Johnson & Johnson supports more than 100 community-led organizations in marginalized communities to provide resources and tools to advance accessible, quality health care in the U.S. NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., April 3, 2024 – Johnson & Johnson announced today that it is collaborating with more than 100 community-led health organizations supporting historically marginalized communities across the United States — building on the Company’s multiyear, multimillion-dollar efforts to improve health equity. Studies have shown that people of color in the U.S. face disparities in access to health c ..read more

By Sara Moniuszko, Leigh Ann Winick Edited By Paula Cohen Updated on: March 13, 2024 / 12:27 PM EDT / CBS News Despite highly effective HIV prevention drugs on the market, only a fraction of those at risk in the U.S. are taking them — or even know they're an option. It's called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, and it is about 99% effective to prevent HIV infection through sexual contact when taken as prescribed. But only about one-third of the 1.2 million Americans who could benefit from the medication are taking it, according to an estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Pr ..read more

Hope Triumphs Over Hate: Georgia's Stand Against Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation Key Takeaways Georgia lawmakers proposed over 20 bills that would have legalized discrimination based on religious grounds, prevented transgender youth from team sports in their self-identified gender, and blocked access to essential gender affirming care for young transgender persons. Organizations like SisterLove worked collaboratively with lawmakers to mount a broad resistance to these legislative efforts to codify bigotry into law. This victory signals a growing shift away from the reactionary and oppressive a ..read more

Georgia's Insidious “Hunt for Immigrant” Legislation The Georgia Criminal Alien Track and Report Act, HB 1105, was introduced in the Georgia House chamber on January 31, 2024. HB 1105 gained traction in the Georgia legislature after the death of a 22 year old UGA nursing student, Laken Riley. The main suspect in Riley’s killing, Jose Ibarra, is said to have entered the country illegally in 2022, and now faces multiple murder and assault charges.  Following Riley’s death, HB 1105 was passed in the Georgia House on February 29, 2024, with the intent of cracking down on immigration policies ..read more

Georgia Congress to Vote on Anti-Trans Legislation On Tuesday, March 19th, the Georgia Senate Education and Youth Committee voted to amend HB 1104 which, previously, was a safe bill for student athletes. The new amendment, however, includes language that if passed, would ban transgender youth from participating in sports, and from using the correct restrooms and changing areas.   "Excluding trans women hurts all women" Specifically, HB 1104 prohibits any participating school in the state of Georgia from operating sports that allow a person whose sex is male but whose gender identity ..read more

30 years of fighting for justice: Black women lead the charge for equitable reproductive rights in a post-Roe America. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the reproductive justice movement. And just like Black women were leading then, they’re leading the movement now. Like many social justice movements, people of color, and specifically Black women, have led and borne the brunt of the labor and danger associated with fighting against the status quo. Today, Black reproductive justice leaders remain at the frontlines of the fight to ensure abortion access, and equitable and accessible reprod ..read more

https://youtu.be/9992dsU-hy8?si=_t5qBS0Yk_A4myMjKey Points* [00:03] Tammy Kinney's journey from HIV diagnosis to activism and organization founding. Tammy faced a traumatic AIDS diagnosis along with substance abuse and mental health issues. She overcame her struggles, found a safe haven, and decided to become an activist to empower herself and others. [02:46] Finding a safe haven & founding an organization Finding a safe haven in an organization called SisterLove, connecting with other women with similar experiences Attending a conference, raising questions about rural area care, an ..read more

A New Dawn in HIV Cure Research: Navigating Hope, Challenges, and Breakthroughs In the pursuit of an HIV-free future, the landscape of HIV cure research has been transformed from a once fatal diagnosis to a manageable condition, thanks to the revolutionary impact of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). Yet, the ultimate goal—a complete cure for HIV—remains just out of reach. The complexity of the virus and its ability to hide in the body's viral reservoirs presents significant challenges. This blog explores recent strides towards a cure, the persisting barriers, and the hopeful horizon that lies ahea ..read more

19 Organizations Will Receive a Total of $12.6 Million in Grant Funding Through Gilead’s Setting the P.A.C.E. Initiative Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) today announced it is providing a total of $12.6 million in grant funding to 19 organizations working to improve the HIV landscape for Black women and girls in the United States. These grants are a part of Gilead’s new Setting the P.A.C.E. (Prevention, Arts and Advocacy, Community, Education) initiative, a three-year commitment toward increasing HIV prevention, anti-stigma and health equity efforts for Black cisgender and Transgender wome ..read more

As part of Black History Month, February 7th marks National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a day dedicated to addressing the disproportionate impact of the HIV epidemic on Black Americans amidst this month of reflection and acknowledgment of Black heritage and achievements.  In recent years, we’ve witnessed remarkable biomedical advances in HIV treatment and prevention, as well as in innovation in care delivery through telemedicine. However, despite these advancements, Black Americans and other non-white communities still experience higher rates of HIV and have less access to HIV testing a ..read more