On March 15, ViiV Healthcare hosted a performance of “Take My Hand” as part of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s (AFC’s) Women’s Connection Summit.
According to Cynthia Tucker, vice president of prevention and community partnerships at AFC “The Women’s Connection Summit was created to help females who are on parole/probation obtain assistance to overcome barriers to success, including education about HIV and access to screening.
“We had more than 75 attendees [and] 45 vendors at the ‘Take My Hand’ empowerment workshop at the summit, and are so proud of the connections made between these women and services to help them reintegrate into the community and for those living with HIV to get the care they need.”
‘Take My Hand’ is an innovative, short performance piece based on the lives and stories of women of color living with and affected by HIV, inspired by research conducted by ViiV Healthcare. It serves as the basis for ViIV’s Positive Action for Women initiative.
ViiV’s Amelia Korangy added, “We want this performance to educate about HIV testing and inspire women who are living with HIV to find strength within themselves, to not give up and to seek help to get through their diagnosis and the stigma they may feel or experience.”