Tag: HIV

Volunteer for HOPE (HIV Opportunities for Passionate Engagement)


I recently met a young college student who is living with HIV. It became apparent that he was interested in opportunities to get connected to the local HIV community, and didn’t know where to start or where to ask.

In some of the HIV community work I do, we’ve talked about two needs.

First, how do we better engage young people, because the highest rate of new cases in Marion County is ages 20-24 (see first graph below). We struggle to engage this age bracket! What are their unique needs? What are their unique challenges and opportunities? We also see the lowest retention in care and viral suppression rates for ages 25-34. We’ve got to do better prevention (including PrEP & testing) and engagement in care — doing so in culturally and ethnically accessible ways. WE MUST DO BETTER. (Source: 2023 Marion County HIV Epidemiology Profile

The second thing we struggle with is representation of this demographic in our community engagement and oversight – and really, all of the people under our care. In these cases, representation matters. So for example, we need people living with HIV to be on state, regional and local level councils and task forces. And within those councils, some are actually mandated by legislation that we have demographic representation.

These efforts represent partnerships between state and local level health departments, HIV care agencies & hospital systems, community organizations in the HIV arena and outside the HIV arena, including blood banks, plasma centers, faith-based organizations, places of worship etc. In these spaces, representation matters.

In our EHE Task force, we’ve been talking about creating a general presentation that could be taken to agencies and shared with people living with HIV. Rather than each committee or council coming to make the pitch, present them all at once! Educate and empower people on ways to get involved and have their voice heard. Hence, the idea for this blog post was born! It may lay the groundwork for a powerpoint or reel that can be shared. Thanks Obama!

Renewed HOPE – HIV Opportunities for Passionate Engagement

Given these two needs, I wanted to share as much information with this young man as possible – and then let him pick what makes most sense for him. In doing, I gave him “new hope and even more to be excited about in the future.” For me, meeting him and pulling this together for him gave me a “hope boost” as well. So, I came up with the acronym HOPE – ways to get involved in the HIV community that provide Helpful Opportunities or HIV Opportunities for Passionate Engagement.

Sadly AI misspelled my tagline – (subtle way of giving AI credit! The text of this post was written by me, no help from AI! But, I’m not a graphic designer!) AI helped me write the “meta description” for Google. Just to be clear 😉

I became very excited and wanted to share with him all the ways that he could get involved without overwhelming him.

This is written with a heavier emphasis (details) on opportunities in the Marion County area, or greater Indianapolis and surrounding counties. But, I’ll do my best to represent state and regional level groups – though I may need more help / time with the details on how to join. This is a start!

SUPPORT GROUPS

  • Phoenix Support Group @ BU Wellness – The Phoenix Group is a support group for those living with HIV. This group celebrates the resiliency and strength of people living with HIV while providing a safe space for authentic discussions. Phoenix Groups meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month at 5:00PM at BU Wellness 1712 N. Meridian. Contact Kem Moore at kmoore@buwellness.org for more information or just show up!
  • Sisters United @ BU Wellness – A safe space for Black/African American women living with HIV. Sisters United meets the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at 5 PM at BU Wellness 1712 N. Meridian. Contact Aminata Tounkara at atounkara@buwellness.org for more information or just show up!
  • Long Term Survivors @ Damien Center – The Positive Living Social Group is a space for those living and thriving with HIV to find peer support, share their journey, and connect with their community. Meets every week on Tuesday from 11a-12:30pm in the Damien Board Room. Contact: Robin Thompson (rthompson@damien.org) or just show up!

ADVOCACY / COMMUNITY WORK

Giving back feels good. But it’s also a way of making a difference, by being involved in various councils, task forces and coalitions. And as a I mentioned before, representation matters. Meaningful involvement of people with HIV/AIDS (MIPA) is about ensuring that the communities most affected by HIV are involved in decision-making, at every level of the response. Learn more about MIPA here.

Note: Some opportunities are volunteer; some offer a small stipend for PLWH’s time.

