February Action Report

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Round-up

• Our newest member Ash Wellness took advantage of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day to announce their membership in the Coalition.
  
• AvitaCare Atlanta (an Avita Care Solutions company) and its covered entity partner MedCura Health, partnered to bring Atlantans a weeklong HIV and STI testing event from February 5-11. The event served as a call to action for Black Atlantans to "Be Fearless" and stay informed about their health status.
  
• On February 7, dating app BLK ran a push notification that went out to over 2,400,000 users connecting them to free HIV self-tests through TogetherTakeMeHome. The single activation, coordinated in partnership with BHOC, resulted in 2,700 HIV self-tests orders.

• CLYDE joined the conversation on February 7 with a post on LinkedIn sharing Mario’s article.
• In honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, CVS Health collaborated with the National AIDS Memorial and ThriveSS to host a special "Quilt-making Workshop" at Morehouse College. Attendees had the opportunity to create their own Quilt panel, hear stories of individuals who have passed due to HIV, and arm themselves with the latest information and resources on HIV prevention and treatment.

• Gilead supported National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day this year through their partnership with AIDSVu, releasing a new set of resources that illustrate the disproportionate impact of HIV among Black communities in the U.S. They also hosted a special event in DC focused on combating HIV in Black/African American communities that brought together diverse voices - from scientists and celebrities to activists - to authentically engage, educate, and empower one another toward actionable solutions.

• Healthvana Head of Partnerships Gabriella Palmeri and CEO Ramin Bastani co-authored a feature in LGBTQ Nation spotlighting the potential of AI in advancing equitable HIV care for Black Americans (also shared on LinkedIn).‍
• Mercer wrote a special US Health News blog calling on other companies to work to make sure HIV prevention and treatment tools reach all who need them (also shared on LinkedIn.)

• Molecular Testing Labs posted a message on LinkedIn honoring National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and sharing key messages and resources.

• Paramount Pictures made a donation and shared a message with employees shining light on an organization working with young women and children in Jamaica impacted by HIV/AIDS. The effort tied in to a broader campaign to celebrate the release of the film "Bob Marley: One Love".

• ViiV Healthcare shined a spotlight on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in the media, with a piece in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and a live television interview on CBS (WANF/Atlanta News First).

Actions from Members

• In January, Avita Care Solutions was proud to join the Elton John AIDS Foundation, American Pharmacist Association, NASTAD, and Courage Forward Strategies in sponsoring the inaugural State Action Institute, an event focused on expansion of HIV prevention and linkage to care services through community pharmacies (an initiative that grew out of the retail pharmacy cohort). Representatives from states across the nation shared experiences working to build a policy environment that increases and sustains HIV prevention services in pharmacies. Attendees connected with national advocates and industry allies to develop collaborative action plans responsive to their specific needs. Representatives from CVS Health, Gilead Sciences, ViiV Healthcare, Walgreens, and Walmart were also in attendance, as were HIV Leadership Advisory Council members Dr. Stephen Lee (NASTAD) and Katie Rutherford (Frannie Peabody Center).

• ViiV Healthcare is thrilled to partner with Paramount as a premiere sponsor of the 16th season of RuPaul's Drag Race. Past contestants have used the platform to share their experiences with HIV.

Action from the Coalition

• Mario attended OUT Georgia Business Alliance's 2024 Annual Kickoff Event, with more than 250 small business owners and representatives from supplier diversity, ERGs, government affairs and other community partners. Mario was joined by HIV Leadership Advisory Council Chair Dr. Eugene McCray, and spoke to the audience about the goals of the Coalition’s new Atlanta Chapter, recruited new members, and connected with community stakeholders.

• Mario was invited to present to the ViiV Healthcare National Sales Team to discuss how to engage payers and other employers to join the Coalition. Email Mario if you would like to have him speak with any of your teams who interface with companies and who could multiply our recruitment efforts.

Opportunities For Action

• A reminder that February 28 is HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day. Check out the new campaign from HIV Is Not A Crime highlighting outdated HIV criminalization laws that still exist across 30 states. If you're in Atlanta, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation has extended an invitation to our members for their special event - “Stuck in the 80’s Night”- on February 28. Special musical guest Flavor Flav. RSVP.

• March 10 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, an opportunity to shed light on the impact of HIV and AIDS on women and girls and show support for those at risk of and living with HIV. Here are actions you can take in the lead-up to March 10:‍
• Get the facts about HIV and Women.
• Learn more about preventing HIV infection during pregnancy.
• Talk about HIV in your workplace, in your ERGs, and online using these materials and resources.
• Show your support for women and girls affected by HIV and AIDS on social media and use the hashtag #NWGHAAD.

