Rochester Victory Alliance

02/09/2026

In the wake of Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, New York's "End the Epidemic" Dashboard has released the latest numbers for HIV in New York State.
tl;dr --> some good news, some less good news.

02/07/2026

February is Black History Month, a time to honor our resilience and the strength that carries us forward. It is also National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, reminding us that our history and our health are deeply connected.

Black Americans, including women and young people, are still deeply affected by HIV, but there is real progress. More people are getting tested, accessing treatment, and living long, healthy lives thanks to strong community voices and support.

Today is about reducing shame, sharing facts, and showing love. Knowing your status is an act of care. Treatment works. Prevention exists. We also keep pushing for a world where your background does not decide your health.

We honor those we have lost, stand with those living with HIV, and keep building a future where Black health matters every day.

02/02/2026

The inequality faced by Black Americans over the centuries is intertwined with the history of HIV and AIDS. Factors like higher poverty rates, less access to health care, stigma and denial about a "white man's affliction" lead us to where we are today: while representing only 12% of the US population, Black people account for nearly 40% of people living with HIV. This number includes black women and youth.

The good news is that the rate of HIV diagnoses is declining for Black people, especially women. We can continue this trend, but ONLY if the reality of peoples' lives — their economic and social standing, their sense of equal treatment, their identities and personal histories — are recognized.

02/02/2026

Some people say groundhogs make good eatin'.

(jk)
(kind of)

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Monday.

01/30/2026

We are grateful to live in a nation that allows peaceful protest. We expect Americans' right to peaceful assembly and speech to remain protected in the future.

This week, the Somali Student Association at the University of Minnesota called upon the nation to shut down in response to the deaths of Keith Porter Jr., Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti and ongoing ICE activity.

Activist groups have designated Friday, January 30 as a day for no work, no school and no shopping.

Local closing announcements began earlier this week with posts from Ugly Duck Coffee and Pizza Wizard, and over the past few days grew to more than 100 closings. Many businesses will remain open for various reasons, but are donating part of the day’s proceeds to immigrant rights and other mutual aid groups.

We’ve compiled a running list of the spots closing and giving back in some way [special thanks to Jackie Mcgriff for the initial share]. Link in comments. 🔗

Know of others we should include? Comment below or DM us.

01/28/2026

How do I get my doctor to prescribe (or even talk about) PrEP? What if I forget a dose? What's it like dating someone living with HIV?

Aaron Brown, URMC’s PrEP Specialist, has the answers in our new online column "Ask Aaron." Have a question about navigating PrEP or relationships? Your concerns might already be answered in the column — and if not, you can submit your own question.

Aaron is a bold champion of healthy s*x and is eager to share knowledge. All conversations will be kept confidential and unposted unless a writer gives express permission.

Visit and share with your community:
https://rochestervictoryalliance.org/ask-aaron/

Ask Aaron Ask Aaron Your go-to resource for all questions around relationships, HIV, and PrEP Aaron Brown is URMC’s PrEP Specialist working with the Dept of Medicine’s Infectious Disease clinical team. Have a question about navigating PrEP or relationships to keep yourself and others healthy? Co...

01/27/2026

Rochester is no stranger to winter storms, snow and cold. Here's a look back to 75 years ago. This is the Winter of 1951 at Strong Memorial Hospital and the academic medical campus, which just turned 100 earlier this month. ❄️☃️

01/26/2026

Our clinic will be operating remotely today, as our team joins you in shoveling out from this weekend's snowstorm

01/23/2026

A measly 6 - 18" of snow this weekend? Meh. We've been down this snow removal road before. A lot.

Stay warm, Rochester!
[photos from the awesome Monroe County Library Rochester Images digital collection]

01/23/2026

Which will run lowest this weekend, Wegmans' bread shelves or their wine store shelves? 🤔Stay warm, friends!

Finally, a snow map that we can all understand...

01/22/2026

TL;DW -- the $2 Billion in HIV cuts look to be *restored* in a Senate budget bill — Congress has rejected the administration's devastating cuts to NIH, CDC, and HIV prevention.

We're also gratified to see that Congress has voted to restore most of the support for science research across the board (except for some "DEI" related work) and in some cases, even increase it.

01/21/2026

This piece lays out the new frontier of HIV vaccine research (bnAbs!), and what happens when scientists — and their communities — have to rebound from unexpectedly slashed funding.

A trial was about to launch for a vaccine that would ward off the HIV virus. It would be an incredible breakthrough. Then it looked as if it would be over before it started.