  • HIV Modernization Movement – Indiana –  Statewide grassroots effort of PLWH and allies to modernize HIV criminal laws in Indiana. We introduce legislation each year to modernize HIV criminal laws that contribute to HIV stigma and are contrary to good public health.  Join online to get monthly newsletters. Easy engagement – sign up at https://hivmodernizationmovement.org/join-us/
  • Ryan White Planning Council for Indianapolis TGA – (transitional grant area) serving Marion County and surrounding donut counties, this group oversees the funding and service quality of all ryan white funded HIV services in the area. A community board (with 1/3 being PLWH) meets 4 hours every other month to manage council business. There are various committees and ways to get more involved. More info at https://ryanwhiteindy.org/planning-council/  Application for membership available here
  • State-Level HIV/STI/Hep C Advisory Council – Indiana HIV/STI/Viral Hepatitis Advisory Council work in partnership with Indiana Department of Health to lead statewide efforts in identifying, implementing, and evaluating strategies and prioritizing funding to close gaps, eliminate barriers, and increase access to information, resources, supports, and services designed to end the HIV epidemic and eliminate Hepatitis C and STIs addresses any gaps, barriers or trends related to service provision in alignment with the Integrated Plan, Care Continuum and the ZIP IN Plan and provides advisement and guidance to IDOH. Council meets every other month to manage council business. There are various committees and ways to get more involved. More info at https://www.zipindiana.org/statewide-advisory-council
  • Regional ZIP (Zero is Possible) Coalitions – Zero is Possible – Indiana (ZIP-IN) is a statewide initiative bringing together the essential people, tools, and resources to end the HIV epidemic and eliminate Hepatitis C (HCV) in Indiana. Coalition meets 1.5 hours, once per quarter. Sign up at https://www.zipindiana.org/get-involved
  • Marion County Ending the HIV Epidemic (HIV) Task Force – The Ending the HIV Epidemic Task Force will maximize the authentic engagement of the community, especially priority populations, to end the HIV epidemic in Marion County. The Task Force meets 2 hours every other month. There are various committees and ways to get more involved. More information at https://marionplan.org/
  • County or Regional CAG (Community Action Groups) – I’m tired, and less familiar with these outside of Marion County. But there is funding and structures for local health departments to connect with local agencies and people living with HIV.
  • Client Advisory Board at your HIV clinic or agency – talk to your care coordinator, but each HIV service agency is required to have some form of client involvement or feedback. Many agencies use a client advisory board.
  • Volunteer at your agency – including being on their Board of Directors
  • Support fundraisers at agencies, the Indy Bag Ladies, or the Indiana AIDS Walk
  • Organ Donorship – sign up to be an organ donor! People living with HIV can have organs donated to other people living with HIV under the HOPE Act of 2013 (Congress). The HOPE Act has given more than 350 people living with HIV the opportunity to receive a transplant from an HIV-positive donor, with the first patients receiving transplants in 2016. Sign up here or at your local driver’s license branch!

There are also national efforts like AIDS Watch in DC, HIV Is Not A Crime Conference hosted by The SERO Project, Positive Living Conference among others. Check out

I would recommend picking 1 to start with – there are a LOT of ways to engage, depending on what you’re looking for. Each board or meeting has its pros/cons, sphere of influence. I’m happy to share more if you want to know more.

A good place to start? Sign up for HMM-Indiana, and see what else your time allows!

CAREERS IN HIV CARE

There are two exciting opportunities I want to share: The Indiana Statewide AmeriCorp Program and the Marion County HIV Peer Navigator Program.

The Public Health AmeriCorps Program

The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis, Inc. currently supports a statewide Public Health AmeriCorps (a Healthy Futures grant supported by CDC) supporting up to 34 Members in partnership with 18 Service Sites, located in every region of Indiana. Our program is focused on development in under-resourced areas that will benefit from further enhancement of public health infrastructure, as it relates to HIV, Hepatitis C (HCV), and Harm Reduction. Lived experience is encouraged but not required. This program last for 11 months (September-July), and provides a living stipend. For more information including applications go to https://thfgi.org/americorps/

Information for 2024/25 Year (subject to change in the future)

🗓️ Full-time service from September 1, 2024, to July 31, 2025
💰 Living allowance up to $20,000
🎓 Education Award of $7,395.00
👩‍⚕️ Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
👶 Childcare assistance and loan forbearance options
📚 Extensive training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities
🤝 Make a difference while gaining valuable experience in public health and community service!

