The Reunion Project is hosting a meetup for HIV survivors later this month at Loyola University Chicago, where people can gather to share their experiences, learn strategies for aging with HIV and access resources.
The two-day peer-led convening, “Together We Stand, Forever We Thrive,” will take place from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Oct. 24-25 at Kasbeer Hall at Loyola University, 25 Pearson St. It’s free to attend, but people can RSVP online.
“The intent is to create safer place for long-term survivors to get together and share their stories of resilience and access tools to improve their quality of life as they age with HIV,” said Jeff Berry, who co-founded the Reunion Project in 2015. “I think having these spaces is important now more than ever. The connections people make carry on beyond the event itself.”
The Reunion Project is an alliance of long-term HIV survivors that hosts numerous gatherings throughout the country as well as webinars on a variety of issues related to HIV long-term survivors. The group’s goal is to create ongoing survivor networks that remain even after everyone goes home from the event.
“We’re really trying to educate and lift up other long-term survivors as leaders in the work we do so they can provide input on the design of programs, policies and campaigns for people aging with HIV,” Berry said. “It’s crucial we lift up the voices of people most impacted and make sure they’re at the table helping make the decisions that are going to affect them.”
The Reunion Project’s meetups and resources can be useful for all HIV/AIDS survivors and their loved ones, no matter who they are or when they were diagnosed.
The project’s general definition of long-term survivors is anyone who was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS before 1996, since they experienced the early days of the epidemic before reliable treatments were developed. However, long-term survivors could also include people who were born with HIV/AIDS, people who’ve been diagnosed for 10+ years, and allies who cared for and lost loved ones to the disease.
“We don’t turn anyone away,” Berry said. “We depended on each other as a community coming together to share information. We were able to really change the trajectory of the epidemic by community input and community activism and advocacy, and that continues to this day.”
The regional convenings are a place where survivors can connect and share their experiences with others who understand what they’re going through. Due to the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDs, simply coming together at a meetup can be empowering for survivors since they might not have many other opportunities to talk about their experiences and access support.
“It never fails, whenever we have one of these events, usually there’s someone who’ll stand up and disclose for the first time in public they’re living with HIV,” Berry said. “Sometimes they’ve been living with HIV for decades, 20-30 years, but they feel safe enough in the space we create to finally be able to share that. I think that really speaks to the work we do around HIV and aging in general.”
In collaboration with the National Working Positive Coalition, the first day of the event will promote access to education, employment, and other supportive resources. There will be tabling from local businesses and nonprofits, so attendees can connect with local services and job training.
The second day of the event will connect survivors through storytelling and informative workshops, featuring a mix of facilitated discussions, presentations and networking opportunities.
“As we’re all aging, it’s even more important to continue to share the stories, to tell the stories, because it’s so powerful and it can really help influence policy and change people’s minds,” Berry said. “I come away from every meeting feeling even more connected with my community and with a renewed sense of passion for the work we do to improve the quality of life of people living and aging with HIV.”
To learn more about the Reunion Project, visit its website.