Category Archives: HIV

Chicago House TransLife Program

In 1986, the first Christmas tree went up in the halls of Chicago House’s hospice. 

 In 2013, the sacred walls of this important piece in Chicago House’s history will breathe new life when we launch our all new TransLife Program. 
Take 6 minutes and learn about the ever changing need Chicago House continues to fill. Our video message will change your life, while we continue to change thousands…WATCH NOW
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Edge Alliance Fundraiser Nov. 18, 2012

On November 17, EdgeAlliance, formerly known as AIDSCare, 

will celebrate the 20th
Anniversary of its founding. 
The YOU! Ball will be EdgeAlliance’’s
largest fundraising event of the year attracting over 400 community,
corporate and civic leaders in celebration of EdgeAlliance’’s 20-year
milestone and YOU! our cherished friends and partners.
 Saturday, November 17, 2012, 6:00PM – Sunday, November 18, 2012, 12:00AM
             Fairmont Hotel, 200 N. Columbus Ave., Chicago, IL 60601              

If
you are unable to attend The YOU! Ball, please consider making acontribution in lieu of attending the event!  All donations will be used
to continue the work of EdgeAlliance in helping those impacted by
HIV/AIDS and Veterans who are homeless.

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CHICAGO HOUSE Selected for National Grant to Support Care and Treatment of Transgender Community

It was announced that local
non-profit leader in AIDS services, Chicago House, was selected as one of eight
national grant sites to study the link between HIV and retention in care of
transgender women of color.  The study, which will be housed in Chicago
House’s all new TransLife Center (TLC), will allow $300,000 per year for
the next five years from the Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) as a Special Program of National Significance.

 

The TLC programming will serve as a
collaborative comprehensive and multi-strategy approach to identifying HIV-positive
transgender women of color who are out of care, while engaging them
successfully in accessible, quality HIV primary care.  

 

In leveraging
the resources and expertise of five project partners – AIDS Foundation of
Chicago, Center On Halsted, Lurie Children’s Hospital, Heartland Health
Outreach, and South Side Help Center – Chicago House will identify
transgender women of color living with HIV, create a broad network of
culturally competent healthcare providers, and deliver an array of services that
help marginalized transgender women overcome barriers to care.  

 

“The TransLife Center Programming will incorporate
three tiers of support to the habitually overlooked “T” in the LGBT
community,” commented Chicago House CEO, Stan
Sloan.  “TransHousing
will provide a safe and understanding home to transgender men and women,
through the rebirth of our original 24-hour-care building in Edgewater and
multiple scattered site units throughout the city.  TransWorks, an offshoot of our highly
successful employment program, will work with trans men and women to identify
their unique employment placement needs and prepare them for the workplace
through resume writing, interview skills, and connections to culturally
competent job opportunities.”  Sloan continued, “The final
element, TransHealth, will
connect trans men and women to non judgmental health care addressing their
unique needs through Dr. Rob Garafolo of Lurie Children’s Hospital.”  

 

HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, is the primary Federal agency for improving access to health care
services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable. 

 

“Chicago House remains committed to providing the best
in services to the homeless and HIV affected, and the integral TransHealth funding from HRSA further validates
the needs that we have identified within the transgender community,”
Sloan said.  “The growth in reaching out to this population
represents the same trailblazing growth our founders had in mind 27 years ago,
and it is a wonderful next incarnation for our former hospice site.  The
transgender community has been so strategic and receptive in helping us develop
the programs, and we are excited to begin this next step of Chicago
House’s history.”

 

About Chicago
House

The first organization of it’s kind in the Midwest, since 1985 Chicago
House
has provided permanent housing and supportive services to men,
women and children living with HIV and AIDS.  Their programs have since
expanded to include community case management, substance abuse counseling, HIV
prevention, medical adherence and the Midwest’s
first employment training and placement program specific to people with
HIV.  Chicago House also
offers free, anonymous rapid HIV testing.
  For more information, visit www.chicagohouse.org.

