RAAN

03/16/2026

RAAN Mankato will be closed Monday, March 16th due to the snow. Be safe out there!

03/13/2026

IT'S FINALLY TIME!

Without further adieu, RAAN's T-Shirt & Sticker Design Contest winners are as follows:

🥇T-Shirt Design:
Arianna Sheets

🥈T-Shirt Design Runner-Up:
Andrew San Juan

🥇Sticker Design:
Arianna Sheets

🥈Sticker Design Runner Up:
Andrew San Juan

Thank you to all who participated! If you weren't chosen, don't be discouraged - we hope to hold another design contest in the future.

Winners will be contacted next week to discuss next steps. We can't wait to see your art around the state!

03/10/2026

March 10 marks the 20th National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day ( ).

Women accounted for 19% of new HIV diagnoses in 2023 but only 9% of PrEP users in 2024, highlighting a persistent gap in HIV prevention.

This , we recognize the importance of connecting women to prevention, testing, treatment, and care at every stage of life.

03/06/2026

DESIGN CONTEST UPDATE

We haven't forgotten about you - don't worry! We are carefully considering each entry and will announce our decision early next week. We appreciate your patience while we choose our winners.

Thank you for your participation!

03/03/2026

There are still spots available, please join if you can!

Please join the Minnesota LGBTQ+ and HIV Long Term Care Bill of Rights Coalition, along with other sponsors*, for a special in person event on Saturday, March 7 from 11-12:30 at Queermunity.

This program will feature an engaging discussion on key health issues in our community, including the Minnesota LGBTQ+ and HIV Long‑Term Bill of Rights. Senator Scott Dibble and Representative Liz Reyer will be joining as featured speakers, offering important insights into this work. It’s a great opportunity to connect, learn, and make your voice heard on the rights and concerns affecting long‑term care and home‑ and community‑based services for people of all ages. Registration is required. We hope you—and your colleagues—can attend. And please help spread the word to your networks. This policy initiative can impact people of any age.

Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026
Time: 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Register here: https://tinyurl.com/kd5cm9d9

02/25/2026

Last call for entries!

Want to make an impact with your work? Trying to get your name out there? Submit a design for our T-Shirt & Sticker Design Contest! One winner and runner up from each category will be chosen. Submissions due February 27, 2026.

Learn more on our website:
https://raan.org/design-contest/

02/20/2026

UPDATED: we have supply in stock again!!
Update for Duluth folx!

02/18/2026

Our Virginia and Duluth offices will be closed Wednesday, February 18th due to weather. Please be safe if you venture out today!

02/17/2026

🚨 URGENT: Minnesota’s HIV Prevention Funding Is at Risk

The Trump Administration is moving to cut more than $600 million in CDC public health funding, including dollars that support HIV and STI prevention right here in Minnesota.

If these cuts move forward, we risk losing:
• HIV & STI prevention programs
• Disease surveillance and outbreak response
• Community testing and outreach services
• Critical public health infrastructure

These programs save lives. Demand Congress to protect Minnesota’s public health funding. Contact your representatives to let them know the impact this will have.

Take action now: https://bit.ly/save-hiv-prevention

[Repost from The Aliveness Project]

02/17/2026

Please join if you're able. Help spread the word to others who are interested!

Advocacy is a key part of how we protect housing stability, dignity, and care for people living with HIV.

We’re glad to share this upcoming Town Hall & Citizen Advocacy Training focused on the Minnesota LGBTQIA2S+ & HIV Long-Term Care Bill of Rights.

If you’re interested in learning more about your rights—or how to advocate for equitable long-term care and community-based services—this is a great opportunity.

THIS EVENT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED IN JANUARY,
AND HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR ZOOM!

🗓️ Sat, Feb 28 | 🕑 11 AM – 12 PM | 🆓 Free
Register at - https://bit.ly/MNLTCTownhall (case-sensitive)

02/17/2026

For those looking to add to your toolkit, check this out!

Join us February 17 OR February 21 for a virtual training!

This class is for folks who are brand new to marches/protests/rallies, and want to feel better prepared when common emergencies arise. We will cover basic first aid, share core concepts, and check in about how to take care of yourself during and after emergencies.

All the material described in this course can be found at a dollar store and is designed to be able to fit into a reusable grocery bag or backpack. This class does NOT provide any sort of official certification. It does NOT go into great detail about CPR, GSW's, narcan, etc. We encourage folks to seek out more specialized and in-depth training for such topics, and can make recommendations upon request.

RSVP at the link in our bio!

02/17/2026

Heads up! There's an outbreak of TMVII in Minnesota right now - TMVII, also known as TM7, is a new kind of fungal skin infection that can cause tinea (ringworm).

TMVII spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact with the rash, including through sexual contact. Fungal spores can also spread on surfaces (e.g., shared razors, toys, or linens).

Learn more from MDH about TMVII and how to prevent it:
https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/tmvii/basics.html