Positively Aware

03/13/2026

“Talking about HIV and prevention can feel uncomfortable,” actor-performer Keiynan Lonsdale tells Tony Morrison in a conversation for POSITIVELY AWARE.

“And I’m still learning how to talk about it myself. The more we talk, the more comfortable these conversations become. I get tested to know my status. I understand my prevention options. And I’m choosing to speak up so others can too.”
positivelyaware.com/keiynan-lonsdale-is-done-hiding

03/10/2026

Women comprise about 18% of new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. Black women make up 47% of diagnoses among women though they represent about 13% of the U.S. female population. Of the estimated 591,475 people in the U.S. who were on PrEP in 2024, just 9% were women.

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a reminder that HIV uniquely affects women—every day.

02/28/2026

To change your plan, call the Marketplace Call Center at 800-318-2596 (TTY: 855-889-4325). Callers should say they believe they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period due to loss of eligibility for a Florida drug assistance program. They can also say they received a notice from DOH informing them that they are eligible for a Special Enrollment Period or explain that they are a client of the Florida ADAP program. Deadline to change plans is April 30.
positivelyaware.com/special-enrollment-period

02/27/2026

February 27 is National HIV Is Not A Crime Awareness Day. The Center for HIV Law and Policy released a new statement highlighting how HIV criminalization laws intersect with immigration enforcement and policing — and the broader public health impact.
positivelyaware.com/hinac-day-2026

02/27/2026

“For years, I worked inside Florida’s public health system. I believed in the mission. I believed in the promise of government to protect the most vulnerable,” writes Tammy Cuyler in a First Person op-ed for Positively Aware. But sometimes the system asks you to be quiet when people need you to speak. Read what she has to say.
positivelyaware.com/moral-failure

02/26/2026

Whether we show up using our personal health stewardship or community organizing, through word-of-mouth networks or formal advocacy, we are asserting our right to health and dignity in all the ways that matter, writes HIV specialist Dr. Stella Safo, in a First Person commentary for Positively Aware.
positivelyaware.com/why-advocacy-matters

02/17/2026

The public comment period is now open through March 4 for the cuts to Florida’s ADAP program proposed by the state’s Health Department. Florida legislators are working on state budget plans that would help fill a $120 million shortfall for the program. How to make your voice heard and how to contact the lawmakers.
positivelyaware.com/florida-adap-public-comment

02/17/2026

An overview and update on the Florida Department of Health’s proposed cuts to the state’s ADAP. Florida lawmakers are working on a state budget that will fill the $120 million shortfall in the program. The public comment period about the cuts is now open through March 4. Read more here.

www.positivelyaware.com/florida-adap-efforts

02/07/2026

The fourth and latest installment of The SERO Project’s podcast, “The Mic Is Ours,” is out.

“This podcast is a space for honest, creative conversation, truth-telling, and collective visioning. It centers the voices, lived experiences, and wisdom of those most impacted, because our stories are not supplemental to policy; they are the foundation,” says Sero co-director Kamaria Laffrey. “When we speak for ourselves, we reclaim narrative power, shape the future, and remind the world that our experiences are expertise. The mic is, and will always be, ours.”

Hosted by Kerry Thomas, Sero’s community HIV decriminalization strategist, and Isis Tapia, the organization’s Latin America and Caribbean coordinator, the latest episode features Tapia and the House of Magdalena preparing for a ballroom event designed to educate and raise community awareness.

The Mic is Ours, hosted by Kerry Thomas, Sero's Community HIV Decriminalization Strategist, and Isis Tapia, Sero's Latin America & Caribbean Coordinator (and...

02/02/2026

The U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) has made Americans less safe, further damaged diplomatic relationships that the country relies on and will ultimately make us less healthy, writes AVAC executive director Mitchell Warren in a First Person op-ed.

On January 22, 2026, the United States took another giant step away from its role as a global leader, betraying American citizens and the rest of the world by withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO). Since 1948, WHO has been the United Nations agency tasked with directing global publi...

01/30/2026

“When the program changes without clear guidance, it doesn’t just hit clients. Clinics and case managers lose time scrambling, and that’s time taken from patient care,” says Florida HIV advocate Kevin Maloney about the uncertainty over changes coming to the state’s ADAP.
www.positivelyaware.com/uncertainty-over-florida-adap