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As our Board Chair @felinagriss notes: “Ending violence against women cannot be ignored by the HIV field.”

Thank you to all of our partners for heading this call last Friday, October 23, for Day of Action to End Violence Against Women Living With HIV: @blacksouthrising, @usplhiv, @elizabethtayloraidsfoundation, @aidsfoundationchicago, @nmachiv, @aidsunited, @prep4all, @treatmentactiongroup, @callenlorde, @nationalhahc, @theseroproject, @thewellprojecthiv, @pozmagazine, and @savehivfunding all showed up for us across social media.

Let’s continue that action and energy until all women living with HIV are safe from violence. Because as our trans siblings have taught us: When we are safe, everyone is safe.

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, please contact The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV); call 1-800-799-7233 or text “BEGIN” to 88788. And if you need a domestic violence shelter, please visit: domesticshelters.org

#HIVResist #EndDomesticViolence #Women #DirectAction

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Today is Day of Action to End Violence Against Women Living With HIV, a day that @laadyv1 and Morénike Giwa Onaiwu, PhD created with @pwn_usa in 2014, after two women were killed by their romantic partners because of their HIV status.

We know that escaping abuse is difficult, especially when you are in a relationship. That’s why we’re proud to share @thewellprojecthiv’s resources and safety tips on leaving an unsafe relationship.

Please read and share them with people in your community who may need help: Especially women living with HIV who are often ignored or blamed for the harm they experience. For more resources from The Well Project, please visit tinyurl.com/TWPipvHIV.

For more information about Day of Action to End Violence Against Women Living With HIV, please visit: tinyurl.com/PWNendDV

#HIVResist #EndDomesticViolence #Safety #Women

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At just 20 years old, Ciarra Brown, MS, HS-BCP, received an HIV diagnosis that would change the course of her life. But her diagnosis would never define the limits of her future.

Instead of hiding her story, she chose to share it. Through her blog, Healing Is Voluntary—an empowering reimagining of the acronym HIV—Ciarra opened her heart to the world, sharing her diagnosis, the symptoms that came before it, and the realities of navigating life with HIV.

What began as one woman's journey toward healing became a source of hope, connection, and strength for countless others who needed to know they weren't alone.

Today, as Director of Programs at The Well Project (@thewellprojecthiv), Ciarra continues turning her lived experience into a powerful force for advocacy, community, and change.

In this moving episode of Vital Conversations, Black Health President and CEO Shirley Torho sits down with Ciarra to talk about resilience, finding purpose through pain, and the courage it takes to turn your story into a lifeline for someone else.

Because sometimes, the very story we are afraid to tell is the one someone else needs to hear to keep going.

Ciarra's journey is a reminder that an HIV diagnosis is not the end of your story. There is still hope. There is still purpose. And there is still so much life left to live.

#VitalConversations #BlackHealth #HIVAwareness #HealingIsVoluntary #WomenAndHIV

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@hivjusticenet and @icw_global, with support from our global partners, invite women, trans and gender-diverse people living with HIV who have experience of breastfeeding or chestfeeding, as well as health practitioners, to join us for a global community consultation on the decriminalisation of breastfeeding.

We will hold three consultations, and you can choose the one that best suits your time zone and availability.

Find details in the shared graphics. To register, scan the QR codes or click the links below:

➡️ Option 1 – Wednesday, November 4, 2026 🔗 https://bit.ly/4i8oLHw
➡️ Option 2 – Friday, November 6, 2026 🔗 https://bit.ly/3UDNtHV
➡️ Option 3 – Tuesday, November 10, 2026 🔗 https://bit.ly/3VYj3At

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Major update to US HHS treatment guidelines for HIV (September 2026).

These guidelines are important internationally, for treatment prescribers and community activists alike. We welcome this significant update, especially given the uncertainty of continued funding for this project by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Use the link below for a more detailed breakdown on the changes, but here’s a short summary:

- New section on first and second-line ART and viral rebound, and treatment optimisation for people on stable ART.
- Dolutegravir/lamivudine is now recommended as first-line ART, regardless of baseline viral load.
- Recognition that interrupting ART can be caused by lack of access to treatment. However, the guidelines assume that viral load will rebound in everyone – this may take several weeks or months for some people.
- Updated guidance for injectable ART, including for people taking analytic treatment interruptions in cure studies.
- Expanded section on drug use, chemsex, unstable housing, opioid adulterants and other factors that affect HIV care outcomes.
- Updates to section on menopause, use of injectable CAB/RPV during pregnancy and infant feeding options postpartum.
- Each section now highlights the main knowledge gaps that should be the focus of future research.

Read our full article at i-base.info/htb/54719 or via the link in our bio (tap.bio). Image description in comments and all graphic text in alt text.

#HIV #HIVguidelines #HIVtreatment #HIVcare #HIVpositive #PLWH #HIVresearch #HHS #antiretrovirals #TreatmentOptimisation #TreatmentOptimization #ViralRebound #dolutegravir #lamivudine #ATI #InjectableART #cabotegravir #rilpivirine #HIVAndPregnancy #InfantFeeding #menopause #chemsex #UequalsU I hyphen base dot info. Major update to US HIV treatment guidelines: we summarise the main changes. HIV news. 2026. Link to full article in bio.

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HIV doesn’t have one face, one story, or one experience.

Diagnosed with HIV at just 20 years old in rural Georgia, Ciarra Brown shares how her diagnosis challenged common misconceptions about who can be affected by HIV and why awareness and education are so important, especially for young women.

