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New Gilead Initiative Aims to Empower Organizations Tackling the HIV Epidemic forBlack Women in the United States

Gilead‘s three-year, $12.6 million commitment will increase HIV prevention and health equity efforts for Black women and girls.

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Ribbon – Center of Excellence is one of the 19 grantees that will receive the first round of Setting the P.A.C.E. funding. (Photo courtesy Ribbon-Center of Excellence)

By EDWINA EYRE | In the rapidly evolving public health landscape, one stark reality has remained constant: Black cisgender and Transgender women bear a disproportionate burden of the HIV epidemic. Black women, who constitute only 14% of the female population in the United States, accounted for a staggering 53% of new HIV diagnoses among women aged 13 and older in just 2021 alone. Additionally, Black Transgender women have the highest rates of new HIV diagnoses among Transgender people and are more likely to go undiagnosed and untreated in comparison to their peers. 

Although medicines like PrEP and PEP can help mitigate these disparities, structural and social factors like stigma, discrimination and economic inequality coupled with significant gaps in the delivery of culturally-competent HIV prevention information and care continue to exacerbate poor health outcomes for Black women and girls impacted by HIV. 

“Since the start of the epidemic 40 years ago, Black women have borne the brunt of annual HIV diagnoses and premature deaths, largely due to the social determinants of health that impact us long before we even get a diagnosis,” said Vanessa Johnson, Co-Executive Director at Ribbon – Center of Excellence, a nonprofit providing support for individuals in need of services for HIV and chronic diseases. “Black women are the caretakers of our communities, but structural and social barriers like poverty, violence and trauma continue to fuel disparities within HIV outcomes, which disproportionately impact us more than any other population group.” 

Last year Gilead Sciences launched the Setting the P.A.C.E. (Prevention, Arts and Advocacy, Community, Education) Initiative to help address these critical issues. This three-year, $12.6 million commitment is aimed at increasing HIV prevention, anti-stigma and health equity efforts for Black cisgender and Transgender women and girls in the United States. 

“At Gilead, we know that we cannot end the HIV epidemic if we do not prioritize the needs of Black women and girls,” said Carmen Villar, Vice President, Public Affairs, Gilead Sciences. “The Setting the P.A.C.E. Initiative tackles barriers to care head-on by supporting high-impact organizations working to improve the HIV landscape for impacted individuals.”

Setting the P.A.C.E focuses on empowering Black women led- and serving organizations on the front lines of this epidemic, providing them with the tools and resources needed to rewrite the narrative on HIV care and treatment. Through its four key focal points –Prevention, Arts and Advocacy, Community and Education – the program seeks to support projects tackling HIV health barriers for Black women and girls, from expanding programs that provide culturally-responsive HIV care training to leveraging arts and media to engage local communities and address stigma. 

Ribbon – Center of Excellence is one of the 19 grantees that will receive the first round of Setting the P.A.C.E. funding. With support from Gilead, Ribbon will provide capacity-building assistance to other grantee organizations and non-funded groups servicing cisgender and Transgender Black women, focusing their support in the areas of policy, advocacy and convening.  

“Setting the P.A.C.E. will allow us to build a network of groups working to advance HIV health equity for Black women and girls, and foster convening spaces for these organizations,” said Linda H. Scruggs, Co-Executive Director at Ribbon. “There are a lot of organizations working toward our same goals. Once we create multilevel partnerships at federal, state and individual levels, we can identify gaps in policy and funding, and work toward providing services and advocacy to meet these needs.”

The programs that are part of the Setting the P.A.C.E Initiative will be either nationally- or regionally- focused. Most importantly, more than 75% of the organizations selected for grants are led by Black women and every funding allocation is directed toward initiatives spearheaded by Black women.

“Black women are stepping up to lead HIV advocacy and response programs across the country,” said Scruggs. “For the first time, we are building the resources and creating the opportunity to forge new paths toward fixing, healing and protecting our own community. There’s no reason why another generation of Black women, cis or Trans, should be casualties of the HIV epidemic in the years to come.” 

(Gilead: More than Medicine is part of a paid collaboration between Gilead Sciences and the Los Angeles Blade and Washington Blade.)

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6 Creative DIY Party Ideas for LGBTQ+ Celebrations

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June is Pride Month, and most of the LGBTQ+ community comes together to celebrate in the shape of parades, parties, and festivals. But why limit yourself to just one month in the year to celebrate all types of love and gender expression?

You can have celebrations throughout the year and create a theme around each event to support and cheer on the queer community. From activities to drinks and snacks, there are so many ways to DIY your own unforgettable event.

