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Our PWN-Colorado chapter along with other state partners hosted our 8th annual HIV and Harm Reduction Advocacy day at the state capitol! Over 70 folks showed up to hold meetings with 35 legislators about the issues that matter most to their communities including harm reduction, reproductive care, housing challenges, and reforming federal 340B drug pricing program.

We had a broad reach with advocates traveling from across the state and were glad to connect constituents with their elected officials from Greeley to Pueblo to Rocky Ford. We were sponsored by Representative Jenny Willford who reminded us that "the personal is always political" and advocacy days are a concrete example of democracy in action.

One participant said, "This was the best community organized event I have joined at the capitol, I felt heard and appreciated - PWN is amazing and I love you so fiercely. I was feeling hopeless and this felt productive. I will be back next year with all my family."

March 18th was HIV Advocacy Day in Alabama! HIV advocates came from every corner of the state to fill the halls of the Alabama State House and have crucial conversations with their legislators. PWN leaders took the stage—Myra Franks provided powerful testimony about her lived experience and Lisa Johnson-Lett led a storytelling and advocacy training, and led the group in an impromptu chant demanding change! We want to uplift our chapter's dedication to demanding meaningful involvement of people living with HIV in every level of decision-making.

Representative Marilyn Lands of District 10, Madison County, sponsor of HB89 which would expand Medicaid eligibility for all pregnant women in the state, met with the whole group and thanked the advocates for their passion and dedication to the cause. We were also happy to receive a visit from HIV leaders from Mississippi, who came out to lend support to fellow PWN sisters!

For the first time, HIV Advocacy Day in Texas was coordinated by people living with HIV through the Texas Strike Force. In particular, we want to uplift Angela Hawkins for all of her hard work and dedication to making this day successful!

March 24th was a busy day at the Texas Capitol in Austin. Over 60 HIV advocates advocated for the decriminalization of HIV and a sustainable HIV budget. On the same day over 500 advocates gathered at the Capitol to fight for the rights of the trans and immigrant communities. It was powerful walking the Capitol halls together and standing in solidarity with each other because we know our fights and our liberation are interconnected.

News is moving so fast these days, it’s hard to keep up with everything that’s going on—and especially to find out how you can quickly take action to make a difference! Keeping this in mind, we have changed our policy news strategy, moving from comprehensive written monthly policy updates to weekly or biweekly short videos on emerging topics with special attention to actions you can take now. The first few of these videos, what we’re calling PWN’s Policy Action News, came out in the last few weeks covering the Republican’s continuing resolution for the U.S. budget, and the state of HIV prevention funding to the CDC.

We also recognized the need to engage our base in conversation about longer-term strategies to keep our communities safe. We hosted the first, but certainly not last, of these discussions, “Advocates Saving Ourselves: Defending Medicaid for PLHIV” on March 19th, featuring presenters naina khanna, Martha Sichone-Cameron, and Keiva Lei Cadena. Over 100 people showed up for this frank, unrecorded conversation on the realities our communities are facing and actionable strategies to get us through this.

Stay tuned for more of this content coming to your inboxes and our social media feeds! We are working hard to keep you informed and mobilized.

Hey PWN members! Are you attending AIDSWatch 2025 in Washington, D.C. from March 31 - April 2nd? Connect with us and let us know what kind of support you might need.

The best way to stay updated is signing up on the form! PWN is gonna show up and show out like we do every year, come join us!

The Shero of the Month segment is our way of giving flowers to & celebrating the amazing advocates and members that are making a big impact in their communities. We need YOUR help in finding our next Shero!

Everyone is encouraged to nominate a community member they feel deserves to be uplifted & celebrated for their work, love, and commitment. Please take a few minutes to complete the form below and help us spread the love!

😍 Huge shout out and thank you to all members and allies who supported our chapters for advocacy days in Colorado, Texas, and Alabama! This is critical work that we can't do alone - so we thank you for standing with us to protect the rights of our communities.

People living with HIV are strong and resilient, and every day holds something to celebrate. Submit anything you want to celebrated, from getting appointed to a Community Advisory Board or giving a shout out to your fav PWN-er. There's nothing too small to be celebrated - let's uplift all of the joy and wins in our communities! 🤠

After relentless attacks from the Trump administration on the transgender community, trans Americans and allies from across the country will convene in Washington DC to show we’re not going anywhere. Join us on 03/31/25 at 4PM to rally, hear from activists and over a dozen members of Congress, and show Donald Trump that we are not going anywhere. Hosted by Christopher Street Project. Sign up here!

Are you a PWN member living with HIV? Join our virtual support group, Sister Circle, for a space to release, connect, and find peace! ✨ Join us Thursday, 04/17/25 at 8PM ET/7PM CT/6PM MT/5PM PT/2PM HT. Registration required to attend: bit.ly/PWNCARES (all caps). Hope to see you there! 💗

• Health Not Prisons Collective's new 2025-2026 legislative bill tracker
• "Keith Haring’s Legacy in Today’s World: A Conversation About HIV Activism" by Center for Strategic and International Studies (02/25/25)
  • Featuring PWN member Martha Sichone-Cameron
• "40+ Years of HIV: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t, What Shouldn’t, What Must" by IAS-USA (03/11/25)
  • Featuring Rebecca Denison, the founder of WORLD and a PWN member at CROI
• "Texas’ first abortion arrests stem from monthlong attorney general investigation" by The Texas Tribune (03/17/25)
• "Trump’s move to dismantle Department of Education sparks concerns over impact on civil rights and student support services" by Prism Reports (03/20/25)
• "IRS nears deal with Ice to share data of undocumented immigrants – report" by The Guardian (03/23/25)
• "CDC is pulling back $11B in Covid funding sent to health departments across the U.S." by NBC News (03/25/25)

• "With Data and Determination, HIV Science Conference Urges Commitment to Trans Lives" by Poz.com (03/19/25)
  • Featuring Keiva Lei Cadena, PWN Co-Executive Director

If you've been to a PWN celebration in the past few years, then you've grooved to the song stylings of our very own DJ Big Sal, a.k.a. Sallie Thomas - the decriminalization specialist on our policy team. Now she's bringing you a song selection to get your joy on! 

You can check out our previous celebration playlists on Spotify HERE!

If you are interested in sharing newsletter content, please contact us at communications@pwn-usa.org. Please note that content about PWN members is prioritized, and there is no guarantee your content will be featured.