District of Columbia
D.C. Dept. of Health, Whitman-Walker launch new effort to promote PrEP
PrEP Awareness Day highlighted availability of HIV prevention medication
Officials with Whitman-Walker Health say they are moving forward in a joint project with the D.C. Department of Health to increase public awareness of the HIV prevention medication known as PrEP that was launched on July 16 during the first annual PrEP Awareness Day in Washington, D.C.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a proclamation on July 16 for PrEP Awareness Day to “call upon all residents, healthcare providers, and community organizations to participate in efforts to increase awareness, understanding, and accessibility of PrEP.”
In a separate statement, Whitman-Walker noted that July 16, 2024, marks the 12th anniversary of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of PrEP medication as a safe and effective means of preventing HIV infection.
“This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the life-saving benefits of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PreEP) and its critical role in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” the statement says. The statement notes that PrEP has been proven to reduce the risk of HIV infection by up to 99 percent when taken as prescribed.
But Whitman-Walker officials and officials with the D.C. Department of Health’s HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD and TB Administration, known as HAHSTA, also pointed out at a July 16 press conference announcing PrEP Awareness Day that a large majority of people who could benefit from PrEP are not using it.
“Despite its proven efficacy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), less than 25 percent of the approximately 1.2 million Americans who could benefit from PrEP are currently using it,” Whitman-Walker said in its statement.
“This statistic underscores the need for enhanced public education and outreach to ensure that more individuals, especially those in marginalized communities, are aware of and have access to PrEP,” the statement says.
As part of its effort to step up promotion of PrEP, Whitman-Walker hosted two happy hour social events, including one on July 17 at the D.C. gay bar Thurst Lounge. The second one was held July 24 at the Sycamore & Oak entertainment center and food court in the city’s Congress Heights neighborhood near Whitman-Walker’s Max Robison Center facility.
Whitman-Walker spokesperson Lisa Amore said Whitman-Walker also has and continues to host “PrEP conversations” at local D.C. beauty and hair salons with a special outreach to African-American women.
Among those who spoke at the July 16 press conference launching PrEP Awareness Day related efforts were Clover Barnes, Senior Deputy Director of D.C.’s HAHSTA; Naseema Shafi, CEO of Whitman-Walker Health; Juan Carlos Loubriel, Senior Director of Community Health and Wellness at Whitman-Walker Health; and Dr. Kellan Baker, Executive Director and Chief Learning Officer at Whitman-Walker Institute.
“We gather here today not just to raise awareness, but to reaffirm our commitment to ending the HIV epidemic,” Loubriel told those attending the press conference. He said the fact that less than 25 percent of those who could benefit from PrEP are using it is a “gap” that highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and access to PrEP.
“We aim to bridge this gap and ensure that everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or gender identity, has the opportunity to safeguard their health,” he said.
Public health officials have pointed out that HIV/AIDS continues to be a major public health challenge, with over 1.2 million people in the U.S. living with HIIV and thousands of new infections each year.
Information about accessing PrEP can be obtained from the D.C. Department of Health at 202-741-7892; and from Whitman-Walker Health via email at [email protected] or by calling 202-939-7690.
District of Columbia
D.C. bar, LGBTQ+ Community Center to mark Lesbian Visibility Week
‘Ahead of the Curve’ documentary screening, ‘Queeroke’ among events
2026 Lesbian Visibility Week North America will take place from April 20-26.
This year marks the third annual Lesbian Visibility Week, run by the Curve Foundation. A host of events take place from April 20-26.
This year’s theme is Health and Wellness. For the Curve Foundation, the term “lesbian” serves as an umbrella term for a host of identities, including lesbians, bisexual and transgender women, and anyone else connected to the lesbian community.
The week kicks off with a flag-raising ceremony on April 19. It will take place in New York, but will be livestreamed for the public.
“Queeroke” is one of the events being held around the country. It will take place at various participating bars on April 23.