1. Paint And Sip

Paint and sip events are sophisticated get-togethers, although they’ve been known to spiral into revelry every so often as the wine flows.

Setting up your own paint and sip party is easy, as long as you have access to a hobby store. Purchase a couple of canvases, oil paints, and brushes, and you’re pretty much ready to go. You should also, of course, stock up on wine or your drinks of choice.

Once your guests arrive, everyone settles down with their art supplies and starts painting. You can stick to a pride-themed painting, or have everyone paint anything they want.

2. Fabulous Casino Night

You can never go wrong with a casino night at home. Classic casino parties involve poker tables and other card games, and you can ask your guests to dress up as if they’re going to one of the top luxury casinos in Vegas.

If your friends are a bit more tech-savvy, you can show them online casino platforms, and everyone can log onto a game together to play.

It’s recommended that you get a bit of practice first if you’re new to gambling, so review resources like 99Bitcoins Telegram casino guide to practice your gambling skills on a couple of Telegram casinos before you make a fool of yourself when your guests arrive.

3. Rainbow-Themed Cocktail Evening

Who doesn’t love a rainbow-inspired event? A fun way to get everyone involved in the celebrations is to assign all your guests a color before the event, and ask them to bring the ingredients for a cocktail of that color. Think sangria for red, appletini for green, and pineapple daiquiri for yellow.

Once everyone arrives, you can get started with the mixing and tasting. As an added bit of fun, request that each of the attendees also dress up in the colors they’ve been assigned.

4. LGBTQIA+ Trivia Night

A trivia night is the perfect opportunity to test your guests’ knowledge on all things queer. Questions can include famous LGBTQIA+ personalities, organizations, or historical events.

Just be clear about the rules upfront, including how answers should be submitted and how points are scored. You should get small prizes for the winners of each round, like candy, magnets, and restaurant vouchers for the big winners.

5. Drag Bingo Night

Planning a drag bingo night is a lot of fun, but you need some organizational skills to pull it off. You will first have to hire a drag performer, or if you’re gutsy enough, dress up in drag yourself. The drag performer will act as the host, calling out the numbers and entertaining your guests.

You will also have to prepare the bingo cards. There are plenty of free online resources to help, but you will have to print out the physical cards yourself. If you feel the inspiration, customize the cards with a Pride theme.

Next, you have to source the prizes. Custom t-shirts, gift cards, or mugs are all great bingo prizes. Or, you can make a donation in the winner’s name to an LGBTQIA+ charity.

Once your guests arrive, the fun can start. Online bingo platforms can do the number draws for you, or you can do it old school-style and add a couple of numbered balls to a box.

6. Pride-Themed Movie Night

A chilled movie night can also be a fun celebration, especially if you’re watching a queer-friendly film.

Some options include:

  • Brokeback Mountain
  • Love, Simon
  • Call Me By Your Name
  • Girl
  • Moonlight
  • Paris Is Building
  • Pariah

Invite your guests to arrive in comfy clothes or pyjamas, and create a cozy atmosphere with lots of blankets, scatter cushions, soft seating, and of course, the typical movie snacks like popcorn and pizza.

If it’s your type of thing, you can encourage discussion about the movie once it is completed, like metaphors in the film, or whether anyone has had similar experiences to the characters.

Wrapping Up

Celebrating the queer community with a party at home can be easy with a little creative inspiration and some prior planning. What really matters when hosting is how you make your guests feel. The LGBTQIA+ community often faces discrimination and other challenges, and your role as host is to provide a safe, fun, and welcoming atmosphere for everyone in attendance.

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Forget what you thought you knew about senior living.

Bountiful amenities and myriad program offerings provide countless opportunities to explore, learn, and connect.

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A focus on wellness. A wide array of concierge services, an executive pastry chef, and skilled mixologist. Technology baked into mobile apps and smart homes. Luxe touches within the big and small details that matter. 

They all come together at The Mather in Tysons, Virgina, a forward-thinking Life Plan Community that upends all the stereotypes of traditional senior living. It’s a residential wellness destination for those 62 and better, consisting of 288 luxury apartment homes. And it’s 90% sold!

One of the most sought-after residences in Northern Virginia, The Mather is THE destination if you’re focused on aging well. If you want to be immersed in new cultural experiences, art, food and nature. If you expect more out of living well.

At the heart of this award-winning community is wellness, which was embedded in the design from day one. The property features 3-acres of green space with walking trails, a concert lawn and dog park – much of which is accessible to the public. You can wander through sculpture gardens, stroll on walking paths, play bocce or badminton, or linger with friends at one of the fire tables and patios. 

Residents experience halotherapy in the Breath Lounge, where a Himalayan salt wall and zero-gravity seating combine for an evidence-based wellness journey.