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Chicago AIDS Run Walk Deadlines

We’re only 15 days away from AIDS Run & Walk
Chicago.  It’s shaping up to be quite a day with Wanda Sykes and Michael
Feinstein joining us at the start line, and Jamar Rogers from NBC’s The
Voice performing during closing ceremonies.  September
30 will be filled with some great energy and awareness at Soldier
Field. Thank you for joining us for this spectacular event and in our
fight against HIV/AIDS.

 

Today and Wednesday are two very important
deadlines for the event.
  

Today is the last day that RUNNERS can
pre-register for the event. 

For WALKERS, the last day to pre-register
will be end of day Wednesday, September 19.  Interested participants
may pre-register online at Aidsrunwalk.org

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TPAN 25 Celebration October 4th, 2012

The 25th Hour: Celebrating A Quarter-Century of Service, an important
event that will commemorate our 25th year of providing services to
Chicago’s HIV community at the historic Chicago Cultural Center. This
distinctive event will be a chic, fun-filled celebration with special
chef tastings, visual art, and live music by the soulful singer, Jamar
Rogers from NBC’s The Voice.
TPAN will honor individuals who have made a
huge impact on Chicago’s HIV community.

As Chicago’s oldest peer-led HIV service provider, TPAN ensures that
all people living with or at risk for HIV have access, under one roof,
to free, confidential testing and counseling; education about the best
options for prevention, treatment, and ancillary care through our
programs and national journal, Positively Aware; and ongoing
psychosocial support. TPAN also goes out into the community to provide
prevention education and testing.

After a quarter century of service, the work continues. TPAN is
committed to living. We hope you will join us in that commitment.

October 4th, 2012    5:30-8:30 at Chicago beautiful Cultural Center!

Tickets: $75 – $150 ONLINE  NOW

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Ride for AIDS Chicago $10,000 Matching Challenge

From Robert Garofalo: 

Preparing for the Ride for AIDS Chicago has been an extremely
challenging and rewarding endeavor for me and for the more than 250
other Riders who have been preparing for this two-day, 200 mile bike
ride.

 I think we’re ready. It’s the support of friends, family and
complete strangers that make this adventure worth it for me and the
entire team.


A good friend has offered to match dollar for dollar, up to $10,000,
every contribution posted on my page starting July 10, 2012.
Your
contribution today will be doubled! Please show your support for me, my
fellow riders and for the people who receive services at TPAN.

100% of donations directly support services at TPAN. For 25 years TPAN
has empowered people living with HIV through peer-led programming,
support services, information dissemination, and advocacy. For friends
who rely on them, these services are vital.
The Ride for AIDS Chicago has already surpassed last year’s recording
breaking $535,000. We have a goal of raising $600,000. Please join us
in this challenge!

**I know many of you are being directed to my page due to the generosity
of other riders. KNOW that we are all raising monies toward the same
goal and please make note of who you are honoring with a donation. I
have met some of the most remarkable, generous and talented people as
part of this ride and I know TOGETHER we can reach this challenge
!

Please make a donation now.

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Chicago AIDS Run Walk Kick Off July 17th

Organizers of the AIDS Run & Walk Chicago will kick-off its recruitment and fundraising efforts on

Tuesday, July 17 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
at Cactus Bar & Grill, 404 S. Wells St.
 

At the July 17 event, interested parties will be able to register and get more information on the AIDS Run & Walk Chicago. Proceeds from select Patron tequila cocktails will also partially benefit the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

To date, 36 beneficiaries and 26 other teams had registered for AIDS Run & Walk Chicago, which will take place on Sunday, Sept. 30, at Soldier Field and offer a 5K and 10K running routes and a 5K walk route. Organizers expect more than 150 teams to register.

AIDS Run & Walk Chicago is the city’s largest outdoor fundraiser for organizations that provide life-saving services for people living with HIV/AIDS. The event is produced by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and Special Events Management.