Marion County HIV Peer Navigator Program

A new grant-funded program starting in 2024, that will provide 3+ HIV Peer Navigators in Marion County. This is the first HIV Peer Navigation program in the State, as far as I’m aware. This has been successfully implemented in Florida, Illinois and many other locations. This position plays a pivotal role in helping engage or re-engage persons living with HIV, PLWH, into treatment and care programs. This position will engage, coach, and mentor clients in developing skills needed to ensure treatment retention, medication adherence, and viral suppression. The first 3 positions were hired in August 2024, so as it expands or there is turnover, there may be new opportunities. This is a paid opportunity with benefits – a great entry level position for someone wanting to work in the field. Although the Health Department can’t state this as a requirement because of HR policies, the intent is to fill these positions with individuals living with HIV. This approach is modeled after success in the addiction/recovery arena, and has been successful in other states and cities.

KEY ANNUAL EVENTS & FUNDRAISERS

Again, these are largely Indy-area hosted, although some are statewide (e.g. UNITY) and several try to draw statewide participation for award presentations.

  • Spotlight – fundraiser for Indiana AIDS Fund (April)
  • Long-Term Survivors Day Event – hosted by BU Wellness Network (on or around June 5)
  • Zero HIV Stigma Day Event – hosted by HIV Modernization Movement – Indiana. Learn why people attended the event through an online art intervention. Click here to learn more. (on or around July 21)
  • UNITY – statewide HIV/STI/HepC Conference, hosted by IDOH (every other year in September)
  • Indiana AIDS Walk– The annual Indiana AIDS Walk, held in the fall of each year, supports the Gregory R. Powers Direct Emergency Financial Assistance (DEFA) program. The Indiana AIDS Walk raises more than $175,000 to help Hoosiers living with HIV/AIDS pay for medication, transportation to and from doctor’s appointments, dental bills, rent and utility bills, and even food and clothing in emergencies. (September)
  • Annual World AIDS Day Celebration hosted by Indianapolis Urban League’s (IUL) (on or around December 1)

Keep HOPE alive, give back & pay it forward! Volunteering matters.

Keep tellin’ the story

Professor Peacock

Why did you attend our Zero HIV Stigma Day Event?


I work with HIV Modernization Movement – Indiana, which seeks to modernize Indiana’s HIV criminal and related public health laws. We celebrated Zero HIV Stigma Day this year with a special event on HIV stigma, sharing stories of how stigma shows up for Hoosiers living with HIV.

Zero HIV Stigma Day, observed annually on July 21st, is dedicated to reflection, education, and action against HIV stigma. This day highlights the harmful effects of HIV-related stigma on our society, particularly the barriers it creates to equitable access to life-saving care. It also serves as a rallying call for our communities to renew their commitment to protecting the dignity and well-being of every individual affected by HIV, regardless of their status.

We asked everyone who attended to share why they attended this year’s event. We used this as part of an interactive art exhibit on HIV stigma. There were other questions as part of this HIV Stigma Clothesline exhibit – I’ll post those later.

Professor Peacock with their interactive HIV Stigma Clothesline Project.

Here are those responses! Click on an image below, then scroll through the gallery.

Why I believe coming out of the ‘HIV closet’ is key to ending the HIV epidemic


As head into Pride month, I want to talk about coming out of a different closet – publicly disclosing one’s HIV positive status. I believe it can play a significant role in ending the HIV epidemic here in Marion County, where 53-68% of people living with HIV are men having sex with men (MSM). The HIV epidemic has most deeply affected our LGBTQ+ community. I believe there are some important lessons we can apply from one community to another.

For me as a queer man, the process of coming out of the LGBTQ+ closet – taking off the mask, pushing through the fear of rejection & discrimination, finding self-love & community – is very similar to the process I went through disclosing my HIV status. In fact, it took almost 10 years for me to fully process the trauma, loss, and grief of my initial HIV diagnosis in 2012. I wish someone had handed me a link or brochure – similar to this one on disclosure from POZ magazine, or this one on Living with HIV regarding duty to inform from the Indiana Department of Health. It might have accelerated my own journey.

If you’re living with HIV, the HIV community needs you to consider coming out of the closet with your HIV status. My hope today is I’ll start you on your journey of self-discovery and acceptance.

If you know someone living with HIV, I hope you’ll share this blog with them. We need to bring about systemic change, and one way to do so is to come out, come out – wherever you are!

Why does this matter – now?

