Northwestern University pediatrics professor Robert Garofalo and Howard Brown Health Center youth counselor Cassie Warren are among the “16 HIV Advocates to Watch in 2016.” The list is generated each year by Mark S. King on his blog, MyFabulousDisease.com, and highlighted in Plus magazine.
Garofalo is known for his founding of the organization Fred Says (named after his dog), which aims to raise funds for agencies that help HIV-positive young people.
Warren said in an interview that she would love to obtain a mobile van to help youths. “I think if we want to make PrEP, hormones, and birth control more accessible to young people we have to reduce the number of things you have to do to get it, and we have to do it in a youth-centered environment. We have to bring it to them,” she said.
Some of the others who were cited were Nigerian Kenny Brandmuse, London-based advocate Greg Owen, British mother Lizzie Jordan and Atlanta’s Masonia Taylor.
“This list gets more global every year,” said King. “So it is surprising there are two people from Chicago on it. But really, I couldn’t resist. There’s just too much great advocacy going on in your city and I was proud to include Robert and Cassie.”