Pre-registration ranges from $30-$45 before September 14. Registration is $50 after the pre-registration deadline. To register as a fundraising individual or as a team, visit aidsrunwalk.org or call (312) 334-0946.

Founded in 1985 by community activists and physicians, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago is a catalyst for local, national, and international action against HIV/AIDS.

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AIDS Foundation of Chicago “Change My Story” Campaign Debuts Smartphone-Driven Ads

Smartphone-Driven Ads to Connect People to HIV Prevention and Care Services

To
mark National HIV Testing Day, the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC)
debuted a series of smartphone-driven bus shelter ads on the South and
West Sides of Chicago to
help African Americans connect to HIV testing and care services.

The
larger-than-life ads, featuring community ambassadors, are part of the agency’s community-level educational campaign, known as
Change My Story, designed to inspire communities of color to connect to life-extending health care services. A

2010 report
from the Pew Research Center on technology trends indicated
African-Americans boast the highest rates of any demographic group when
it comes to interacting with the community via text message
and other non-traditional platforms.

Change My Story
is about empowering people to take control of their life and health,
with respect to HIV/AIDS and all life-changing illnesses,” said David
Ernesto Munar,
AFC President and CEO. “Nowadays it seems people rarely go anywhere
without their cell phone. But it’s actually more than a phone – it’s a
lifeline to testing, care and support.”

 

The
smartphone-driven bus shelter ads feature scannable “quick response”
(QR) codes to instantly direct mobile users to videos from community
ambassadors and to the HIV testing
and care website, ChangeMyStory.org. The videos are
It Gets Better-style testimonials from young Black men, women,
clergy, and members of the “ball community,” a dynamic LBGT subculture
in which individuals compete for prizes and respect by “walking” or
“vogueing.”

Change My Story asks individuals to “join the movement” in three distinct ways:

 Say yes to the test. It’s about getting tested for HIV/AIDS, but also other diseases that can steal moments from your life (hypertension, high cholesterol, hepatitis, diabetes, and cancer). Make your health a priority and experience more of the moments in life that are important to you.


 Connect to care. ChangeMyStory.org will help you connect to care services that are right for you and the experts who can help. Find out what you need to know to take control – whether or not you have health insurance.

 

Spread the word. Each one, reach one. Spread the word to your friends and family. Encourage them to take control of their own health – like you did.

For more information, visit aidschicago.org.

 

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Northwestern Memorial Hospital Ranks High with Gay LGBT Healthcare

Northwestern Memorial Hospital is one of only three hospitals in Illinois named a “Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality” in the 2012 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) report.

The HEI is an annual survey conducted by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the country’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) organization. Northwestern Memorial was commended for its commitment to equitable, inclusive care for LGBT patients and their families who can face challenges in accessing adequate healthcare.

My partner and I both see  Dr. Eric Christoff, at the NMPG office on Halsted. He has been our doctor for 8 years and we highly recommend him and NMPG  to  EVERYONE WE KNOW!

 

“We are proud to be recognized for our commitment to serving the LGBT community in Chicago,” said Dennis Murphy, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Northwestern Memorial. “We treat a very vast, diverse patient population and have long recognized the value of tailoring care to an individual’s unique healthcare needs. Our Patients First mission drives us to assure every patient receives the best care—period. And we think this recognition underscores that commitment.”

 

Northwestern Memorial was named a Leader in Healthcare Equality after demonstrating its ability to meet several key indicators for equitable care, including nondiscrimination policies for LGBT patients and employees, a guarantee of equal visitation for same-sex partners and parents, and training in LGBT patient-centered care for key staff. Only 234 healthcare facilities nationwide were recognized as leaders.

 

To further meet the needs of the LGBT community, Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group (NMPG) employs several physicians who specialize in the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals. They strive to educate both patients and other medical providers about the unique healthcare needs of LGBT patients. They are also strong advocates for creating a welcoming environment where their patients can receive quality non-judgmental care. To learn more about NMPG’s program, visit http://www.nmpg.com/internal-medicine/gay-lesbian-and-transgender-health.  