Marion County is a federally designated hot-spot for new HIV cases, according to 2019 data. If we look at the trend of new HIV diagnoses in Marion and surrounding counties, we see a consistent upward trend since 2010. See the following chart from the Epidemiology of HIV in the Indianapolis
Transitional Grant Area: 2022, particularly the — line for 3 year moving average of new HIV cases.

Of the 7,411 people living with HIV in that same area in 2022, an estimated 13% or 964 people are unaware of their status. We know that people who are not aware of their status are much more likely to spread the virus – so it’s imperative that we get more people to know their status through testing.

The CDC recommends that all adults have at least one HIV test in their lifetime; for populations at risk, testing is recommended at least every 12 months. The key to ending the epidemic is early diagnosis, which is one of four pillars in Marion County’s Plan to End the HIV Epidemic. The four pillars are diagnose, treat, prevent, respond. Click here to learn more about the plan, or go to the Side By Side website at endinghivtogether.org

What Anonymous People did for Recovery

“If everyone thinks about alcoholism and addiction as a negative thing, nobody is going to want to get help.” – The Anonymous People

“Over 20 million are suffering in silence.” The Anonymous People

A key shift came in the recovery movement, when people realized that anonymity – a bedrock of the 12-step approach to recovery – had come to hurt the movement by keeping people in silence and limiting their collective voice. Most importantly, people weren’t getting the help they needed.

Over a decade, investments were made in training people across the country in how to tell their story. I was part of that training here in Indianapolis, hosted by Indiana Addiction Issues Coalition. It transformed how we talk about addiction and recovery. It was driven by a lot of organizations like Faces and Voices of Recovery. Check out the Anonymous People video trailer here.

For me, HIPPA is to HIV as the anonymity of the 12 steps was to Addiction. We need to break the cycle of silence because Silence = Stigma. We need our own mini version of Anonymous People for HIV!

I believe most of the 1.2 million people living with HIV in the US – the 13,900 in Indiana – the 5,420 in Marion County – are also suffering in silence.

We need to change that, in order to being about a similar shift in our community’s ability to diagnose, treat, prevent & respond.

Coming out reduces stigma

Coming out – even to just one additional person you know – starts to put a name and a face to HIV. It’s much harder to demonize people living with HIV if you know one personally. Coming out challenges stereotypes and misconceptions that people have about the virus.

HIV-related stigma and discrimination persist as major barriers to our ability to diagnose, treat, prevent & respond. By coming out, people living with HIV can challenge the stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding the virus. The very act of sharing one’s personal story humanizes the epidemic. All of this contributes to reducing the stigma associated with HIV. We also know that when more people openly discuss their HIV status, it helps break down the fear and ignorance that perpetuates stigma and discrimination.

To get help with the the process of disclosure, refer to this brochure from POZ Magazine.

Coming out encourages testing

Publicly disclosing one’s HIV-positive status can inspire others to get tested for HIV, much like coming out of the LGBTQ+ closet inspires others to come out. When people see individuals living with HIV being open about their status, it can motivate those who may be at risk to seek testing and know their own status. Early detection of HIV through testing is crucial for accessing appropriate care and treatment, preventing further transmission, and ultimately curbing the spread of the virus.

We need more people to get tested! We need more people to know their status. We literally need to find the 964 people in Marion & surrounding counties who don’t know their status. Hopefully, the rate shown earlier will begin to go down as more and more people get tested. But in the meantime, it will probably continue to rise as we close the gap on people not knowing their status.

For me this chart sums it all up: when stigma is low, testing is high! When testing is high, people know their status – they aren’t afraid to tell others their status – and we curb the transmission of the virus.

Click here to find testing resources in Marion County.

Free tests are also available at TakeMeHome.org.

Coming out improves your mental health

With the medical advances in HIV science, we know that HIV is no longer a death sentence. It’s a manageable chronic health condition. But, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t feel like a death sentence at first.

I’ve healed a lot over the past 3 years since I came out publicly with my status. Granted, I’m relatively privileged. I’m a GWM and work for myself – so the risk of job-related discrimination is low. As I tell people, my boss knows I’m HIV and doesn’t have a problem – neither should you. Not everyone has that privilege. But I would argue that on a personal level, coming out to others about your status is liberating for your own mental health.

