June 5, 2023, marks the 42nd anniversary of that fateful day in 1981 when the first report of what would become known as HIV/AIDS was published in this CDC publication. The report detailed five cases of a mysterious disease affecting young gay men. We consider this day the start of the AIDS epidemic.
This day always weighs on me, reminding me of the countless friends lost to this disease, an entire generation of bright and beautiful men coming of age in an era as we were beginning to allow people to be free to be themselves and express their love, only to face the onslaught of a new virus that devastated the immune system while inciting fear and loathing in society. The stigma that was attached to this minuscule virus continues still, 42 years later.
Scientists have made great progress identifying the virus and developing medications to minimize its impact, even making medicine that can minimize the possibility of contracting the virus. But the stigma of the virus can’t be stopped by science — only by the hearts and minds of people willing to see beyond myths and stereotypes and open themselves to see the truth. Through survivors sharing their stories and fighting for their lives and the lives of our community, through the movement of the outcasts acting up, through the strength of our lesbian sisters caring for us and organizing for us and with us, through the power of our fight for dignity, human rights, and equality, we have created ways to build communities where love and truth and action can overcome silence and stigma and inaction. Whether you are a 40 year survivor of this virus or diagnosed just recently, we have intentional communities of people who care, chosen families where there is safety and love, support from peers who understand and from strangers with a heart to accept and embrace.
On this anniversary, I think about our history, support networks like TIHAN, the pain and the progress and yet the marginalization that continues to create barriers we must work to overcome.
A few weeks ago was the culmination of TIHAN’s annual campaign to raise funds through our largest event, Treasures for TIHAN, built upon the passionate efforts of many, furthered by the generosity of hundreds more, attracting the attention again, even if temporarily, to the cause. It’s a massive effort of a caring community. Sometimes, through the trauma of our lives, we must take time to gather and celebrate that we are still alive, that our spirits will continue to rise, that our memories of our loved ones will never be forgotten, that we will overcome—in this life or the next—and find that love and justice are our destiny.
It’s both frustrating and inspiring that we’re still here fighting, organizing, loving, protesting, advocating, educating… Our strength comes from our connections and our love for ourselves and each other.
The work continues. Thank you for being part of it. Our lives deserve it. Our future depends on it. Each of us are small yet significant parts of the solution.
Scott Blades
Executive Director
Quick Links to This Month’s Articles
- Thank You for Making Treasures for TIHAN 2023: Disco in the Desert a Great Success!
- National HIV Testing Day
- HIV in the News Today: A New Development in HIV Vaccine Efforts
- Donating Stocks Can Have a Positive Financial Impact for You and TIHAN
- June is Pride Month
- Needed Items for TIHAN
- A $25 Raffle Ticket Can Win You an Amazing New Vehicle, Airline Tickets, or $5,000 CASH!
Thank You for Making Treasures for TIHAN 2023: Disco in the Desert a Great Success!
A huge thank you to our awesome community for making our return to an in-person fundraising event so wonderful. 200 people gathered at the Desert Diamond Casino’s ballroom that our team transformed into a 70s disco party, with lots of great 70s costumes, dancing under the disco ball, bidding on auction items, and enjoying food and beverages and celebrating TIHAN and our impact. And lots more folks participated in the online auction of more than 200 items donated to support the cause. Thanks to efforts of our planning team and the generous support of sponsors, item donors, attendees, volunteers, and attendees, this year’s benefit was one of our most successful ever!
Check out more photos, our sponsors, and the event program here.
National HIV Testing Day
There are thousands of people in the US who have HIV and don’t yet know it. They’re at risk of unknowingly passing on their HIV, and their immune system can be weakened because they’re not on highly-successful HIV medications.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV, and people at higher risk should get tested more often.
June 27 is National HIV Testing Day. It’s a great time to consider taking a test to find out your status and take action. Now that there are very effective treatments for HIV, and if you test positive, you can take medication and ensure you stay healthy and not pass along HIV to your partner, there are even more reasons to get tested. And if you test negative, you can consider if PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a good option for you.
HIV testing is available through your primary care provider, the Pima County Health Department, your local pharmacy, and community health providers including SAAF.
HIV in the News Today: A New Development in HIV Vaccine Efforts
“In the frustrating 40-year effort to develop a vaccine for HIV/AIDS, hardworking scientists could certainly use some help.
Newly published research suggests they may have found some in the form of a common white blood cell called a CD4 T cell lymphocyte — also known, incidentally, as a helper T cell.”
Read more of the article from the Fred Hutch Cancer Center with some promising news about an HIV vaccine development, click here.
Donating Stocks Can Have a Positive Financial Impact for You and TIHAN
Donating stock is an easy way to support TIHAN––please talk to your financial advisor to determine how this can be beneficial to you and to the people we serve.
Your gift of stock to TIHAN will help people with HIV to live well. Please ask your broker or agent to transfer stocks to TIHAN using the following account at Fidelity Investments (DTC# 0226), for credit to: Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (EIN #86-0819574), Account# Z40162576.
If your account is also with Fidelity, they have a form to accomplish your transfer called “Transfer Shares as a Gift” that is available from your account manager or online at www.fidelity.com or call Fidelity at 1-800-343-3548.
For more information, contact Scott Blades at 520-299-6647 or scott@tihan.org. Thank you for considering this important way to support people living with HIV.
June is Pride Month
In honor of the 1969 Stonewall uprising in NYC, considered the tipping point for the LGBTQ+ liberation in the US, June is celebrated as Pride Month (although Tucson’s Pride main celebration is held in the fall due to the heat of June). We echo this statement from The Center for Nonprofit Advancement:
“Pride empowers us to challenge the efforts of those who seek to marginalize and erase vulnerable communities. It serves as a reminder that our ultimate goal is for LGBTQIA+ individuals to exist and thrive with the same opportunities and privileges enjoyed by the most privileged and least persecuted groups in society. Achieving this equality will signify true progress. Throughout this June, let us remember all those who did not get the opportunity to live and enjoy life as their most authentic selves, and move forward in our fight to ensure every one of us has this right.”
Needed Items for TIHAN
When people donate items that we need, it helps a lot! Some people donate items that they might already have, or maybe they go out and purchase them, or go online and order them for us. We’ll provide you with a receipt for your donation of items. Since we are a nonprofit, your donations of these needed items are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
To see the items on our current wishlist, click this link: https://tihan.org/donate/#MoreDonationOptions.
You can easily order many of our wishlist items through your Amazon account and have it shipped directly to us!
Thank you!
A $25 Raffle Ticket Can Win You an Amazing New Vehicle, Airline Tickets, or $5,000 CASH!
TIHAN is one of the nonprofits participating in this year’s Millions for Tucson raffle sponsored by Jim Click Automotive Group. Grand prize: 2023 Ford Bronco Raptor. 2nd Prize: Two roundtrip first-class airline tickets to anywhere in the world. 3rd Prize: $5,000 cash!
100% of proceeds from our ticket sales will benefit TIHAN’s programs and services for people living with HIV. Purchase your raffle ticket(s) for $25 each. A maximum of 100,000 tickets can be sold, so your odds are much better than the lottery.
Tickets are available through December 8, 2023 and a public drawing will be held on December 14, 2023. You must be 21 years of age to purchase. You do NOT have to be present to win. Purchase tickets at https://tihan.ejoinme.org/win
