As more and more folks connect virtually via texts and Zooms, the chance to socialize IRL—in real life!—grows increasingly rare. Thankfully, the Reunion Project delivers exactly that opportunity to people affected by HIV across the nation.
The Reunion Project is a network of long-term survivors that connects, empowers and advocates for people living with HIV. In February, it held events in Chicago and San Francsico where people living with HIV and their allies built community through storytelling and advocacy.
“We want to bring people together to show their stories of survival and resilience,” Reunion Project executive director Jeff Berry told the Windy City Times. “There’s hope in community, and there’s strength in community, and there’s love in community.”
Berry and other activists living with HIV founded the Reunion Project in 2015 to provide a safe space for people living with HIV who survived the AIDS epidemic, especially the early years before effective treatment became available in the mid-’90s. Its key events include long-term survivor tool kits, virtual meetings and in-person community-led town halls.
Last month, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation hosted the two-day HIV & Aging Symposium organized by The Reunion Project and the National Working Positive Coalition. Over 100 people living with HIV and their allies convene to discuss health, wellness, quality of life and employment concerns in their communities.
“What an amazing gathering of community these past few days in San Francisco. Long-term survivors came together to celebrate, connect, and share their experiences. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone for their support, and willingness to be vulnerable. We need each other now more than ever,” wrote Berry in a Facebook post.
A few weeks later, community members and folks from the AIDS Foundation Chicago gathered for The Reunion Project Chicago 5.0, the theme of which was “Honoring The Past, Claiming Our Future.” The first day of the event was an employment forum for people living with HIV; the second day focused on connection through storytelling and informative workshops. It marked the Reunion Project’s fifth such event.
“We’re not going be able to do this forever,” Berry told the Windy City Times. “We really want to inspire younger generational leaders to take the helm and devise the programs and systems that are needed, in particular when all of these are under attack by the current administration. We’re really gonna need that leadership.”
For those unable to attend in-person gatherings, the Reunion Project also hosts virtual events. On Wednesday, March 25 at 12 p.m. ET, it will host a virtual webinar titled “Reclaiming Vitality: Understanding Hormone Health, Testosterone, and Aging with HIV.” Part of the Long-Term Survivor Toolkit Series, it’s presented by long-term survivor, chemical engineer and author Nelson Vergel. For more details, see POZ’s calendar listing.
To learn more about the Reunion Project and its past events, read POZ’s previously published stories about the organization:
