Plus 152 January February 2023

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including: Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: dofetilide rifampin any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider if you: Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. Have any other health problems. Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-thecounter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including: Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.

Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.

Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.

Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%). These are not all the possible side e ects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5

If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, and GSI are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2021 © 2022 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. US-BVYC-0008 01/22

ON THE COVER 24 QUEEN OF ALLIES

Longtime HIV advocate and Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph on producing a new film that tells the stories of Black women living with HIV.

ON THE COVER & ABOVE

Sheryl Lee Ralph photographed by Sean Black

FEATURES

7 PEDRO’S PUPILS

Meet the scholars following in a beloved activist’s footsteps.

16 SPOOKY GOOD

Scenes from a New Orleans Halloween bash to benefit HIV.

21 THE OTHERS

How a new horror film is breaking barriers and battling stigma.

36 CHIGAGO FIRE

How Chicago’s lesbian mayor

Lori Lightfoot is burning past expectations around HIV.

BUZZWORTHY

11 PASSING THE GAVEL

HIV ally Nancy Pelosi steps down as Speaker of the House.

12 SINFULLY GOOD

TV series It’s a Sin inspires a new AIDS Memorial in the U.K.

13

WEAVING IN COLOR

Adding Black and brown names to the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

14 LEGACY OF LOVE

Legendary HIV+ tennis player Arthur Ashe is still doing good.

TREATMENT

42 HAVE A SHOT SPOT?

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis answers your mpox vaccine questions. 43 SEX SELLS

Proof that embracing pleasure increases protection.

WELLNESS

44

HEAVY FACTS

A new study about obesity among those with HIV.

44 GOOD EATS

Changing your diet could improve your health.

45 COLD BUSTERS

Some fitness tips to help ward off the winter blahs.

PARTING SHOT

46 HOT 100

HIV advocates were among those celebrated at the annual Out100 event.

editorial director NEAL BROVERMAN editor in chief DESIR É E GUERRERO

EDITORIAL

senior copy editor TRUDY RING contributing editor MARK S. KING mental health editor GARY MCCLAIN contributing writer ANDREW STILLMAN editorial programs manager DUSTINA HAASE-LANIER

ART executive creative director RAINE BASCOS graphic designer MARIUSZ WALUS senior marketing designer ERIK BROCK digital photo editor NICOLE ARSENEAULT

PRINT PRODUCTION production director JOHN LEWIS EQUALPRIDE EDITORIAL executive editor DESIR É E GUERRERO digital director, advocate.com ALEX COOPER managing editor, the advocate JD GLASS editor at large JOHN CASEY senior national reporter CHRISTOPHER WIGGINS sta writer MEY RUDE editor in chief, out DANIEL REYNOLDS digital director, out.com RAFFY ERMAC associate digital director, out.com & pride.com BERNARDO SIM editor in chief, out traveler JACOB ANDERSON-MINSHALL managing editor, out traveler DONALD PADGETT editor in chief, pride.com RACHEL SHATTO

ADVOCATE CHANNEL vice president, video, operations JASON KNIGHT vice president, women’s programming & host SONIA BAGHDADY vice president, editorial director & host TRACY E. GILCHRIST senior producer BRIAN KELLEY host & producer RICKY CORNISH editorial director & producer CARA GLASS host & producer JAYMES VAUGHAN host & producer STEPHEN WALKER host & producer RACHEL SMITH climate change reporter & producer MICHAEL SMITH producer JASMINE HARDY chief video editor LAMONT BALDWIN senior video editor BRIAN PAVONE senior video editor RICHARD GACOVINO graphic artist DON MICHAEL, JR

chief executive o cer MARK BERRYHILL president of global growth & development MICHAEL KELLEY chief financial o cer JOE LOVEJOY chief marketing o cer MICHEL J. PELLETIER

executive vice president, brand partnerships & integrated sales STUART BROCKINGTON publisher & vice president, sales JOE VALENTINO

ADVERTISING, BRAND PARTNERSHIPS & INTEGRATED SALES vice president & publisher, out MARK ISOM vice president, activations & brand partnerships TIM SNOW vice president, strategy & brand partnerships CHRISTOPHER GO creative director, brand partnerships MICHAEL LOMBARDO director, integrated sales KAYLYN BLACKMORE manager, brand partnerships ANNA CARIAS coordinator, brand partnerships JOSE CARDENAS coordinator, sales & advertising administration CARINA BUIE brand partnerships specialist ERIN MANLEY account executive, sales HENRY KRAJEWSKI

DIGITAL & SOCIAL vice president, technology & development ERIC BUI manager, social media CHRISTINE LINNELL specialist, social media JADE DELGADO

CIRCULATION director of circulation ARGUS GALINDO

ACCOUNTING controller, accounts manager PAULETTE KADIMYAN accounts receivable LORELIE YU

OPERATIONS

vice president, ad operations STEWART NACHT director of audience and development BERNARD ROOK director of people and culture DRU FORBES manager, ad operations TIFFANY KESDEN pr, specialist MARIE-ADÉLINA DE LA FERRIÈR executive assistant to CEO LULU DROPO

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Plus (ISSN 1522-3086) is published bimonthly by equalpride. Plus is a registered trademark of equalpride.

Entire contents ©2023 by equalpride. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

IT WAS 1986 and I was 9 years old. I had just flipped on the TV to watch one of my favorite shows, It’s a Living — an ’80s sitcom focusing on the lives of four beautiful, hardworking cocktail waitresses employed at an elegant restaurant in a downtown L.A. high-rise. This season had introduced a new character, a charming and stunning Black woman named Ginger St. James (what a great name!), played by our cover star herself, the e ervescent Sheryl Lee Ralph.

I remember this episode so clearly because it was one of the first times I had seen a show feature a Black woman as one of “the pretty girls,” shown side-by-side as an equal with her white coworkers. As a young brown girl who hadn’t seen much of this anywhere on TV, I was in awe. For my next birthday I asked for a Black barbie doll and imagined it to be Sheryl Lee.

But Ms. Ralph has made a career of being a trailblazer, so breaking boundaries is nothing new for the Emmywinning legend of stage and screen — which is why we’re so very excited to have her grace the cover of our annual African American issue.

In addition to paving the way for women of color in the entertainment industry (she directs and produces too), Ralph was one of the first high-profile celebrities to use her platform to raise awareness around HIV and AIDS. In 1990 she founded the DIVA Foundation, a nonprofit that has raised hundreds of thousands for HIV-related causes. Read about the documentary she’s now producing, Unexpected , which focuses on Black women a ected by HIV, as well as what was going through her mind during her now-famous Emmy acceptance speech (page 24).

In another exclusive interview with another Black female trailblazer, Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot, we discuss the city’s recent big drop in new HIV diagnoses. Lightfoot says that, while she found a sense of belonging in the local LGBTQ+ community when she arrived in Chicago many years ago, she also has “horrific memories from those days when I had feelings of helplessness as I watched the federal government ignore the AIDS crisis

and let gay men die with no recognition or support. This experience deepened my commitment to eradicating the HIV epidemic with a focus on equity and dignity.” Read the full interview on page 36.

Also in this issue, you can read about a stigma-busting horror movie with an HIV storyline (page 21), the next generation of Pedro Zamora scholarship recipients (page 7), the endurance of the Arthur Ashe Foundation (page 14), and how the names of Black and brown folks lost to HIV are now being added the AIDS Memorial Quilt as it tours the South (page 13). You’ll also want to check out some recent party pics from the Out100 celebration (page 46) and a spooktacular HIV fundraiser in New Orleans (page 16).