 

Beyond its commitment to serving LGBT patients, Northwestern Memorial also strives to provide an inclusive work environment for its employees with nondiscrimination employment policies and same-sex domestic partner benefits. An affiliate-wide networking group called the Northwestern Chicago Out Network exists for the support and encouragement of LGBT faculty, staff, students, fellows, and residents on the Northwestern Chicago campus.

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Dance for Life Chicago August 18, 2012

ONE STAGE… ONE CAUSE: DANCE FOR LIFE

Chicago’s Leading Dance Troupes Unite to Raise Funds for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Services on Aug. 18

 

    Experience the best dance Chicago has to offer as six of the city’s top dance companies join together for one spectacular night on stage in this year’s Dance for Life. With electrifying and poignant choreography, Dance for Life is the Midwest’s largest performing arts fundraiser for HIV/AIDS, having raised more than $4 million to support care, education, and prevention in the Chicagoland area.

 

This year, Dance for Life hosts two exciting, world-premiere performances by renowned choreographers Randy Duncan and Harrison McEldowney.

 

A silent auction and raffle will also be held.

 

Funds raised through Dance for Life benefit the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, the Dancers’ Fund and the Chicago Women’s AIDS Project.

 

    Participating Companies Include:

 

  • The Joffrey Ballet                                             
  • Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago
  • Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
  • River North Chicago Dance Company
  • Luna Negra Dance Theater
  • Ron de Jesus Dance

 

 

WHEN:             Saturday, Aug. 18, 2012

                        5:00 p.m. – Gala Reception – Hilton Chicago Grand Ball Room (720 S. Michigan Ave.)

8:00 p.m. – Dance for Life Performance Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Congress Pkwy.)

*Complimentary shuttle bus service provided between the two venues.

 

COST:              $50-$75 (performance only)

$175-$500 (includes admission to 5:00 p.m. gala reception and premiere seating at the performance)

To purchase tickets, please call 312-431-2357 or visit Danceforlifechicago.com

 

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I Heart Red party – A Pre Red Dress Party Feb 9th

Check this out!  $20

 Hosted Bar for 3 hours, plus small bites,
plus a raffle drawing, plus fun people!

PLUS, you’re helping a great cause!

Join Chicago Red Dress Party and our host Clive Christian Studios for I {HEART} Red. This design filled event will take place on Thursday February, 9, 2012 from 6:00p-9:00p at Clive Christian Studios, 222 Merchandise Mart, Suite 143.

Registration includes an open bar, small bites, and a “red” raffle.

Check out Facebook for more details. 

 $20 in advance   $25 at the door.

BestGayChicago.com  is a proud sponsor
of the 2012 Red Dress Party!  4-21-12

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Get Paid! HIV Vaccine Study Needs YOU!

We’re looking for 18-50 year old, HIV-negative men and transwomen who men to volunteer in a vaccine study.

More than 30,000 people around
the world have volunteered
in an HIV vaccine study. BUT MORE ARE STILL NEEDED.

Every 10 minutes, someone in the United States is infected with HIV. A
preventive vaccine against HIV offers the best long-term hope to end
this worldwide epidemic. Finding a safe and effective HIV vaccine that
will protect people is a huge task. We cannot do it without your help.

Don’t worry…you cannot become infected with HIV
from the vaccine.

You will be compensated for your time.

Call  312-413-5897     Ref. #  0417

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DEC. 12th Benefit at HYDRATE

This is a huge and great event is given by Cyone Cyon Flare, 5 Magazine, Ms Chi-Town Ronnie, Miss Foozie, and Tajma Hall.  DEC.  12th  at  Hydrate  starting  at 9pm

Originally from Detroit, the flamboyant Cyon Flare (facebook, twitter) is creator, promoter and host of United House, the Monday night residency at Hydrate that aims to bring House Music back in Chicago’s Boystown. He’s also a vocalist that’s recorded tracks with DJ Dealer, Georgie Porgie and Edson Pride. His fabulous personality brings light into every community, crossing every boundary.

