world with limited support. The final two I adopted after I became the victim of a hate crime that left me stabbed, bleeding...
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This year for World AIDS Day, we celebrated how communities make a difference in supporting our movement to eliminate HIV stigma, create equity and justice for people living with HIV and chronic conditions and to end the HIV epidemic. The AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) mobilizes communities on World AIDS Day and every day. Watch the videos below to learn how our colleagues at AFC support people...
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By Rosalyn Murga, AIDS Foundation of Chicago
[UPDATED Dec. 9, 2019]
Editor’s note – A year after publishing this piece to our blog, threats to immigrant, refugee and asylum-seeker communities have not let up. Immigration is still a topic that frequents our news cycle, and misinformation about these communities persist. This holiday season (and every day!),...
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By Raven Feagins
“I used to wonder, like, ‘What am I here for? What is my purpose in life?’ And I have a purpose now,” said Valerie Linzy, an upbeat, big-hearted mother of six. “There are some young ladies who are going to come behind me from doing sex work that are going to come up HIV-positive that are going to need to know how to live … Here I am...
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By Raven Feagins
Bruce Pelletier was born and raised on Chicago’s Northwest side in the Old Irving Park neighborhood. His Chicago roots are noticeable not only because of his accent. He also has that outgoing, Midwestern charm that you would expect from any life-long resident of the city.
Bruce has had his share of obstacles and challenges in life, but one of the biggest struggles...
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