I hope you enjoy reading this exciting first issue of the year — and we at Plus hope your 2023 is filled with positivity, prosperity, and joy.

Peace & Blessings,

DESIRÉE GUERRERO EDITOR IN CHIEF

NOTES FROM THE CEO

Hi there! As CEO of equalpride and publisher of Plus, The Advocate , Out Traveler, and Out, I wanted to congratulate Out ’s incredible Out100 honorees, many of whom recently joined us at our November party at Nebula nightclub in New York City (see page 46).

We had tastemakers, activists, and heroes represented, like transgender Jeopardy! champ Amy Schneider (pictured with me above). Please visit out.com/out100 to read more about our honorees and their work — and please enjoy this very special issue of Plus. I welcome feedback and ideas, so please feel free to reach out at advocatemarkb@equalpride.com, IG @advocatemarkb.

Warmest Regards, Mark Berryhill Chief Executive O cer

By JD Glass

IN ITS LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE CLASS EVER, the National AIDS Memorial announced 17 recipients of its Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship, with students from across the country attending 16 di erent academic institutions.

November marked 28 years since Pedro Zamora, a Cuban-American AIDS educator and activist, died of HIV-related complications. He’d come to the national stage at the tender age of 22, when he spoke openly and bravely about his sexuality, his HIV status, and his activism on MTV’s reality show, The Real World.

Sadly, Pedro died the day after the last episode aired in November 1994. In response, the National AIDS Memorial created the Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship not only to honor his work, but to help future leaders carry the torch of his legacy forward. College scholarships are given to young people (age 27 or younger) working towards ending HIV and studying health and/or social justice at a university, college, or community college. This year’s scholars include a woman advocating for free menstrual products at homeless shelters to a scholar who lost two grandparents to HIV and a student who channeled her own struggles with depression into a new mental health organization.

“This scholarship supports young people who demonstrate a passion for health and social justice and who are using their voices for advocacy and change,” said National AIDS Memorial CEO John Cunningham. “These students are carrying Pedro’s torch forward, pursuing careers and work that will have a positive impact. Their optimism, action and commitment provide so much hope for the future.”

The 2022-2023 cohort of scholars come from 10 states as well as the District of Columbia, and according to National AIDS Memorial, more than “40 percent are the first in their families to attend college; 41 percent are Black/African-American; 35 percent are Hispanic/Latinx; and 12 percent are Asian-American/Pacific Islanders.”

The Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship is an annual award given out since its inception in 2009, and its major support is provided by Gilead Sciences as well as individual donors. Nearly $500,000 has supported 129 students.

“This is a truly amazing class of Pedro scholars, each making an impact on their campuses and in the community for a better, more equitable future,” said Alex Kalomparis, senior vice president, Gilead Sciences. “Gilead is proud to support this important program that is developing the next generation of leaders in Pedro’s honor in the fight to end HIV through action and advocacy.”

During the application process, the potential honorees “must demonstrate how they are providing service and/or leadership in e orts to end HIV or help those living with it; fight against stigma, denial, racism, and hate; and how their studies, career plans, or public service will contribute to advancing social justice.” Here are this year’s honorees. Visit aidsmemorial.org for more information.

DARBY PORTER UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

DAYANA HENDERSON PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY

EDWIN SANTOS AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

ELIZABETH SOYEMI BROWN UNIVERSITY

ARELI ROSALES UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, SAN ANTONIO

Nearly three decades after the death of activist and reality star Pedro Zamora, his legacy lives on with his namesake scholarship.

ESMERALDA YZGUERRA UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

IJEOMA OKORO UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

ISABELLA IGBANUGO AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

JILLIAN GRAY COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON

KAREN GALLEGOS ESTRADA UC-SANTA CRUZ

KATHLEEN HOANG COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

KAYSYN JONES FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

LEO SANABRIA DUKE UNIVERSITY

LESLY CHÁVEZ-VALENCIA UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN

MARYANN NWUDE VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY

SALIHAH AAKIL BEY HOWARD UNIVERSITY

THUAN-HUONG DOAN UCLA

($bv 7b@;u;m|ĺunlike other HIV treatments that contain 3 or 4 medicines, DOVATO contains just 2 medicines in 1 pill.

- 1olrѴ;|;

Important Facts About DOVATO

This is only a brief summary of important information about DOVATO and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and treatment.

What is the most important information I should know about DOVATO?

If you have both human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection and Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, DOVATO can cause serious side effects, including:

• Resistant HBV. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV infection before you start treatment with DOVATO. If you have HIV-1 and hepatitis B, the HBV can change (mutate) during your treatment with DOVATO and become harder to treat (resistant). It is not known if DOVATO is safe and effective in people who have HIV-1 and HBV infection.

• Worsening of HBV infection. If you have HBV infection and take DOVATO, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking DOVATO. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before.

° Do not run out of DOVATO. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your DOVATO is all gone.

Results may vary.

*Undetectable means reducing the HIV in your blood to very low levels (less than 50 copies per mL).

†Compared to a tenofovir alafenamide–based 3- or 4-drug regimen.

° Do not stop DOVATO without first talking to your healthcare provider.

° If you stop taking DOVATO, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your liver function and monitor your HBV infection. It may be necessary to give you a medicine to treat hepatitis B. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking DOVATO.

For more information about side effects, see “What are possible side effects of DOVATO?”

What is DOVATO?

DOVATO is a prescription medicine that is used without other HIV-1 medicines to treat human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults: who have not received HIV-1 medicines in the past, or to replace their current HIV-1 medicines when their healthcare provider determines that they meet certain requirements. HIV-1 is the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It is not known if DOVATO is safe and effective in children.

Please see additional Important Facts About DOVATO on the following page.

Important Facts About DOVATO (cont’d)

Who should not take DOVATO?

Do not take DOVATO if you:

• have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine that contains dolutegravir or lamivudine.

• take dofetilide. Taking DOVATO and dofetilide can cause side effects that may be serious or life-threatening.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before using DOVATO?

Tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• have or have had liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection.

• have kidney problems.

• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. One of the medicines in DOVATO (dolutegravir) may harm your unborn baby.

° Your healthcare provider may prescribe a different medicine than DOVATO if you are planning to become pregnant or if pregnancy is confirmed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

° If you can become pregnant, your healthcare provider may perform a pregnancy test before you start treatment with DOVATO.

° If you can become pregnant, you and your healthcare provider should talk about the use of effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with DOVATO.

° Tell your healthcare provider right away if you are planning to become pregnant, you become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant during treatment with DOVATO.

• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take DOVATO.

° You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby.

° DOVATO passes to your baby in your breast milk.

° Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Some medicines interact with DOVATO. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

• You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with DOVATO.

• Do not start taking a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take DOVATO with other medicines.

What are possible side effects of DOVATO?

DOVATO can cause serious side effects, including:

• See “What is the most important information I should know about DOVATO?”

What are possible side effects of DOVATO? (cont’d)

• Allergic reactions. Call your healthcare provider right away if you develop a rash with DOVATO. Stop taking DOVATO and get medical help right away if you develop a rash with any of the following signs or symptoms: fever; generally ill feeling; tiredness; muscle or joint aches; blisters or sores in mouth; blisters or peeling of the skin; redness or swelling of the eyes; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; problems breathing.

• Liver problems.People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening changes in certain liver tests during treatment with DOVATO. Liver problems, including liver failure, have also happened in people without a history of liver disease or other risk factors. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your liver. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following signs or symptoms of liver problems: your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice); dark or “tea-colored” urine; light-colored stools (bowel movements); nausea or vomiting; loss of appetite; and/or pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach area.

• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis).Too much lactic acid is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death.Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms that could be signs of lactic acidosis: feel very weak or tired; unusual (not normal) muscle pain; trouble breathing; stomach pain with nausea and vomiting; feel cold, especially in your arms and legs; feel dizzy or lightheaded; and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

• Lactic acidosis can also lead to severe liver problems, which can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the signs or symptoms of liver problems which are listed above under “Liver problems.”

• You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female or very overweight (obese).

• Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having new symptoms after you start taking DOVATO.

• The most common side effects of DOVATO include: headache; nausea; diarrhea; trouble sleeping; tiredness; and anxiety.

These are not all the possible side effects of DOVATO. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Where can I find more information?

• Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

• Go to DOVATO.com or call 1-877-844-8872, where you can also get FDA-approved labeling.

Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the ViiV Healthcare group of companies.

October 2022 DVT:7PIL

©2022 ViiV Healthcare or licensor.

DLLADVT220018 November 2022 Produced in USA.

HEROINE OF THE HOUSE

AN ERA ENDS AS REP. NANCY PELOSI HANDS IN HER SPEAKER’S GAVEL, BUT HER MOMENTOUS HIV WORK WILL CONTINUE.

BY NEAL BROVERMAN

“ONE OF MY motivations in running for Congress was to address the AIDS issue,” Rep. Nancy Pelosi stated in a 2014 interview where she described the start of her political career. Now, 35 years after she won a special election in the House of Representatives and more than 15 years after she became the first female Speaker of the House, Pelosi is preparing to hand her gavel to another Democratic congressperson (she will remain in the House, just not in a leadership role).

Representing much of San Francisco, Pelosi was personally devastated by HIV and, in her first speech in the House, proclaimed the disease was the reason she ran for o ce. After being sworn in to Congress, Pelosi was prompted by then-Speaker Jim Wright to address her peers. Surprised at the request, the 47-year-old mother of five gave a short and honest statement.

U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) at a news conference

ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES

“I am here to fi ght HIV and AIDS,” Pelosi said. “We must take leadership of course in the crisis of AIDS.”

Pelosi’s fellow congressmembers were scandalized by her statement, especially since President Ronald Reagan hadn’t uttered the word “AIDS” at that time — even though tens of thousands of Americans had died from it.

“Imagine, in ’87, we had a president in the White House that wasn’t mentioning the

SWEET EMBRACE

words,” Pelosi said in that 2014 interview with SiriusXM. “Coming from San Francisco, all of us shared the experience of holding people in our arms until they died who were healthy just a few years earlier. [Fighting HIV] really was my mission.”

It wasn’t lip service: “I got myself on the committees of jurisdiction that would increase the funding for care, for prevention, and for hopefully finding a cure and maybe a vaccine.”

Her work for HIV causes never ceased; she increased funding for research, expanded access to Medicaid for people living with HIV, boosted the Ryan White CARE program, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, and the Minority HIV/AIDS initiative, and participated in some of the earliest meetings for the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, sewing her own panel for the flower girl in her wedding who died from HIV-related complications.

Though she will not longer be Speaker or House minority leader, Pelosi will continue to fight HIV because, as she said almost a decade ago, “I never thought 25, 26 years ago that we would project to now and still not have a cure.”

SHOW INSPIRES BRITAIN’S LARGEST PERMANENT HIV MEMORIAL.

A BELOVED TV

FOR ALMOST ALL who saw it, Russell T Davies’s 2021 miniseries It’s a Sin was revelatory — beautifully and truthfully depicting the toll of HIV on a group of young British friends in the 1980s. The pain, humor, and honesty of the show certainly made an impression on Garry Jones, a businessman in Birmingham, the United Kingdom’s second largest city. He was motivated by It’s a Sin to design a monument to all those lost to, and currently living with, HIV or AIDS. After fundraising with local figures like Birmingham Pride cofounder Phil Oldershaw, the monument began moving to reality.

On December 1, World AIDS Day, “Red Ribbons” was unveiled in the city’s Hippodrome Square, becoming the U.K.’s largest permanent AIDS and HIV memorial.

Nearly 20 feet high, the memorial features “entwined red-ribbon hearts positioned to represent an embrace,” according to its creators. One of the ribbons will be allowed to corrode and rust as a reminder of the millions lost to the virus — the West Midlands area of England, which includes Birmingham, has seen

over 1,000 people die from AIDS complications since the disease’s onset in the 1980s. The other ribbon will be painted red to symbolize those living with with the virus and call attention to the disease’s persistence, as over 3,500 people in the West Midlands have been diagnosed with HIV in the past decade.

“We hope that the memorial will not only stand as a tribute to those who have sadly lost their lives,” Oldershaw says, “but will also help to educate people about the virus, so we can end both the stigma and prejudice associated with the HIV community.” —NB

MARK REINSTEIN/GETTY IMAGES (RED JACKET); REDERIC LARSON/GETTY IMAGES (BLACK AND WHITE); COURTESY BIRMINGHAM UK MEMORIAL (SCULPTURE)

LEFT Pelosi delivers the minority report to the Democratic National Nominating Convention in 1992.

RIGHT Pelosi in February 1987

STITCHED WITH LOVE

THE CHANGE THE PATTERN INITIATIVE WEAVES THE MEMORY OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE INTO THE AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT.

FIFTY-TWO PERCENT of all HIV diagnoses occur in the American South. Th e HIV epidemic continues to disproportionately a ect people of color in Alabama — where Black folks are more than seven times as likely to be diagnosed with HIV than white people, and five times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than Latin x individuals. The Black community comprises only 26.5 percent of Alabama’s total population, however, accounts for a staggering 71.8 percent of new HIV cases. It’s also estimated that one in every six people living with the virus in the state are not even aware of their status.

It’s disheartening numbers like these that prompted “Change the Pattern” — an initiative created by a partnership between the National AIDS Memorial, the Southern AIDS Coalition, and Gilead Sciences to raise awareness about HIV and its continued impact on communities of color and marginalized populations in Alabama and throughout the South.

In November, community members in Montgomery came together to create

new panels for the AIDS Memorial Quilt to honor the many Black and brown lives from Alabama who were lost to the AIDS epidemic. Over 75 sections of the quilt were displayed in Montgomery (chosen as the quilt’s site specifically because Montgomery County has the highest rate of HIV diagnoses in Alabama) and other nearby communities from November 30 to December 4. The five-day, multilocation exhibition coinciding with World AIDS Day (December 1) was the largest ever of the quilt in the state.

Our cover star and longtime HIV advocate and fundraiser Sheryl Lee Ralph (see page 24) is serving as a celebrity ambassador for the initiative. She recently released a powerful public service announcement about the importance of the program, which is available to watch on YouTube.

“The stories of Black and brown lives lost to AIDS have not always been told,” said Ralph in the PSA. “But now we are changing the pattern, gathering and sharing the inspiring stories of our community’s lives.” —DG

Patrons observe the AIDS Memorial Quilt during the AIDS Walk Atlanta & Music Festival

A LIFESAVING LEGACY

THIRTY YEARS AFTER THIS NONPROFIT WAS FOUNDED BY LEGENDARY HIVPOSITIVE TENNIS CHAMP ARTHUR ASHE , ITS IMPORTANT MISSION ENDURES.

BY ANDREW STILLMAN

THE NEW YORK-BASED Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health (arthurasheinstitute.org) and Floridabased health care nonprofit IMG Helps (imghelps.org) recently formed a partnership to reach people of color and those in underserved communities so they can be fully aware of their HIV status.

Together, AAIUH and IMGH will focus on education, sexual wellness, and overall health to provide resources, life-saving treatments, and care, mostly for people living in Florida.

With 30 years as an organization, AAIUH will replicate one of its core educational programs, Barbershop Talk With Brothers. This will serve as the anchor and launchpad to the alignment. There’s also planned “text to treat” campaigns, a #KnowYourStatus tour at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and influencers getting the message out about prevention and treatment.

These various opportunities aim to remove the stigma behind HIV and other illnesses that a ect marginalized groups.

AAIUH was initially founded in 1992 by tennis champion, activist, and humanitarian Arthur Ashe, who in the early 1990s was one of the most high-profile individuals living with HIV. The goal of his organization was to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes for underserved communities.

Current CEO Dr. Marilyn Frasher said, “Now in our 30th year, we are delighted to replicate our innovative community health promotion programs in neighborhoods throughout Florida in partnership with a trusted and established organization such as IMG Helps. Together, we will work to reduce health inequities.”

IMG Helps is a nonprofit that launched in 2020 to expand the philanthropic work that IMG Health Clinic set up. They’ve served more than 12,000 people in the state of Florida, operating as a community clinic specializing in testing, treating, and managing HIV, hepatitis C, STIs, PrEP treatment, and more.

IMGH cofounders Clifford W. Knights II and Steve Vixamar said, “We are excited and beyond honored to be partnering with the amazing Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health organization. Through this collaboration, we look forward to expanding each other’s services to Florida and nationwide where we are confident that we can help save more lives together in underserved communities.”

WHO IS ARTHUR ASHE?

THE AMAZING MAN BEHIND THE NAMESAKE INSTITUTE.

BY LESLIE DOBBINS

ARTHUR ASHE (1943-1993) was the first African American tennis player to be selected to the U.S. Davis Cup team, and the only Black man to ever win singles titles at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the Australian Open. Ashe reportedly contracted HIV from a blood transfusion during heart surgery and announced his illness in 1992. He soon after founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health. Ashe died of AIDS-related pneumonia in 1993. After his death, President Bill Clinton honored him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his e orts to eradicate HIV and AIDS, and for his battle to end discrimination in sports.

8%

The percentage of Black people eligible for PrEP (an HIV prevention option) in 2019 who were actually prescribed it — proving unequal coverage persists.

Source: PrEP Coverage in the U.S. by Race/Ethnicity, 2019, CDC.gov

Tennis legend Ashe at Wimbledon

THERE’S REALLY NO PLACE LIKE THE BIG EASY, especially at the end of October. Parties abound, but one is legendary: the aptly-named Halloween New Orleans. The multi-day event/ fundraiser for Project Lazarus — which provides funds to Louisianans living with HIV — kicked o its 39th iteration just before Halloween, with The Queen’s Ball and Silent Auction. The black tie gala fundraiser at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art featured music from Alexis Tucci (@alexistucci) and Jesse Gannon on keys, drag performances from Debbie with a D (@debbiewithad), Lexis Redd D’Ville (@lexisdville), and Catastrophe Nicole Knight (@catastrophenicoleknight). The Nightmare in Wonderland party followed on Saturday night (with Aquaria in performance!) and the Mad Hatter’s Tea Dance on Sunday. Halloween New Orleans was partly sponsored by equalpride; specifically its digital sites Out.com and OutTraveler.com — alongside Virgin Hotels New Orleans.

Project Lazarus launched in 1985 as a hospice for those su ering from HIV and AIDS and has only grown since then, providing housing, counseling, medical case management, and so much more to the HIV-positive New Orleans community. Please read more about Halloween New Orleans and Project Lazarus at projectlazarus.net.

NEW ORLEANS LOVES A PARTY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RAISES MUCH-NEEDED FUNDS FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROLAND FITZ

Not Many LGBTQ+ Organizations have reached 50...but you have the chance to dance when Stonewall National Museum and Archives celebrates its 50th anniversary.

The largest collection of LGBTQ+ books in the world, one of the largest archives, and exhibitions that stop tra c and remind people that our history is American history.

With us, HISTORY=PRIDE so come visit sunny Fort Lauderdale and make a weekend of it!

Join us and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Stonewall National Museum, Archives, and Library. We are the only national LGBTQ+ nonprofit headquartered in Florida and that means a great deal as our community faces so many obstacles.

Our library and archives are essential to the LGBTQ+ community as we challenge book bans, support educators, stand up for trans lives and champion healthcare for all members of our community.

As we celebrate our 50 years of contributions we will honor Margaret Mary Wilson, MD and Zander Moricz who have established a new bar in commitment to a better world.

Margaret Mary Wilson, MD is Executive Vice President and Chief Medical O cer at UnitedHealth Group. Dr. Wilson will be in attendance with her wife and speak about healthcare as it pertains to all members of our community. Dr. Wilson is a glass-ceiling breaker and was instrumental in securing UnitedHealth’s $100 million investment in diversity initiatives.

Zander Moricz, a Florida native is the youngest plainti in the lawsuit challenging “Don’t Say Gay”. Zander gained fame for his high school commencement speech where, barred from saying gay, he referenced his curly hair as a metaphor. Now a freshman at Harvard University, he runs an organization that has registered thousands of young people to vote.

https://stonewall-museum.org/50-anniversary-gala/

https://stonewall-museum.org/50-anniversary-gala/

February 25, 2023!

By Andrew Stillman

MILESTONE Movie

Actor Peter McPherson on being the rst HIV-positive actor intentionally cast to play a poz character.

EVERY SO OFTEN, an email shows up in your inbox that has the power to change your life. For British actor Peter McPherson, that message came by way of his agent, who sent him a lead on a new horror film called Others that addresses the stigma HIVpositive people face.

The short film, produced by Toronto-based HIV hospital Casey House, caught McPherson’s attention right away. Not only did the film itself highlight the di culties of living with HIV, but the producers were adamant about casting an HIV-positive actor to play the role.

With his role in Others, McPherson is the first professional actor living with HIV intentionally cast to play an HIV-positive film lead.

“It is an absolute badge of honor that I wear with pride,” says McPherson. “I didn’t know this until the premiere, but they looked all over Canada, couldn’t get anyone. They looked all over America, no one would come forward.”

The casting directors faced the same issue every time: Actors didn’t want to come forward because they didn’t want to declare their status in case it a ected their future and career.

“Then there’s me with my hand up, ‘I’ll do it,’” McPherson says.

McPherson hadn’t heard of Casey House before, but after researching its mission, he went all in for the film. He thanked Casey House o cials at the end of the audition for everything they did and shared some of his personal experiences that helped him relate to the main character.

“The number one question I always get is how being outwardly spoken about my status has a ected me, but it’s only been positive. If I hadn’t been so open about this, my agent wouldn’t have gone, ‘Peter, this has come in and see what you think.’ This project showed me good things can come from being open about your status.”

The stigma associated with HIV kept most actors at bay from the role, but that’s the exact topic Casey House examines in the film.

“Casey House, what they’re so great about is they know the conversation changes,” says McPherson. “They know that in the 1980s it was a di erent conversation than it is today. It’s not a death sentence anymore.”

A few years ago, when a story broke about people refusing to eat food prepared by HIV-positive workers, Casey House created a campaign to open June’s HIV+ Eatery, a restaurant with only HIV-positive chefs. After that, Casey House officials campaigned for Healing Hands, a spa where all massage therapists are HIV-positive.

“This year, they’re having a look at ‘what is stigma?’ They really get to the point where it’s like… stigma is fueled by fear,” McPherson says. “You see how the conversation has changed and how their campaigns have changed, as well.”

Casey House is much more than a place for medicine. McPherson learned that for himself during the premiere when Casey House CEO Joanne Simons gave him a personal tour of the facility. When he saw all of their work in person, he burst into tears.

“They’re looking at different therapies, the physical side to it, the emotional side to it, the spiritual

Ignorance is not bliss in Others, starring Peter McPherson.

side to it, the everything. It’s literally like they encompass everything, and I’ve never experienced anything like that, not even in the U.K.,” he says. “To be there where Princess Diana was, [where] those famous photos of her touching someone with AIDS [took place], that changed the world and the way people viewed people with HIV. It was just really powerful.”

Real and lived experiences went into the Others script — the spooky film was written and directed by Paul Shkordo — and McPherson’s stories helped mold the final product.

“I think what this film does is, especially in horror, it tackles quite complex social issues. Get Out tackled racism and Rosemary’s Baby tackled reproductive rights. Horror, what it does so brilliantly, because it’s all about fear, it takes the audience through a journey,” McPherson says. “You get to feel what the protagonist is going through. You get to feel that fear, which is what makes horror unique in

the sense of doing that.”

Scary movies can do more than create goosebumps or elicit a thrill, according to Dr. Joseph LeDoux, Professor of Neuroscience at New York University.

“There are various reasons why horror films are capable of triggering strong emotional reactions related to fear,” LeDoux says in a statement. “Research shows that both traditional fight-or-flight responses, and an individual’s personal and prior experiences, contribute to how one will respond to horror films. I believe that the unique power of horror films is that they bring on an immediate response in a relatable and engaging way in a safe setting.”

Although Others is a heightened story, McPherson hopes people understand the stigma of what it’s actually like to experience living with HIV.

“Hopefully that will spark some conversations,” he said. “That’s only a good thing, especially if it’s addressing outdated misconceptions or bringing the conversation into the mainstream media. Stigma hides in secrecy. There’s not just stigma in society, but internalized stigma too. If it’s talked about more, then hopefully it breaks down these barriers.”

Go to SmashStigma.ca to watch Others and follow the conversation.

Road trouble leads to danger in Others

John K Ng plays a hostile park ranger in the film.

VOICEBelongs Where Her

By Desirée

Guerrero

Emmy winner Sheryl Lee Ralph puts on her producer’s hat to tell real stories of Black women living with HIV.

Sheryl Lee Ralph gives her trophy a kiss after winning in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Abbott Elementary at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards

ALLEN J. SCHABEN/GETTY IMAGES

her exuberant energy and ageless beauty, it’s hard to believe that the career of legendary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph has spanned over 45 years — and she’s been an HIV advocate and ally for nearly as long.

After Ralph’s fi rst big break in the 1977 fi lm A Piece of the Action, she made her Broadway debut in 1981, originating the iconic Deena Jones in Dreamgirls (a role for which Ralph earned a Tony nomination and was later played by Beyoncé in the 2006 fi lm version). Since then, Ralph has literally never stopped working and has appeared in dozens of movies, TV shows, and stage productions including Sister Act 2, Moesha, Barbershop, and To Sleep With Anger.

Unfortunately, just when her career started to explode in the early ’80s, so did the AIDS epidemic — and Ralph witnessed firsthand the su ering and devastating loss of life in those dark early days. The young actress quickly worked to turn tragedy into change. She founded the DIVA Foundation (thedivafoundation.org) in 1990, which raises funds for HIV causes, especially ones focused on the Black community and women and children. Over the past four decades, the DIVA Foundation has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations like Women Alive, Caring for Babies With AIDS, Minority AIDS Project, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and the Black AIDS Institute.

“It’s amazing how deep the silence is, and how deep the silence seems to be killing folks quicker than the disease,” Ralph told Plus back in 2012. “I was talking with folks at the [AIDS Memorial Quilt] project and they said to me, ‘The AIDS Quilt is 50 miles long, and only half a mile is people of color. Because people of color don’t even want to admit or acknowledge they’ve lost their loved ones.’ We’ve got to stop that.”

In addition to the DIVA Foundation, Ralph continues to show up for various other HIV-related causes and campaigns. In keeping her commitment to add people of color to the AIDS Memorial Quilt, she’s currently an ambassador for Change the Pattern (changethepattern.org), an initiative created to bring sections of the quilt to communities throughout the American South in order to add names of Black and brown lives lost to the virus, as well as raise awareness around HIV in the area. (Read more about the Change the Pattern initiative on page 13.)

Ralph bursts into song while accepting her Emmy during the 74th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

COURTESY ZEBERIAH NEWMAN (ALL)

Ciarra “Cici” Covin’s (pictured) story is featured in Unexpected, a new documentary produced by Ralph that tells the stories of Black women a ected by HIV

Masonia Traylor recounts her journey of living with HIV in the documentary Unexpected

Ralph balances her HIV philanthropy with a career that is hotter than ever. She recently gueststarred in shows like Motherland: Fort Salem, Fam, and A Black Lady’s Sketch Show. And of course, there’s her Emmy-winning role as seen-it-all teacher Barbara Howard on ABC’s Abbott Elementary (also available to stream on Hulu). Ralph’s joyful and moving acceptance speech at the 2022 Emmy Awards ceremony, which began with an emotional burst of song, quickly went viral online and continues to inspire millions.

“My dad had been my music teacher, always, growing up — teaching the piano, voice lessons, conducting the choir,” Ralph explains when asked what inspired the nowiconic musical moment. “Sometimes, I’d get to center stage and I’d be nervous, and then I’d want to cry…. One day, my father said, ‘Stop it. The people didn’t come to see the tears, the people came to see the show, hear the voice, see the performance. Show them who you are.’”

“Quite literally, I had lost my mind when they mentioned my name,” she admits with a laugh, saying that Abbott showrunner and creator Quinta Brunson (who also won a writing Emmy that night for the series) and costar Tyler James Williams had to help her get up and to the stage in her stunned state. “I don’t remember walking across the stage to get to center stage [but] I remember that moment. I could hear my father say... ‘Show them who you are.’ I had to settle myself by doing what would settle me, and that was the song, ‘Endangered Species.’

“‘

I’m a woman, I’m an artist, and I know where my voice belongs.’ That’s who I am,” Ralph continues, reciting some of the song’s lyrics. “There I was, with the support of my kids up in the balcony, who I could hear clear as day, [and] see my husband just beaming with pride, my cast members crying. It was just like, Oh my God.”

ABOVE Unexpected ’s director, Zeberiah Newman (left), poses with the film’s stars, Ciarra “Cici” Covin and Masonia Traylor RIGHT Filmmaker Zeberiah Newman at the 71st Emmy Awards ceremony

Gilead CEO Daniel O'Day and honoree Ralph pose onstage during The Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS on September 15, 2022 in West Hollywood.

MICHAEL KOVAC/GETTY IMAGES

With the overwhelming amount of entertainment content that’s available today, it’s rare to have something like Abbott Elementary become a mainstream, critical, and commercial hit — especially for a series created, written, and produced by a Black woman and with a predominantly Black lead cast. And this fact isn’t lost on Ralph.

“It is just the most amazing, wonderful feeling,” she says. “I don’t think people know enough what it is actually like to wake up in the morning [and] go to a job that you actually love. Mine just happens to be my art. It just happens to be great TV. It just happens to be in the company of wonderful human beings, very talented people. When you look at the show, the cast, the crew, the writers — we all do that together — it’s really amazing what we get to do. The feeling is just like in Dreamgirls, I had a line that said, ‘It’s wonderful. What can I say? But wonderful. And I couldn’t have done it alone. I thank you. I thank you.’”

These days Ralph is also expanding her clout behind the scenes as a director and producer, and is very excited about an upcoming documentary she’s producing, Unexpected , which focuses on the personal stories of Black women living with HIV.

“Some time ago... I had written a one-woman show called Sometimes I Cry,” she explains. “It was all about real women’s stories, either [living with] or a ected by HIV and AIDS. I started writing down these women’s stories because we know there came a time through that last pandemic when women, especially women of color, were bearing the brunt of the disease, and nobody was saying anything. I was so sick and tired of the silence around Black people and Hispanic people [and their] stories not being told, names not included in things like the Quilt. I was just like, Oh no, not on my watch. I know better, so let me do better.”

Ralph says she’d been thinking about these women’s stories over the years and for other ways to share them — and then was approached by Unexpected ’s director, Zeberiah Newman, last year.

“I was like, This is absolute synergy. Being able to tell these women’s stories through this documentary about what it is they’re dealing with. Like I said, I know where my voice belongs. Anytime we’re able to elevate certain subject matters, especially the plight of women around HIV, in AIDS, in life, period.”

Newman currently serves as a producer on the Late Late Show With James Corden and directed 2021’s Right to Try, a documentary short about long-term HIV survivor Je rey Drew, who literally put his life on the line to find a cure for HIV.

“I’m a storyteller, I’m not necessarily an activist,” Newman clarifies, “but while making Right to Try, [I kept] coming up against all this information about how HIV is really exploding in the Southern states, in Black communities — and I kept hearing about this intense stigma,

this crumbling health care system, and just a lot of forces at play that made it a very compelling story. And so I just wanted to see what I could find out. I started talking to people and, you know, once you meet [the women featured in Unexpected ], you fall in love with them.”

“It’s crazy that I’m doing these back-to-back HIV stories,” he adds, “because, like I said, I’m not really an activist — but they’re just incredible stories that people need to know.”

Newman also confesses that his collaboration with Ralph on the project may have been a little more than just divine intervention.

“I was kind of chasing her a little,” Newman says with a chuckle. “I mean, full disclosure, I’m a huge fan of hers. And when I was doing Right to Try, her name kept popping up [because] her work in this space is sort of legendary, and it’s very well documented that her foundation has been at the forefront of this issue for like 30-something years.”

Fortunately for the world, the project came to fruition and, as of press time, Unexpected is gearing up to make its debut in the 2023 film festival circuit.

As we conclude our conversation with this legendary diva, she tells us, “I have really spent my life trying to do the best that I can in living my life and conducting myself as a human being — the rules that I’ve chosen in my career, the way I’ve been able to use my platform, the movements that I choose to support and talk about through my platform. I just encourage anybody, live your truth, live your life. Be as good as you can for as long as you can. [Be as] patient as you can and kind as you can.”

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Ralph looking pretty in pink at the 2022 American Music Awards

Ralph vamps it up during Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 presented by Prime Video Dyllon Burnside, Kandi Burruss, Ralph, and Luke James attend the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards

NOW STREAMING

GARY MILLER/GETTY IMAGES

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduces Black Pumas during day one of the 30th anniversary of Lollapalooza at Grant Park in July of 2021

WINDY CITY WIN

WINDY CITY WIN

MAYOR

LORI LIGHTFOOT

BY NEAL BROVERMAN

With gun violence a stubborn problem and COVID still wreaking havoc on businesses and public health, Chicago got some much-needed good news this fall — a new report indicated that, in 2020, HIV diagnoses dropped to their lowest reported rates since 1987. While o cials with the Chicago Department of Public Health urged caution regarding the data since COVID may have caused some underreporting in HIV cases, the report still signified a victory for the city’s nearly 40-year battle with the virus. “What is really exciting is that decreases are seen across all races, ethnicities, across age groups as well, and genders,” Dr. Irina Tabidze, director of program operations for the CDPH’s Infectious Disease Bureau, said in October.

We recently connected with Lori Lightfoot — the first Black lesbian elected mayor of any major U.S. city and Chicago’s first Black female mayor — to discuss the city’s recent success, what still needs to be done, and how cities can address the disproportionate rate of HIV in some communities.

Former Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley (left) and Mayor Lori Lightfoot leave the funeral service for Chicago police o cer Ella French in August 2021

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/GETTY IMAGES

significantly?

We have an opportunity in our grasp to effectively end the HIV epidemic in our lifetimes, and Chicago is committed to reaching that goal.

We’ve seen real progress in recent years because we’ve worked hand-in-hand with members of the community, health care providers, and community organizations to implement programs and services that help accelerate progress toward ending HIV. And, we pull from our history: today’s successes are built upon decades of compassionate service, advocacy, and collaboration.

For example, following a two-year planning process that engaged hundreds of residents, Chicago restructured our entire HIV services portfolio in 2019. We adopted a statusneutral approach, meaning that the services and supports that had previously only been available for people living with HIV would be available to people vulnerable to HIV, as well. We bundled services so people living with HIV and people vulnerable to HIV can access testing, medical care, case management, behavioral health services, and more, all through a single access point. We took on systemic and structural barriers preventing people from accessing or fully benefiting from services by creating programs that hadn’t existed before, like housing for residents who use pre-exposure prophylaxis [PrEP]. These e orts are making an important di erence in how we’re able to deliver care to people.

One of the many Chicago Department of Public Health [CDPH]-led strategic investments is in Population Centered Health Homes [PCHH]. PCHH provides cohesive, comprehensive, and integrated clinical and essential supportive services for both persons living with and vulnerable to HIV. They also provide HIV screening, access to antiretroviral medications and to PrEP, primary medical care, behavioral health care, and supportive services. CDPH funds 12 community-based agencies to implement PCHH not only in the City of Chicago but throughout suburban Cook County and eight-collar counties.

In 2020, PCHH served a total of 14,611 people living with HIV. PCHH works — for instance, 61 percent of all

Chicagoans living with HIV were virally suppressed in 2020, but among people connected to a PCHH, more than 90 percent were virally suppressed.

What challenges remain?

The public health challenges we face are borne of more than a century of systemic racism that has disadvantaged Black, brown, and other minority members of our communities. In 2020, HIV diagnoses were down for Black Chicagoans, white Chicagoans, and Latinx Chicagoans of all ages. But of those new cases, more than half occurred in Black Chicagoans — and we’re seeing a similar racial disparity with STIs, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. We must reduce the gap in new diagnoses between Black and Latinx Chicagoans and white Chicagoans, and, at the same time, reduce the gap in HIV viral suppression between white and Black and white and Latinx residents.

Another challenge we face is the availability of safe, stable housing for people vulnerable to HIV. Housing Opportunities for People with HIV provides supportive housing for people living with HIV, but there are not enough units to meet the need. For HIV-negative persons, options are even more limited. To help address this, we created a new program — Housing Opportunities for Persons Vulnerable to HIV, which has shown incredible success but more must be done.

How pervasive is an anti-HIV stigma in Chicago ? HIV stigma exists in Chicago like it does in every city across the globe. We are committed to working hand-inhand with community to reduce stigma. For example, Chicago proudly supports the national Undetectable equals Untransmittable [U=U] campaign. U=U means that persons living with HIV cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners when they’re durably virally suppressed. We also implement a status-neutral portfolio of services. Status-neutral services lead with what people need, like medical care, mental health care, and housing, rather than a person’s HIV status. This helps destigmatize status and promotes access to and use of services that can help people stay healthy.

How has Chicago brought down HIV transmissions so

What

change the disproportionate e ect of HIV on African Americans?

CDPH is committed to following the HIV epidemic, and, in Chicago, that means our programs and services must prioritize Black residents. And, they do. For example, among all CDPH-funded PCHH, 56 percent of clients living with HIV are Black and, among CDPH-funded housing programs, a majority of clients are Black. Once people reach our programs, we work with our partners to ensure they receive the services they want and need, including medical and behavioral health care and supportive services, including housing and emergency financial assistance. We also fund programs that work to change racist systems and structures to create pathways to employment and wealth generation, education, and safety. Beyond current programming, we routinely engage residents, including Black residents, to learn of emerging or unmet needs, so we can adapt or supplement programs to help meet these needs.

Does being a member of the LGBTQ+ community give you a different perspective on HIV or mpox? I first came to Chicago in the mid-1980s to attend law school, and it was during this time when I embraced my identity and came out. I have many fond and beautiful memories of finding my place among Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community and feeling a sense of belonging for the first time in my life. But I also have horrific memories from those days when I had feelings of helplessness as I watched the federal government ignore the AIDS crisis and let gay men die with no recognition or support. This experience deepened my commitment to eradicating the HIV epidemic with a focus on equity and dignity. For as long as I am a leader, we will never go back to those days of ignorance, neglect, and vitriol. Rather we are stalwart fighters, making resources, medicines, and education widely available for everyone and especially for communities hardest hit by HIV.

Former President Barack Obama greets Lightfoot at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Obama Presidential Center at Jackson Park in September of 2021

can be done to

ASK DR. D

BY NEAL BROVERMAN

ARE YOU ONE of the 1 million-plus people who received a mpox (monkeypox) vaccine? If so, you may be breathing easier knowing that if you catch the disease — which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to call a public health emergency — you will be subject to less extreme symptoms, which can include lesions and excruciating pain. But, if you are one of those 1 million+ who got vaccinated, you may also have experienced an itchy, uncomfortable spot where the shot was administered (typically on the forearm). As opposed to flu or COVID-19 shots, the site of the mpox injection can last weeks, barely fading or even getting more uncomfortable for days on end. Is this normal and why are vaccine reactions so di erent?

We posed this question to legendary gay doctor, Demetre Daskalakis, who is President Biden’s mpox adviser and director of the Division of HIV/ AIDS Prevention in the National Center for HIV/ AIDS. Here’s what he said:

“The intradermal [needle injection] vaccination approach is safe and e ective against the spread of mpox, and has allowed hundreds of thousands of Americans to receive their vaccine,” Daskalakis told Plus. “This route of administration has also enabled the United States to aggressively combat mpox, helping to lower cases by over 85 percent since the peak of the outbreak.”

“The spot from the [injection site] of the vaccine can last for several weeks but resolves over time,” he added. “The itchiness can also last for a few weeks in some people but is no need for alarm. People who have keloid, a condition that results in thicker, raised scars should not get the intradermal vaccine to avoid more permanent marks and should opt for the subcutaneous route. To minimize the visibility of the spot, people can choose to get the vaccine on skin other than their forearm, such as on their upper back or shoulder that is covered with clothing.”

For more information on mpox, visit CDC.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox.

HAS YOUR MPOX VACCINATION LEFT AN UNCOMFORTABLE RED SPOT?

DR. DEMETRE DASKALAKIS, AMERICA’S FOREMOST EXPERT OF MPOX, HAS ANSWERS.

Dr. Demetre Daskalakis

RETURN TO PLEASURE

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS THAT PUTTING THE SEX BACK INTO SAFER SEX CAMPAIGNS IS THE WAY TO GO.

BY DESIRÉE GUERRERO

A DECADE AND a half of research by the nongovernmental organization The Pleasure Project has proven that social campaigns aiming to promote safer sex practices and HIV prevention are much more e ective when they focus on sexual pleasure rather than “danger and disease,” according to a recent article in The New York Times

In partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pleasure Project reviewed the results of safer-sex trials and experiments over the past 15 years. After assessing more than 7,000 safer-sex campaigns on their treatment of pleasure, The Pleasure Project recently published the peer-reviewed findings in the journal PLOS One.

“Sexual health education and services have traditionally promoted safer sex practices by focusing on risk reduction and preventing disease, without acknowledging how safer sex can also promote intimacy, pleasure, consent, and well-being,” said Lianne Gonsalves, co-author of the report and a sexual

health researcher epidemiologist at WHO. “This review provides a simple message: Programs which better reflect the reasons people have sex, including for pleasure, see better health outcomes.”

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are at record levels in the U.S. and have been growing globally since pandemic closures set back access to testing and treatment. In 2021, 1.5 million people were diagnosed with HIV, the biggest spike in new cases in several years.

Anne Philpott, a British public health specialist who founded The Pleasure Project in 2004, admitted the results of the analysis even surprised her.

“If you had a pill or a vaccine where you could show this kind of e ect, everybody would be talking about it, it would have all the headlines,” said Philpott.

“Now we have evidence: Ignoring this blind spot, all the way through the AIDS pandemic, has led to less condom use, and deaths we could have prevented.”

WEIGHTY ISSUE

How does obesity a ect those living with HIV?

BY ANDREW STILLMAN

THE CENTERS FOR Disease Control and Prevention recently released data showing that more than seven in 10 (73.6 percent) United States adults aged 20 or older are either overweight or obese. Although the rates in children and adolescents have decreased, the rates overall have seen a drastic rise in recent decades.

Obesity costs the health care system around $173 billion per year, and the diet and weight loss control industries rake in around

$72 billion, according to WalletHub That website also chronicled the most obese and least obese states in the nation, with West Virginia falling in the former category and Utah in the latter.

The recent CDC reporting also shows that around 72.2 million Americans over the age of 6 were completely inactive in 2021, and lack of physical activity remains a leading cause of obesity.