“The vision is simple. It’s in the title: “United House, A Night of Unity
in House Music”. The bigger vision is to see more people – black,
white, latino (no matter the race), straight, gay, bisexual,
transgender, lesbian, all those that love House Music – come together.
And if you don’t love House Music, come to United House and experience
the energy in the room and I think you’ll change your mind!
”  (Read a great interview with CYON  online).

Sheree Hicks and RaShaan Houston
will be performing their up coming single “Your Only” for the first
time, set for early 2012 release on Byron Stingly’s label at the United
In HIV Benefit on December 12.

Legendary LINDA CLIFFORD  will also perform!

Other
talented, heavy hitting vocalist performing are Dajae and  Carla Prather!
 The DJs are CzBoogie, Rees Urban,
& Freddie Bain. Come out and join us because we’re having a party
with a purpose!
Donations are canned goods and or $10, given at Hydrate,
3458 Halsted in Chicago!
See you there.

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World Aids Day – FREE HIV Testing Today

TODAY IS WORLD  AIDS  DAY.

observed December 1 every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.

AIDS
has killed more than 26 million people.   and an estimated 35 million
people worldwide live with HIV,  making it one of the most destructive
epidemics in recorded history. It is NOT OVER.

Here
in the U.S. about 50,000 people become infected with HIV annually. New
numbers from the CDC indicate that nearly 1 in 5 people (about 240,000)
don’t know they are infected.

Today from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m., staff members from Howard

Brown will offer free HIV testing at the Brown Elephant

(Andersonville), 5404 N. Clark.



Model, actor,
athlete, designer  Jack Mackenroth
has quickly become the most visible,
out HIV+ advocate and educator in the country… if not the world. With the release of his  gorgeous, sexy 2012 calendar,
he is  raising  both money and awareness for AIDS research, and to
show through his photographs that a person living with HIV can be in top
physical form, healthy and sexy.All proceeds  Benefit  AMFAR.

His  AUTOGRAPHED, high-quality, glossy, limited  edition, 15-month calendar has been selling like hotcakes since September.

The calendar begins in January 2012 and continues through May
2013. Each month features a different photographer with a very different
style.  $14.95!!  Buy a couple. One for you and one for friends!  This
is sure to be a sell out!! And every calendar sold helps the fight!

BUY ONLINE  NOW

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Monda Guerra Talks at Center on Halsted Dec 2

Fashion designer, reality TV star and public advocate Mondo Guerra is coming to Center on Halsted in honor of World AIDS Day.

He will be speaking Dec. 2 (the day before World AIDS Day) at 7pm in the 3rd floor theatre, followed by a meet and greet.

Mondo is perhaps most famous from Project Runway, where his designs won him critical praise and a spot as runner up on season 8. He also made headlines by coming out as HIV-positive on the runway, becoming one of the few reality TV stars in history to do so. 

Last year, in commemoration of World AIDS Day, he designed a limited edition of
T-shirts, one with a Day of the Dead sugar skull and one with a tree of
life. These shirts were sold on Piperlime.com

For each shirt sold, $20 was donated to amfAR.In his statement to Fox News Latino for his motivations in doing this,
he said, ““The Day of the Dead is celebration of our loved ones who have
passed. When I was thinking of World Aids day I wanted to create
something very true to who I am, and what I know. Who I’ve known and
miss and those people in my life that still fight this disease. It’s
about love and continuation.”

 

Center on Halsted presents Mondo

7:00pm, December 2nd  

(Cash bar and light hors d’oeuvres 6:00pm – 7:00pm, event follows directly after)

3rd floor theatre

3656 N. Halsted Street

Free and open to the public

Seating is Limited!

Please RSVP to RSVP@centeronhalsted.org.

