Events

Background In 2010, the CAPRISA 004 clinical trial demonstrated that a gel containing an antiretroviral (tenofovir) could be used vaginally around the time of sex to reduce the risk of HIV and HSV-2. This provided proof of concept that a vaginal microbicide could work. In fact, it was the first trial to show that ARVs could reduce the risk of HIV—even before the string of oral PrEP trial results, and before the treatment-as-prevention trial results (HPTN 052, PARTNER). It was an incredibly

I guess I should start off by wishing everyone a very Happy New Year. I know we’re well into February, but as the saying goes, better later than never. I trust and hope the New Year is treating you well and that you’re in amazing health and spirits. So far the New Year is off to a great start for me. Once again I was selected by FORD Motor Company to be their official photographer for the 11th Annual NAACP Image Awards Symposium. This is the second year that they’ve reached out to me t

Kisses 4 CANFAR is a national awareness and fundraising campaign run by CANFAR. To participate. Smoochers can either sign up and fundraise for the campaign, or donate to support our kissers.  Canadians can participate by: WEAR & SHARE: Share a #SmoochieSelfie on social media to raise awareness. Tag #Kisses4CANFAR so friends can find out more about the campaign. TAKE THE PLEDGE: Take the Kisses 4 CANFAR pledge and make a personal commitment to kissing HIV and AIDS goodbye. BECOME A KIS

What is old is new again.  In Toronto only a few years ago there was only a handful of storytelling shows in the city, including the one I started with a friend. Today there are so many I am no longer able to keep track.  What is great about storytelling and its community is that it is very humanizing. The stage is a great equalizer when we are each taking turns being vulnerable. The act of sharing our stories breaks down barriers and brings people together. I love the storytelling com

The Canadian AIDS Society (CAS) has announced that the 2015 People Living with HIV/AIDS Forum and the Canadian AIDS Society AGM will be held June 12-15 at the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa. Scholarship application forms for those people living with HIV wishing to attend and requiring financial assistance to do so are now available on their website.  What is the Canadian AIDS Society? It’s a national coalition of numerous community-based AIDS organizations from across Canada. Its goal is to st

This year, the Great Hall, of Hart House, University of Toronto was the venue for the Ontario AIDS Network’s Honour Roll reception. Everybody was there, including Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long Term Care, Dr. Eric Hoskins.  The annual awards have four categories The Person with HIV/AIDS Leadership Award went to Art Zoccole, the popular Executive Director of 2-Spirited People of the First Nations; Art has a long history of working on issues relating to Aboriginal people and HIV.

Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week 2014 reaches out to include Aboriginal People Living HIV and AIDS (APHAs), national Aboriginal organizations, government partners, health care providers,and community leaders to focus on how Aboriginal people can continue to work together to reach the UNAIDS 2011-2015 goal of: Getting to Zero. Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths.   While Worlds AIDS Day reminds us that progress has been made in finding solutions and moving

We used to be an angry grassroots movement led by those infected and affected with HIV, bent on giving the authorities hell. Now we are safe, professional, and all-encompassing - and muzzled by the governments who fund and regulate the bureaucracies we have built for ourselves,  That was the short version of our history, presented in the kick-off session of Where Do We Go from Here – AIDS Organizations, Services, Bureaucracy & the State”. Organized by firebrand Alex McClelland, a Con

It's been an interesting year of fundraising for the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation. This December will be our 2nd Anniversary of the POZ-TO events. My husband and I have worked really hard to keep this event going. The simple idea of an event where HIV-positivepeople can come and socialize with their friends (poz or not) in a safe space without judgement or prejudice seems like it would be a no-brainer. But the stigma of being HIV-positive and the fear of what others will think keeps ma

An original Dreamgirl returns to Hollywood for Divas 24. Divas Simply Singing, created and produced by Sheryl Lee Ralph, is the longest running music concert benefiting HIV and AIDS in the United States. It is produced in conjunction with the DIVA Foundation in order to raise vital funds for those living with HIV or AIDS as well as provide opportunities for prevention, testing and much needed education through a night of stellar performances from some of the music industry’s most recognized

Says HALCO: Our free workshops are held in person in our HALCO Boardroom at 65 Wellesley Street East, 4th Floor, Toronto, Ontario (one block east of Yonge Street/Wellesley subway station):  §  Canada's New Medical Marijuana (marihuana) Laws workshop on Thursday November 13 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Presenter: Renée Lang, HALCO Staff Lawyer). §  Planning Ahead: Powers of Attorney and “Living Wills” workshop on Wednesday November 19 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Presenter: John Nelson, H

The second workshop in the 2014-2015 series of free open discussion forums for people living with HIV hosted by the AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT)  is on HIV and the First Five Years  It will focus on these issues: Lived experiences from the first five years of living positively Considerations of strategies for overall health management Current guidelines and considerations for starting HIV treatment  How to build good relationships with your health care providers  The guest spe

You heard it first here, folks, Rob Ford came in last at the weekend. But first the background.  I don’t think I need to explain who Rob Ford is. But, for those who don’t read newspapers or follow late night TV, Rob Ford is Toronto’s crack-smoking mayor. He is an admitted addict, in the past frequently seen intoxicated and/or high in public (he calls these episodes his “drunken stupors”) who has spent part of the summer in rehab. He is also - and this is well documented, and often

The official Saturday night party of the Queen West Art Crawl (QWAC) is sponsored by TD Bank, and will feature top artists and live art performances to celebrate Toronto’s burgeoning west end arts scene. It wouldn’t be a party without drinks and some of Toronto’s hottest restaurants are providing guests with food samples throughout the evening.  John Caffery, who regularly DJs at Toronto events and festivals like Luminato, Pride and the Pitbull parties, will be laying down tracks to ge

We are deeply saddened by the death of our friend and colleague Elisse Zack, founding Executive Director of the Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation (CWGHR). Elisse passed away peacefully in Toronto on the evening of Thursday, July 31.   Elisse worked in the HIV sector for nearly two decades. Over the last 15 years, she built CWGHR from an idea into a vibrant national organization. It remains one of the few organizations of its kind in the world that actively brings together the