One of AFC’s missions is to continue to amplify the voices of LGBTQ older adults and their experiences navigating advocacy work, healthcare, social stigma, or living with HIV. Stefanie Clark is a lesbian and transgender woman who has spent the past six years advocating for culturally competent care training for all medical professionals throughout Illinois, from clinic receptionists, nurses, PhD specialists, dentists, all the up-to the M.D.
Many know her from Pride Action Tank’s Storytelling for Change, but Stefanie Clark is also connected to many organizations like Howard Brown and Equality Illinois for their advisory boards. As a self-proclaimed “Renaissance Woman,” Stefanie shares her coming-out story, her thoughts about SB3490: Disrupting Disparities for Older Adults, and the resilience required to have unfamiliar conversations about gender identity in medical spaces.
Interviewed and edited by Indigo Quashie
Advocating for lasting change in the futures of LGBTQ older adults and older adults living with HIV in necessary to end the HIV epidemic in Illinois by 2030. Learn how Pride Action Tank has created a platform for these communities through various events and projects by visiting their website.