According to research posted by

the National Library of Medicine in 2021, the proportion of obesity in HIVpositive patients has also increased since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART). The study points at contemporary ART regimens being a contributing factor, such as inclusion of integrase strand transfer inhibitors and tenofovir alafenamide.

The report states that weight gain after starting ART is associated with reduced risk of mortality in underweight and normal weight individuals, but the risk for metabolic diseases increased. The weight gain in HIV-positive patients also showed greater risk as compared to HIVnegative patients.

In a prospective U.S. Military study, results showed that the percentage of overweight or obese HIV patients increased 28 percent from 19851990, with an additional 51 percent increase between 1996-2004.

After studying 14,000 HIV-positive people in the United States and Canada, the study found obesity rates increased from 9 percent to 18 percent between 1998 and 2010. After the initiation of ART, 22 percent of individuals who had a normal BMI also became overweight, and 18 percent of already overweight individuals became obese within three years.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

WHEN IT COMES TO thriving while living with HIV, a well-balanced diet is key. The U.S. government’s National Institute of Health stresses the importance of good nutrition for folks living with the virus. According to the NIH’s HIV website, “In people with HIV, good nutrition supports overall health and helps maintain the immune system.” Additionally, “Good nutrition also helps people with HIV maintain a healthy weight and absorb HIV medicines.”

So, what counts as good nutrition? The Food and Drug Administration recommends women aged 31 to 59

consume about 1,600 to 2,200 calories a day, while men in this age group need about 2,200 to 3,000 calories a day. In its Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 20202025, the FDA encourages adults to consume three to four cups of vegetables a day and approximately two to three cups of fruit. Six to 10 ounces of grain is also recommended, as well as three cups of any dairy and fi ve to seven ounces of protein. Not surprisingly, the agency also encourages limiting sugars, sodium, and saturated fat. —NB

Just a reminder that good nutrition is vital for those living with HIV.

WORKIN’ IT THROUGH WINTER

Less daylight and colder weather can take a toll on your body and mind. Here’s some professional tips on staying motivated through the winter months.

BY NEAL BROVERMAN

CERTIFIED FITNESS COACH Joe Andrews believes exercise should complement and improve your life — not take it over. The queer San Franciscan sees working out as part of a personal wellness routine nurtured year-round. In keeping with his approachable (and pretty darn sexy!) social media presence, Andrews shares some winter fitness advice that is informative and achievable.

How can we keep up our regimens as the weather gets colder?

Many people work out for the summer and burn out in the fall because that approach to health and wellness is not sustainable. You gotta fall in love with the process and the journey of becoming stronger. Fitness, or health and wellness, is a lifestyle. If your “why” is just aesthetics, then it’s going to be an uphill battle. Until working out becomes a routine that provides stability and grounding in your life, you’ll most likely remain frustrated in maintaining a fitness regimen. I teach my clients that exercise is just the tip of the iceberg. Other diet and lifestyle factors such as sleep, hydration, breath work, a positive healthy mindset as well as relationships, all contribute to success in maintaining adherence to any fitness regimen.

Some people are still wary of the gym. What do you need to successfully work out at home?

You certainly need to be creative, but you can do a lot with a stability ball and mini-band, as those two pieces of equipment can o er great full-body and targeted exercises. I’ve used the stability ball for squats, hip thrusts, hamstring, hyperextensions, and other core exercises. Whenever I travel, I always bring a mini band with me because they o er more targeted and varied core and glute exercises.

Sit-ups: yay or nay?

Nay, unless they’re on a stability ball.

Any routine or rep you’re obsessed with lately?

I’m an ass guy. So anything that trains the hips, I’m obsessed with.

Are any meal plans, shakes, or nutritional supplements worth the expense?

I highly recommend Elite Protein by Green Regimen. It is plant-based, composed of pea and hemp protein.

Any motivational tips for when you’re just not in the workout mood?

Doing something is better than doing nothing. If you’re not in the mood to work out, then take a yoga class, stretch, go for a walk, dance, swim, hike, just move your body. Movement can be medicine in the right dosage.

For more of Andrews and his pro fitness tips, follow him on Instagram

@_rebel.warrior_

OUT AND ABOUT

THIS YEAR’S OUT100 LIST CELEBRATED SEVERAL HIV ADVOCATES AND ALLIES.

FOLKS FROM FAR and wide gathered at Nebula nightclub in New York City this past November to celebrate the 2022 “Out100” — Out magazine’s oldest, grandest, and most honored tradition compiling some of the past year’s most impactful and influential LGBTQ+ people.

Every year, Out ( Plus magazine’s sister publication from equalpride) uses the Out100 to showcase the artists, creatives, policymakers, game-changers, and heroes who all helped make the world a better place for everyone. And to celebrate 2022’s list, many honorees (and the people closest to them) came together to have fun and spread joy and light.

Included on 2022’s list were several notable activists, advocates, and allies within the HIV community — like Dr. Keletso Makofane , a public health researcher and activist at the François-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University. Makofane’s main research focus is the global HIV response among gay and bi men in eastern and southern Africa, and he also pivoted his work to focus on the mpox (monkeypox virus) outbreak in 2022. “As an activist, I am down to do whatever I can to help queer people, particularly Africans, lead happier and more dignified lives,” he said.

Fellow Out100 honoree Dr. Carlton Thomas was also a true hero of the mpox outbreak, using his social media power to keep the community updated with the latest information (even when our government, at first, did not). The self-described “butt doctor” says he specifically focuses on sharing information related to gay sex because “I feel like no one really got queer health and sex education in school, and there is so much we all need to know.”

Another HIV activist who was honored was Raw Story cofounder John Byrne, who is also the founder and executive director of Prevention305 — a Florida nonprofit that raises awareness around the HIV-prevention treatment PrEP. And designer, adult entertainer, and HIV activist (and former Plus cover star) Boomer Banks was in attendance as well. Now that’s a party.

We hope you enjoy some of the fun photos taken on that magical night!

To learn more about the 2022 Out100 honorees, visit out.com/out100.

Out100 honoree and HIV ally Dr. Keletso Makofane (right) and guest share a toast

Out100 honorees Dr. Carlton Thomas (right) and Jason Stuart (center) and friend smile for the cameras

Out100 honoree and PrEP hero John Bryne (center) greets other guests

Out100 honoree, dancer, and model Dexter Mayfield

PARTING SHOT

Out100 cover stars “The Old Gays” pose with their manager Ryan James Yezak (center)

A birdseye view of the Out100 party at NYC’s Nebula nightclub

Out100 honoree Aurielle Marie proudly wears a gown sent to her by Lizzo for the event

Actress, model, and activist Jari Jones enjoying the festivities

Yellowjackets star Jasmin Savoy Brown made an appearence

Harlem ’s Jerrie Johnson (center) and Out100 honoree Brandon Black (right) chat with Aurielle Marie

U=

Today, a major goal for HIV treatment is helping you reach an undetectable viral load. When your viral load is undetectable, there is so little virus in your blood that a lab test can’t measure it.

Current research shows that taking HIV treatment as prescribed and getting to an undetectable viral load and staying undetectable prevents the transmission of HIV to others through sex. Reaching and staying undetectable is only possible by sticking with your treatment.

There are many resources for education and information to help you get to and stay undetectable, including the link below.

And always remember, speak openly and honestly with your healthcare provider to learn about HIV and what is best for you.

GILEAD and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2022 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. US-UNBC-0984 10/22