The Reunion Project is holding a two-day town hall for long-term HIV survivors in Chicago.
The town hall will happen 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 17-18 in Loyola University's Kasbeer Hall, 25 E. Pearson St. It's part of a series of stops the Reunion Project is making around the country to bring together communities of people who are living with HIV. The nonprofit held similar events in Chicago in 2016 and 2019.
This year's town hall takes on a theme of "Long-Term Survivors, Sharing Wisdom & Shaping Legacies" and will feature keynote discussions with Chicago LGBT Hall of Famer Dr. Maya Green and Adrian Shanker, who advises President Joe Biden's administration on LGBTQ+ health.
"Sometimes when we talk about HIV and aging, it can be overwhelming," said Jeff Berry, cofounder of the Reunion Project. "But this is a safe environment where people will make connections with other people like themselves, which is so important for our own self care."
The first day will focus on employment and benefits for people living with HIV. This presentation is a partnership with the National Working Positive Coalition, Berry said. The second day will have a mix of facilitated discussions, presentations and networking opportunities addressing the needs of long-term survivors and people aging with HIV.
Shanker and Green will give keynote presentations. Shanker serves as Health and Human Services' senior advisor on LGBTQI+ Health Equity in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health. He discussed the Biden administration's goals to end new HIV/AIDS transmissions in the U.S. by 2030 in a recent interview with Windy City Times.
Green previously worked as chief medical officer at Howard Brown Health.
Berry said, "This is a great opportunity for people to come together and have conversations about our individual concerns and what we can collectively do for people aging with HIV."
The Reunion Project is also offering 15 scholarships covering travel and accommodations for three nights in Chicago to out-of-town Illinois residents. The scholarships are supported by the Chicago Department of Public Health, and the deadline was extended to Friday, April 26.
Berry co-founded the Reunion Project with activist Matt Sharp in 2015 to address issues facing people living long-term with HIV, he said. Issues range from transphobia, racism and ageism to mental health issues, housing and stigma.
"This was around the time some groups were meeting in San Francisco with long-term survivors to discuss what was next for them," Berry said. "The Reunion Project grew out of that."
It started with town halls in San Francisco and grew to have events around the country, Berry said.
"These town halls help us discuss what we can do for people who are aging with HIV, what services are missing and what their government is doing," Berry said.
See www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/Biden-administrations-LGBTQ-health-expert-discusses-equity-goals/76813.html . To RSVP, see reunionproject.net/calendar/ . To apply for a scholarship, see tinyurl.com/ycx2ueem .
