Fulton County’s first openly LGBTQ commissioner, an advocate for LGBTQ rights, and a fighter in the movement to end HIV/AIDS; Joan Garner was it. As a leader in her community, Garner laid a path for younger activists, and a new level of civic engagement to come. 

On August 30, 2021, the Ponce de Leon library in Atlanta, GA was renamed the Joan P. Garner Library, honoring the legacy of someone whose dedication to equality and civil rights led her community towards growth and tangible change.  

Charles Stephens, founder and Executive Director of The Counter Narrative Project, a nonprofit working to “…shift narratives about Black gay men to change policy and improve lives.”, wanted the library and its renaming to “…serve as a space to commemorate the legacy of Joan Garner and also serve as a reminder of the example she set. An example of service. An example of leadership. An example of commitment. An example of grace. I also hope this library will serve as a love letter to the Black LGBTQ community…”.  

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Georgia has no state laws that prevent private employers from discriminating based on an employee’s race or religion. Georgia has no law preventing landowners from refusing rent or sale to our citizens based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Currently, the only path for someone to resolve an issue of discrimination is to file a costly and time-consuming nondiscrimination federal lawsuit. But passing a comprehensive state law that offers protections for all citizens has proven to be quite tricky. Still, many cities across the state are adopting nondiscrimination ordinances (NDO) to help close some gaps between federal and state laws. 

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On August 4, 2021, Assistant Secretary for Health, Dr. Rachel Levine, swore in eight new members to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA), one of the newest members being Kayla Quimbley, a Georgia Equality Youth HIV Policy Advisor and youth HIV advocate.

According to www.hiv.gov, “The PACHA provides advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services regarding programs, policies, and research to promote effective prevention, treatment, and cure of HIV disease and AIDS. This includes recommendations to the Secretary regarding the development and implementation of the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative and the HIV National Strategic Plan.”

Quimbley, as a Youth HIV Policy Advisor, is trained on policy and advocacy while being equipped with the resources needed to educate state, city, and county-level policymakers around the creation of meaningful HIV- related laws and strategy.

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According to the CDC, 1 in 4 new HIV infections occurs in youth ages 13 to 24 years and they account for 70% of the 1 million people living with HIV. PrEP is a safe and effective intervention to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV. 

Georgia Equality’s Ending the Epidemic Fellow, Kheyanna Suarez, is composing a survey in an effort to gather information regarding thoughts, concerns, and barriers to youth accessing PrEP in the state of Georgia. The information will be used in the development of a toolkit that youth can access to educate themselves, understand the process of getting on PrEP, and navigate potential barriers they may face when trying to access PrEP. 

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August 20th has been established as Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (SHAAD), a day to bring direct attention to the South’s struggle with the HIV epidemic, as well as highlight the region’s unique set of cultural and systemic attributes. In 2019, SHAAD was launched as a two-day, in-person event held in Birmingham, Alabama, which continues to be its home base to this day.

SHAAD blossomed from the lively work of the Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC), SAC’s mission being: “to end the HIV and STI epidemics in the South by promoting accessible and high-quality systems of [HIV and STI] prevention, treatment, care, housing, and essential support services.” And in 2020,  just a year after its inception, the CDC recognized SHAAD as a national awareness day, its intention and purpose now being known around the country. 

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