The AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) is pleased to announce that we were recently awarded a grant from ViiV Healthcare’s Positive Action for Women (PAFW) initiative. Continuing our dedication to supporting cisgender and transgender women of color, AFC will be partnering with Chicago Women’s AIDS Project, Affinity Community Services, Stroger Hospital and other Chicago leaders to develop and implement a local action plan to engage women in HIV prevention and care.
“We’re going to build strategies that will change the political and environmental arenas for cis- and trans women of color,” said Cynthia Tucker, VP of Prevention and Community Partnerships for AFC. In addition to a career of work supporting women living with and vulnerable to HIV, Tucker is leading AFC’s Project Elevate campaign, which empowered young cis- and trans women of color to build a campaign and strategy to connect with young women in Chicago about HIV and STIs.
While the number of new HIV diagnoses among women of color declined from 2010-2014, of U.S. women newly diagnosed, 80% were U.S. women of color. Furthermore, complex social dynamics and isolation have limited the promise that medical advances could have in reducing the impact of the HIV epidemic. Responding to this situation, ViiV Healthcare is addressing the disproportionate impact of HIV among women of color in the U.S. through PAFW. PAFW is a pilot initiative that supports innovative, forward-thinking collaborations that break down isolation and stigma for cis- and transgender women of color living with HIV and link women to networks of care.
To learn more about this women-focused action plan, please contact Cynthia Tucker at [email protected]. For more information on PAFW and our co-grantees, visit the PAFW website here.