HIV in the News

• Newsom signs bill making HIV prevention meds available without prescription, The Hill (February 6)
• CDC Announces New Director of Division of HIV Prevention, HIV.gov (February 12)

Behind the Scenes

This month we are pleased to introduce you to the local managing partner of the Coalition's new Atlanta Chapter:

Chris Lugo (he/him)
‍Executive Director
OUT Georgia Business Alliance

Brief bio/description of your current role:     

I am the Executive Director of the OUT Georgia Business Alliance, where I proudly serve as Georgia’s LGBTQIA+ and Allied Chamber of Commerce. I've worked hard in leading the chamber’s strategic development and growth efforts, including the launch of the OUT Georgia Impact Fund and TGX360, the economic empowerment program centering Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender Expansive Georgians. I am also honored to serve on the City of Atlanta Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board as co-chair of its Economic and Community Development Committee and as a Board Member of Out on Film, Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival. Prior to this role, I held marketing, fundraising, and nonprofit management positions with IBM Corporation, Direct Energy Business, Alzheimer’s Association, and The Cavaliers, a Chicago-based nonprofit developing young leaders through the performing arts, where I served as the organization's first-ever Executive Director. I am an alumnus of the University of Florida and the proud husband of my long-time partner, Pyro Lugo-Allen. We reside in Atlanta, Georgia, with out dog Varik. I recently shared my story about my late father and the connection to HIV/AIDS.

The Atlanta community faces unique challenges in combating HIV. What compelled you and OUT Georgia Business Alliance to get involved in this effort?

Founded in 1994, OUT Georgia Business Alliance is our state’s only LGBTQIA+ chamber, and our roots connect us to Atlanta and to the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s. In fact, organizations like the Atlanta Business & Professionals Guild and Fourth Tuesday started in the early 1980s with a priority to support businesses and individuals who were impacted by the epidemic and those subjected to intense discrimination, misinformation, and stigma. Those organizations, and many others, laid the groundwork for how OUT Georgia shows up for our community and prioritizes economic access, accountability, opportunity, and prosperity. When we partner with large Atlanta-based employers, it is with a multi-faceted approach to address access, visibility, impact, engagement, and empowerment for Georgia’s LGBTQIA+ community. As an affiliate of the NGLCC, OUT Georgia was connected with the U.S. Business Action to End HIV to learn more about the coalition’s strategy, distinct value, thoughtful support, and why Atlanta was on its radar. The alignment with our chamber’s mission was immediately clear, and we felt uniquely positioned to serve as local managing partner to navigate the stakeholder ecosystem, drive commitments and measurable progress, and explore what’s possible on a local level.

As the local managing partner of the new Atlanta Chapter of the Coalition, what impact do you hope this local initiative will have among the Atlanta community?

Atlanta Influences Everything. It’s a phrase that rings true in the Southeast, across the United States, and around the globe. Atlanta is a diverse, international community in the cradle of the modern Civil Rights Movement, with dynamic leadership, innovative companies, cutting-edge institutions, and a growing pool of diverse talent and bold changemakers. With excellence, progress, and inspiration abound, Georgia’s capital city is also home to the stark realities of income inequality and health disparity, especially among Black Atlantans.

Atlanta is the epicenter of the HIV epidemic in the U.S, and Georgia is the number 1 state in the nation for new HIV cases.

It’s my hope that OUT Georgia’s involvement in the Atlanta Chapter will help motivate our Partners and Atlanta’s corporate community to acknowledge their privilege, power, and responsibility to address the HIV epidemic, both inside their organization and beyond. We will be the local resource to better understand joining the Coalition and what taking action might look like for their organization. The potential for employers to directly impact thousands of lives within their own company is wildly inspiring, but I believe the magic here in Atlanta will be exploring what’s possible when Coalition peers celebrate each other’s impact, share progress and data, advance best practices and lessons learned, and ultimately challenge each other to collaborate in obvious and unexpected ways to dramatically influence the trajectory of HIV. While I love dreaming and strategizing about the potential for unprecedented impact amongst those living with HIV, those at risk of contracting HIV, and all those who are impacted, I ask those who are not yet involved to embrace a simple curiosity about the U.S. Business Action to End HIV coalition. One conversation could impact someone’s life. If your company is based or has a strong presence here in Atlanta, let’s connect to discuss how to get started.

Save the Date

• HIV Is Not a Crime Awareness Day
  • Wednesday, February 28 (More information)
• Q1 Quarterly Coalition Convening
  • Thursday, March 7, 2-3pm ET (Virtual)
• National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
  • Sunday, March 10 (More information)
• Q1 Atlanta Chapter Convening
  • Thursday, March 21, 12-1:30pm ET (In-person & virtual, details to be shared soon)

Thank you for your commitment and leadership. Let's keep up the momentum!