Biophilic design throughout connects residents to the outdoors even when inside. The careful inclusion of nature within architecture is proven to nurture well-being. At The Mather, it comes to life through elements such as natural light, greenery, and wood materials which invite a sense of calm that’s often missing from modern indoor spaces. A commitment to using sustainable materials and creating a paperless environment contribute to caring for our planet.

When visiting, take time to explore the fitness center, which is equipped with advanced cardio and strength-training equipment, percussive therapy tools, and an AI-enabled body composition analyzer.

You might see residents enjoying a group class in Pilates, or practicing yoga or tai chi on the outdoor terrace. A heated indoor pool and infrared sauna are spaces for aquatic exercise and rejuvenation.

The full-service spa, Marzenia, offers a holistic menu of traditional spa treatments, including the Gharieni’s Welnamis wave bed, which uses sound and vibration to promote deep relaxation, and a Breath Lounge.

Culinary experiences at The Mather rival those of a high-end resort, with multiple on-site restaurants that curate global cuisine, as well as a bakery and pastry kitchen, and a bar+lounge with its own mixologist. Among them are all-day restaurant Maku (Finnish for savor), modern causal restaurant with outdoor seating Saam (Afrikaans for together), refined dinner venue Tashi (Tibetan for good fortune) and bar and social hub Copas (Spanish for drinks). 

Staying in for the evening? Choose delivery by Gusta, a robot named for the Italian word for “enjoy,” who’ll bring a meal directly to the doorstep. 

Gusta is just one way technology is integrated throughout the community. Each apartment home comes equipped with complimentary Wi-Fi and Alexa devices to control lighting, temperature, window shades, and more. Residents use digital platforms to reserve tables, request valet service, or schedule housekeeping. Of course, you can always visit, call, or text the concierge, who will personally arrange services from pet care to travel notifications. 

Connection is encouraged through beautifully designed gathering spaces such as Kia Ora, a living-room lounge perfect for conversation, as well as a library stocked with books and periodicals. 

Much more than a place to live, The Mather is a place to define your path to aging well, discover new interests and live boldly. 

If you see yourself here, visit themathertysons.com.

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How Sports Analytics Is Transforming Football for Fans and Players

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Football has always been a game of passion, skill, and drama, but in recent years, there’s been a quiet revolution happening behind the scenes. The rise of sports analytics is changing how teams play, how coaches make decisions, and even how fans experience the beautiful game. Let’s take a closer look at how data is reshaping football from the pitch to the stands.

Moving from Gut Instinct to Data-Driven Decisions

For decades, managers relied on experience and intuition to pick their line-ups and tactics. Now, detailed statistics are at the heart of every major club’s strategy. Analysts track everything from player movement and passing accuracy to shot quality and defensive positioning. This wealth of information helps coaches fine-tune training sessions, spot weaknesses in opponents, and make smarter substitutions during matches. It’s not just about numbers—it’s about turning insights into winning results.

Analytics and the Changing Fan Experience

Fans have always loved debating team selections and match tactics, but access to advanced statistics has taken this to a new level. Supporters can now dive into heat maps, player ratings, and expected goals to back up their opinions or challenge their mates. Many enjoy following live match data on their phones or TV, adding a new layer of excitement to the action. Some even use services like online sports betting to make predictions and stay engaged with the outcomes, relying on analytics to inform their choices. This interactive approach is making football more immersive for everyone, whether you’re in the stadium or watching from home.

Analytics in Irish Football

Irish clubs and national teams are also catching the analytics wave. From the League of Ireland to the international stage, coaches are using data to scout talent, prevent injuries, and develop young players. Local fans are seeing the benefits too, with more in-depth coverage and analysis available than ever before. It’s a sign that the game is evolving, blending tradition with innovation to stay ahead in a competitive world.

Balancing the Human Side and the Numbers

While statistics are powerful, football remains a game played by people, not computers. The best managers know how to balance data with empathy and leadership. Players, too, are learning to use analytics to improve their performance without losing the creativity and flair that make the sport special. It’s this mix of science and soul that keeps football captivating for generations of fans.

Sunday World’s Unique Voice in Irish Media

For readers interested in understanding the background and early impact of the Sunday World newspaper, the RTÉ archive provides an insightful look into the Origins of Sunday World, detailing how it established its unique voice in Irish media. Just as football evolves with new technology, the media landscape has shifted, but the heart of great storytelling remains the same.

As sports analytics continues to grow, it’s clear that football’s future will be shaped by both numbers and narratives. Whether you’re a die-hard supporter or a casual viewer, there’s never been a more exciting time to be part of the game’s ongoing story.

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