I experienced grief related to my diagnosis without even realizing it. I had largely dealt with the loss of my job in 2010 stemming from my addiction to crystal meth. I learned more about grief when I lost my mom suddenly in 2012 from untreated alcoholism. But nobody had ever helped me connect with the losses related to my HIV diagnosis in 2011. Loss of self-confidence. Loss of love and romance as I feared it. Loss of fear-less sex as I knew it. It took my me years to connect with those losses and properly grieve them.

A key part of my “HIV Recovery” was my support system. I had a great therapist – though I wish “the system” had pushed me harder to get into a support group for newly diagnosed individuals. That’s part of the reason I started the Hoosier HIV+E, a peer-led support group for people living with HIV in Indiana. For our mental health, we need a safe space, peer-led support and community.

If you’re thinking about coming out more with your HIV status, make sure you have a good support system – and at least for a period of time, try out therapy or a support group.

Coming out empowers others

By sharing our stories and experiences, we as people living with HIV can empower others who are facing their own diagnosis. Coming out demonstrates resilience. I learned how resilient I really am through my friends in the HIV community. It also takes great courage and strength to come out – but it shows others that it is possible to live a fulfilling life with HIV. And yes, even have fulfilling sex!

This is where our power in numbers grows. Coming out will encourage others to seek support, to adhere to their treatment and to lead productive lives. It’s that visibility that matters. Ultimately, coming out positively impacts not just ourselves – but the people around us. It’s my way – and hopefully your way – of contributing back to reducing the overall impact of the epidemic.

Coming out educates & informs the public

Many people are not aware of the breakthrough advances we’ve made like Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) and PrEP. I believe we have the science to end the HIV epidemic. But stigma – stemming from ignorance and fear – stands in the way.

Just like when I came out of the closet as a gay man, people had questions for me. It led to conversations, and through that, they became educated about being gay. When I came out more publicly as living with HIV, I also got a lot of questions. I quickly learned, I needed to learn more about the disease I had been living with for 7 years at the time! Just living with HIV doesn’t necessarily make me an expert on everything about the disease.

Coming out as HIV-positive helps raise awareness about the virus and its impact on individuals and our communities. We can educate others about HIV transmission, prevention methods, the importance of regular testing, and the availability of effective treatments. When people know more, they can make better decisions about their own sexual health. This in turn leads to improved uptake of prevention measures like PrEP, more testing, and better adherence to treatment. Yep, the four pillars are all lifted up when the larger public knows more!

Click here to learn more about HIV 101. Click here to learn more about PrEP. Click here to learn more about U=U.

Coming out builds power in numbers for advocacy

As I’ve gotten involved with HIV Criminalization Reform, I’m learning that legislative change requires two things – power and money. Power is largely defined by the number of constituents who care enough to speak up! That’s another reason why we need more people to come out of the closet in states like Indiana, where our laws are dated on 30-year old science and unfairly prosecute people living with HIV.

Coming out with one’s HIV status can be a catalyst for policy change, as it brings attention to the issues faced by people living with HIV. By sharing our personal experiences and advocating for our rights, individuals living with HIV can contribute to shaping laws, policies and programs that are more responsive to our needs. This can lead to improved access to healthcare, prevention services, anti-discrimination laws, and increased funding for research and support initiatives – ultimately finding a cure!

To learn more about Indiana’s efforts to modernize HIV laws, join the email list for HIV Modernization Movement – Indiana.

Coming out requires support!

It is important to note that coming out as HIV-positive is a deeply personal decision, and individuals should carefully consider their own safety, support systems, and readiness before doing so. 

Coming out can have negative effects and adds a level of vulnerability that can be triggered or triggering. Find a support network from healthcare providers, counselors and peer networks like the Hoosier HIV+E in Indiana. If you’re new to advocacy, get a mentor.

Being public about your status brings its own rewards, helping normalize HIV with a face & voice. I understand that not everyone is in the position (aka privilege) to disclose their status publicly, but the more of us who do find the courage, the more effective change we can bring about in ending the HIV epidemic.

Will you join the HIV Anonymous People Movement?

So as we start out this Pride month, I invited you to consider your own “coming out story” as it relates to living with HIV. If you know someone living with HIV, be their friend – ask them how they are doing – share this blog with them. Every voice matters, every voice counts. We need your stories to change public opinion, to end the HIV Epidemic.

Keep tellin’ the story,
Thanks for listening

Professor Peacock