In yesterday’s Vital Conversations IG Live, Black Health President and CEO Shirley Torho sat down with Ciarra Brown, Director of Programs at @thewellprojecthiv, for an honest conversation about HIV awareness, resilience, and advocacy.

Watch this powerful clip and join us in breaking down stigma, challenging misconceptions, and empowering our communities through knowledge.
#BlackHealth #VitalConversations #HIVAwareness #HIVEducation #EndHIVStigma #BlackWomensHealth #HIVAdvocacy

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In our October newsletter, our Comms Director wrote: There’s been no research on menopause & HIV. He was incorrect. He should have written: “There have been no longitudinal medical studies on addressing the elevated pain of menopause for people living with HIV.”

There have been too few studies on HIV and menopause and no serious money invested into overcoming its burden for our people. Horrifically, this is true of menopause in general.

Fortunately, our friends at The Well Project & Phoenix Health Movement shared research pieces on HIV and Menopause with us (we’ve included them in our video slides).

Notably, The “HoT” study is currently recruiting to address whether transdermal estradiol (with or without oral progesterone) can help resolve hot flashes, night sweats, and bone loss during menopause.

If you are interested in participating or learning more, please visit: tinyurl.com/HoTtrialHIV

And if you ever see something in our newsletters or social posts that need correcting, please let us know!

#HIVResist #Menopause #FactCheck
@thewellprojecthiv @phoenixhealthm

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Join us for a powerful episode of Vital Conversations.

Black Health President and CEO Shirley Torho sits down with Ciarra Brown, MS, HS-BCP Director of Programs
The Well Project @thewellprojecthiv)
for a candid conversation about resilience, purpose, and advocacy.

Brown will share her journey from an HIV diagnosis at age 20 to becoming a leading voice for women and vulnerable communities living with HIV.

Tune in for an honest discussion on turning a life-changing moment into a mission of service and strength.

#natlblackhealth #vitalconversations #hivawareness

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How HIV Criminalization Laws Enable Domestic Violence.

Abusers often tell women living with HIV who try to leave, that they will call the police and say: “You didn’t share your HIV status before we had sex.”

This is a problem because 32 states criminalize HIV non-disclosure before sex. Overcoming prosecution can hinge on proving your word against your abuser’s.

Many survivors of abuse who are living with HIV have been harmed by this dynamic. This is one reason why escaping abuse can be complicated for women living with HIV.

If you’re facing this situation, resesources from these organizations can help:
@hivlawandpolicy
@theseroproject
@nnedv
@thewellprojecthiv
@rainn
@ndvhofficial

Whatever your situation, please remember that you are not to blame. No one deserves abuse.

#HIVResist #EndDomesticViolence

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Last night I had the honour of speaking about ageing well with HIV at a community evening. 💛
Thanks to effective treatment, more than half of people living with HIV in the UK are now over 50. Many in the room marvelled that they’re still here, having been told over 20 years ago that they probably wouldn’t be.
Most were happy with their HIV care, but felt their ageing-related health needs weren’t being met. Many didn’t know what screening they should have, or hadn’t been offered the tests recommended by @britishhivassoc and @eacsociety
Their concerns echo those of millions of older people worldwide: fragmented care, too many appointments, repeated blood tests because systems don’t talk to each other, and retelling distressing stories to every new person.
Community activism transformed HIV care. Can community voices do the same for ageing?
We also talked about stigma and isolation. It was heartbreaking that for some, the only people who know their HIV status were in that room. But it was heartening to be among people who care so profoundly for each other.
Diet came up too. A 2025 Nature Medicine study from Tanzania found that switching from a traditional African diet to a Western-style diet promoted inflammation, while switching back had an anti-inflammatory effect. The Mediterranean diet is often seen as the gold standard, but it may not suit everyone. Traditional diets can be just as healthy, and more accessible and affordable, especially for diaspora communities in cities like London with markets stocking foods from home.
Remarkable people, who despite all they’ve been through, shared their experiences to help others. There is still much to do to make sure everyone gets the care they need at every stage of life. 🌍
@phoenixhealthm @sophiaforum @thewellprojecthiv @terrencehigginstrust
@africadvocacy
#HIV #AgeingWell #CommunityEngagement #patientcentredcare #HealthEquity

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First video from the 2026 U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS is here 🎤💜 NMAC

@ci.ciiiiii joins #PlusLife with a reminder we all need: the #HIV conversation isn’t complete until women are part of it. Fully. Loudly. At the table.

#2026USCHA #EndHIVStigma

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Sometimes you don’t recognize the growth until you see it all in one place. 💜🩷

I’ve been coming to USCHA for years, but this year feels different.

This year, I’m not just showing up as Kim Canady.

Conversations with Kim is showing up.

I’m partnering with incredible people and organizations on three different workshops bringing the work I’ve been building through Conversations with Kim into conversations about language, pleasure, criminalization, meaningful involvement, and the lives of people living with HIV.

And THAT is the part I had to sit with.

Because there was a time when Conversations with Kim was simply an idea. A way for me to take everything I had learned, lived, taught, questioned, and talked about for years and create something that belonged to me.

Now I get to look at a USCHA schedule and see Conversations with Kim, LLC attached to my name.

I see partnerships.
I see workshops.
I see relationships that have grown.
I see a business that is growing right alongside me.

This flyer isn’t just where you can find me. It’s evidence of growth.

And we ain’t done!

If you’re at #USCHA2026, come find Conversations with Kim! Catch me in a workshop, stop by the Gilead Sciences booth or The Well Project booth, or just catch me in the hallway and SAY HI. 💜

Educate. Empower. Create Change.

#ConversationsWithKim #USCHA2026 #SexualHealth #PleasureMatters

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