We don’t know about y’all but Fall is poppin’ off over at PWN! The leaves are bright and beautiful and we have so many upcoming events and opportunities we had to put together a special edition email just to tell you about them.

In this Issue

  • PWN World AIDS Day 2021 event

  • Reproductive Justice for Black Lives

  • Reunion Project Virtual Town Hall

  • PWN leadership webinar: Managing Conflict in Groups  

  • ICYMI: PWN’s 2021 Election Wrap Up

  • Apply for RISE Gender Justice program

  • Well Project hiring a Deputy Director

Don’t miss these upcoming events!

PWN’s World AIDS Day 2021 event: Rise Up! Women Living with HIV Demand Federal Action

A new National HIV/AIDS Strategy is dropping any day now and PWN has been pushing to ensure that Quality of Life, sexual and reproductive health and rights, aging issues, sex workers, and immigrants are addressed throughout federal plans. We are also fighting for MIPA, to center human rights, HIV decriminalization, and a moratorium on molecular HIV surveillance throughout the response. We even released a policy agenda that articulates all these demands, back in July 2021: Demanding Better: An HIV Federal Policy Agenda by People Living with HIV

So how are the feds responding? And what’s next for women and trans folks living with HIV? This World AIDS Day, join Positive Women’s Network-USA for a discussion of where we are and where we go from here, featuring the incredible Martha Cameron, Cecilia Chung, Pat Kelly, Naina Khanna, and Venita Ray. Moderated by Breanna Diaz, PWN Policy Director.  

Register now to join us on November 30th at 3 pm ET/12 pm PT!

Register for the moderated panel and discussion

Reproductive Justice for Black Lives

HIV advocates are fighting for reproductive justice for Black lives! Join the Positive Women’s Network-USA Alabama and Louisiana chapters for a community teach-in on reproductive justice, what it is, and how HIV advocates can use a reproductive justice analysis or approach in their HIV advocacy. This training is for PWN members, allies, and HIV advocates.

Join us Tuesday, November 23 at 4 pm ET/3 pm CT/1 pm PT!

Register and join us for the reproductive justice teach-in

Reunion Project’s Virtual Town Hall for Long-Term Survivors of HIV/AIDS

Join the Reunion Project for their next National Virtual Town Hall for long-term survivors of HIV on Wednesday, December 8, from 2-5 pm ET. The keynote speaker is Harold Phillips, Director of The White House Office of National AIDS Policy, where he’ll discuss the state of HIV and Aging.

The free event will also include breakout rooms, networking opportunities, resource sharing, storytelling focused on resilience, and more.

Register here to join the town hall

Managing Conflict in Groups: Web-based Training  


Join us for the next webinar in our leadership training series as we discuss group dynamics and conflict management on November 17 at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT.

Understanding the challenges and benefits of group work and having the skills to manage conflict is a necessary element of leadership – to ensure all voices, not just the loudest ones, are heard in meetings, coalitions, and community groups. We can do this by ensuring that PWN members, especially our chapter co-chairs, state leads, and other leaders are prepared to de-escalate problematic interpersonal interactions to center the group goals, to manage power dynamics within groups, and to facilitate group members in feeling heard.

Presented by Alicia Diggs, Barb Cardell, Kamaria Laffrey and Pat Migliore. Come prepared to share techniques that have worked for you!

Register now to join the leadership training event

ICYMI: PWN’s 2021 Election Wrap Up


PWN had some incredibly long weeks organizing our members and allies to show up and move folks to get out the vote on election day, November 2nd. Now that we’ve rested a bit, we want to share the amazing experience, celebrate the successes, and see what’s next in 2022. This November, PWN ran historic electoral organizing campaigns in Denver, Colorado, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that were planned, designed, and led by women living with HIV.

AND WE WON!

  • NO to giving landlords and developers a tax break while hurting funding for public schools in Colorado (Prop 120)

  • YES to improving Denver shelters for people experiencing homelessness (Question 2B)

  • YES to better funding for homelessness prevention and affordable housing in Philadelphia (Question 4)

We’re not done. We will keep organizing on the issues, holding elected officials accountable, building our base of supporters, and loving on our people. 2022 is coming and PWN is ready. Will you join us?

Read more about our voter organizing work here

Opportunities

The RISE Gender Justice program is accepting applications from transgender women of color living with HIV!

In 2019, PWN, in partnership with the Trans Strategy Center, launched the Resist, Inspire, Sustain, Educate (RISE) Gender Justice Training Academy to train transgender women of color living with HIV as expert facilitators and presenters on a range of gender justice topics. We have since graduated eight certified RISE trainers who are prepared to plan, develop, and implement culturally responsive training to support trans liberation. 

RISE II launches on November 29th, 2021. Join us today! To apply, fill out the RISE 2 application.

Participants will receive extensive training on trans and gender diversity issues and faculty will include trainers from our RISE Gender Justice graduates. After completing a final project, participants will graduate as certified RISE Gender Justice trainers.

RISE Gender Justice trainers have shared that their sense of self-esteem, ability to advocate for their own care and services, to advocate that programs are trans-responsive, and even to advance in their careers have strengthened as a result of their participation in the program.

If you have questions, contact PWN’s Training and TA Director Barb Cardell: [email protected].

The Well Project is hiring a Deputy Director

Our amazing partners at The Well Project are hiring a Deputy Director! This is a new position that will help expand TWP’s capacity and strengthen its large and growing community. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Deputy Director will share key leadership responsibilities with a focus on development, staff engagement, and organizational growth. This is an extraordinary opportunity for a leader who wants to meaningfully address the needs of women living with and vulnerable to HIV at a national and global level. More info about how to apply for the position is here.