As You Are, an LGBTQ bar in Capitol Hill, is one of eight locations across the U.S. participating. Their event is free and 21+.
On April 24, the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center will hold a screening of “Ahead of the Curve,” a documentary about the founder of Curve, Franco Stevens. The event is free with an RSVP.
April 25, is Queer Women in Sports Day. And on April 26, several monuments in New York will be illuminated.
Virtual events ranging from health to sports will be made available to the public. Details will be released closer to the start of Lesbian Visibility Week. Featured events can be found on the official website.
Some ways for individuals to get involved are to use #LVW26 and tag the official Lesbian Visibility Week account on social media posts. People are encouraged to display their lesbian flags, and businesses can hand out pins and decorate. They can also reach out to local lawmakers to encourage them to issue an official Lesbian Visibility Week.
District of Columbia
Whitman-Walker Health to present ‘Pro Bono Excellence’ award to law firm
Health center set to celebrate 40th anniversary of legal services program
Whitman-Walker Health, the D.C.-based community healthcare center that specializes in HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ-related health services, announced it will present its annual Dale Edwin Sanders Award for Pro Bono Excellence to the international law firm McDermott Will & Schulte at a May 6 ceremony.
“This year’s award is especially significant as it coincides with the 40th anniversary of Whitman-Walker Health’s Legal Services Program, marking it as the nation’s longest running medical-legal partnership,” a statement released by Whitman-Walker says.
“As a national leader in public health, Whitman-Walker celebrates our partnership with McDermott to strengthen the health center and to enable Whitman-Walker to reach more medical and legal clients,” the statement adds.
“McDermott’s firm-wide commitment to Whitman-Walker’s medical-legal partnership demonstrates a shared vision to serve those most in need,” Amy Nelson, Whitman-Walker’s director of Legal Services, says in the statement. “Our work protects individuals and families who face discrimination and hostility as they navigate increasingly complex administrative systems,” Nelson said.
“Pro bono legal services – like that of McDermott Will & Schulte – find solutions for people who have no place else to turn in the face of financial and health threats,” she added.
“Our partnership with Whitman-Walker Health is a treasured commitment to serving our neighbors and communities,” Steven Schnelle, one of the law firm’s partners said in the statement. “We are deeply moved by Whitman-Walker’s unwavering dedication to inclusion, respect, and equitable access to health care and social services,” he said.
The statement notes that the award for Pro Bono Excellence honors the legacy of the late gay attorney Dale Edwin Sanders. It says Sanders’s pro bono legal work for Whitman-Walker clients “shaped HIV/AIDS law for more than four decades by securing key victories on behalf of individuals whose employment and patient rights were violated.”
It says the Whitman-Walker Legal Services program began during the early years of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s at a time when people with AIDS faced widespread discrimination and often needed legal assistance. According to the statement, the program evolved over the years and expanded to advocate for transgender people and immigrants.
Whitman-Walker spokesperson Lisa Amore said the presentation of the Dale Edwin Sanders Pro Bono Excellency Award will be held at the May 6 fundraising benefit for Whitman-Walker’s Legal Services Program. She said the event will take place at the offices of the DC law firm Baker McKenzie and ticket availability can be accessed here: https://www.whitman-walker.org/gtem-2026/
District of Columbia
Celebrations of life planned for Sean Bartel
Two memorial events scheduled in D.C.
Two celebrations of life are planned for Sean Christopher Bartel, 48, who was found deceased on a hiking trail in Argentina on or around March 15. Bartel began his career as a television news reporter and news anchor at stations in Louisville, Ky., and Evansville, Ind., before serving as Senior Video Producer for the D.C.-based International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union from 2013 to 2024.
A memorial gathering is planned for Friday, April 10, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the IBEW International Office (900 7th St., N.W.), according to a statement by the DC Gay Flag Football League, where Bartel was a longtime member. A celebration of life is planned that same evening, 6-8 p.m. at Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.).
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Calendar: April 10-16