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BAR lesque IV – Let the Stripper Fundraising Begin

During the month of November, contestants representing 15 community
businesses vie for the title of “Chicago’s Sexiest” to raise money for Test
Positive Aware Network (TPAN) in its month-long, online strip-a-thon
fundraiser “Barlesque IV”.

As people visit the Barlesque Web site and donate money, the contestants
appear in various stages of undress. Over the course of 5 donation levels,
contestants go from fully dressed to “nature’s best.”

The Barlesque competition officially runs through Wednesday, November 30,
11:59:00 p.m. Donations received beyond that time will not be counted toward the
winner of the Barlesque competition, but will be posted on the Bar-lesque Web
site. All money

raised through Barlesque goes directly to the work of TPAN.

Barlesque is part of TPAN’s annual burlesque event, Chicago Takes Off, which
will take place March 3, 2012, at the Park West. WHICH IS AN AMAZING  MUST-SEE SHOW!  Last year was a sell-out!

Beyond the 30 day online fundraising, most all the competing  “strippers” will be hosting fundraising parties  all over the city.   Many feature entertainment, some will have open bars, etc.   Check out this list of cool fundraising events!

NOV 11th  Mini Bar  Party –  Art Auction

NOV 16th   Debonair Social Club  $20  donation/ 2 hour hosted bar

NOV 16th  Lucky Horseshow  

NOV  17th   ELIXER    &  DS  Tequila

NOV 18th  North End  $5  donation, prizes, and lube wrestling

NOV 20th  Y BAR   8pm-2am. 5 djs, Fantasy Philanthropy Fetish Party

MEET THE  CONTESTANTS  ONLINE  and follow their fundraising efforts and make  donations. 

LAST NIGHT the contestants gave us a little strip show! 

Check out BEST GAY CHICAGO on FACEBOOK and LIKE US  to see all the hot photos!!

TPAN

BAR-LESQUE

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Powerful New Music Video “I Will” Released: Emotional Story Line Seeks To Stop The Stigma of HIV



This week  the groundbreaking music video “I Will” made its debut at Chicago’s  Jackhammer in front of a large crowd and rave reviews. Singer/songwriter Marshall Titus and Photographer/Director John Gress were on hand for a Q & A session with the night’s host Jay Lacey.

The music video was very well received and immediately went viral, having been sent to over 100 bloggers nationwide. It is hoped that the music video will be watched by tens of thousands of people over the next few weeks and start to spur discussions in gay communities throughout the country. Titus and Gress created “I Will” out of a desire to both move and educate the gay community about the tendency to stigmatize those who are HIV positive.

The music video, with the help of a very moving plot and superb acting, tells the powerful story of an African-American charecter who discovers that he is HIV positive. The video follows his initial struggle with the diagnosis and reveals subsequently the growth that happens to him through a process of self-acceptance with  the love and support of his friends. The lyrics, “on this walk of faith, I will be strong, I will be brave,” mirrors the inner strength that the protagonist summons within himself to overcome his fear both of the disease and of the rejection oftentimes met with the disclosure of one’s status.




 


It is hoped that “I Will” will spark discussions about the tendency for gay men, out of fear to separate themselves on the basis of HIV status. This fear and division are causing many people to not get tested.

The result is that the HIV transmission rate continues to climb for gay men and shows no signs of abating. “I Will” strives to inspire gay men to stop dividing the community on the basis of HIV status. Titus and Gress hope that if fewer people live in fear, more people get tested and more people will be treated with dignity and tolerance.

Watch  I WILL  now  on YouTube.


SEPTEMBER  21st!   Stop The Stigma: A Day With HIV In America

Positively Aware magazine released a video in order to help publicize the second annual A Day with HIV in America. The national campaign features an online photo essay project focused on destigmatizing and demystifying HIV. Because whether you’re negative or positive, we are all affected by HIV.

