One half of all HIV diagnoses nationally occur in the South and 52 percent of all AIDS deaths occur in our region, according to the Center for Disease Control.
Simply put, HIV is a crisis in the South, especially among LGBTQ folks. Approximately half of all transgender people who received an HIV diagnosis from 2009 to 2014 lived in the South. And gay men of color and trans women in the South are at particularly high risk.
Behind these statistics are the lives of LGBTQ Southerners who, too often, face stigma and significant barriers to accessing prevention and treatment options in their hometowns. We believe supporting the leadership of those most impacted by HIV/AIDS in the South is critical to reversing these trends.
That’s why we are launching a HIV/AIDS Contest Grant Round and Leadership Cohort. The Campaign for Southern Equality will award grants of up to $2,500 each for innovative projects based in the South that focus on HIV/AIDS in the LGBTQ community.
The deadline to apply has been extended to 6PM EST on November 4, 2017. Click here to learn more and apply.
Projects should center the leadership of those most impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the South. Grantees will also be invited to take part in a HIV/AIDS Leadership Cohort, providing a year of intensive support and resources as they implement their projects.
The HIV/AIDS Grant Round and Leadership Cohort is also part of our new Southern LGBTQ Health Initiative, a partnership with Western NC Community Health Services.
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