On Sept. 21st, grab your digital camera or smartphone. Take a snapshot and capture a moment of your day. Each photo tells a story. So, get in the picture, and tell your story. Photo submissions will be posted on www.ADayWithHIVInAmerica.com. Select pictures will be published in the November+December issue of Positively Aware. Submit your photo by Sept. 26 to artdirector@tpan.com.



BestGayChicago.com






 

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TPAN Positively Aware HIV and AIDS Resource List



In the new issue of Positively Aware Magazine, there was a great 2 page spread, showing all sorts of resources and sites for HIV and AIDS information.

A lot of people don’t know where to start looking, especially if they have just moved here.

So we wanted to be sure to
LINK TO THEIR RESOURCE page – in case anyone on here, would like to access it.







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Jack Mackenroth Does Super Sexy Calendar for Charity


 

New Yorker Jack Mackenroth competed in the fourth season of  Project Runway. Mackenroth was the first openly HIV-positive contestant in the show’s history.

This month he  launches his 2012 Calendar with 100% of


Proceeds Benefiting amfAR —
The American Foundation for AIDS Research



As the first television personality since Pedro Zamora to be vocal about his HIV status, Jack Mackenroth has quickly become the most visible, out HIV+ advocate and educator in the country. . . if not the world. With the release of his 2012 calendar, he hopes to raise both money and awareness for AIDS research, and to show through his photographs that a person living with HIV can be in top physical form, healthy and sexy. All proceeds from the calendar will go to amfAR (Amfar.org) to help find a cure for AIDS. Mackenroth has been living with the disease for 22 years.



Designer, athlete and HIV/AIDS activist and educator Jack Mackenroth has had the priveledge of shooting with some of the best photographers in the business. Each month of the 15 month calendar will feature a different photographer with a very different style. Jack is a role model to many people in the HIV community and a fitness model that many aspire to emulate.




Photographers taking part in the project include Adam Bouska, Rick Day, Carsten Fleck, Frank Louis, James Franklin, Karl Giant, Tommy Synnamon, Mattheus Lian, Richard Gerst, Ray John Pila, Sonny Tong, Thomas Evans, Krys Fox and Preston Cros.



“I have amassed such an amazing collection of images that I wanted to put out a calendar that will help to combat the silence and stigma associated with being HIV-positive,” says Mackenroth. He adds, “If I can raise money for HIV/AIDS research, it’s even better.”






Jack has been a vocal and visible advocate of the HIV community, touring the country through numerous speaking engagements and special appearances at events. He continues to speak around the country and will be planning calendar signing events in the upcoming months. His memoir, “Making Lemonaids” will be released this winter.



The autographed calendar is available for pre-sale   NOW, with shipping starting Sept. 15, 2011. All proceeds benefit amfAR—The American Foundation for AIDS Research. (Amfar.org) The calendar’s dimensions are 8.5 x 11 inches, and are available through (ONLINE NOW) for $14.95 (plus tax and shipping).





For additional information, please visit Jackmackenroth.com.





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Patty Duke in Chicago Area to benefit Open Door Clinic




 Patty Duke Live


September 18, 2011 at 2:00 P.M.


Aracada Theater
105 East Main Street in St. Charles


 Buy your tickets online now!



 


The afternoon starts with the showing of Patty’s Academy Award winning film “The Miracle Worker” After the film there will be a ‘Question & Answer’ interview with Patty.


Patty will not be signing after the show due to the ‘Meet & Greet’ after the show for the VIP ticket holders only. Photos and books signed by Patty will be available for purchase in the theater lobby.


 


General admission: $25.00 each (Includes film and Q&A with Patty)


VIP admission only: $55.00 each (60 tickets available. Includes film, Q&A and ‘Meet & Greet’ with a photo of your choice for Patty to be personalized) Patty will have many photos to choose from her collection. You may also bring items from your personal collection for Patty to sign at $20.00 per signature. You may also bring your own camera to take photos with Patty.


Light Hors D’oeuvers will be served at the ‘Meet & Greet’ with a cash beer & wine bar.


All proceeds benefit Open Door Clinic.






 

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