Greater Community AIDS Project

Happy Pride Month! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

As we celebrate the joy, resilience, and history of our LGBTQIA+ community this month, it is also a vital time to look back at our roots—and look forward at the work still left to do.

Did you know that Greater Community AIDS Project was born directly out of local LGBTQIA+ advocacy and activism?

In our early days, we were founded by a group of local gay activists who stepped up when the rest of the world turned its back. We were initially called the Gay Community AIDS Project. Later, we transitioned to our current name to reflect an important reality: HIV does not discriminate, and the virus can affect anyone.

But as we honor that history, we have to talk about the modern reality of the epidemic. While the name changed to reflect everyone, the data shows us that systemic health inequities still run deep.

Today, gay and bisexual men account for more than two-thirds of all new HIV diagnoses in the U.S.—and among them, Black and Hispanic/Latinx men are disproportionately affected due to systemic barriers to care. Furthermore, transgender women continue to face an incredibly high risk, living with HIV at rates tens of times higher than the general population. These aren't just statistics; they are our community members, and these gaps exist because of ongoing barriers to healthcare, stigma, and systemic neglect.

Just like the activists who founded GCAP, we refuse to let our community be ignored. Pride started as a riot and a fight for survival, and the fight for health equity is still a massive part of that legacy.

This month, let's ✨ celebrate✨ how far we've come, honor the activists who built the foundation for HIV care, and recommit to breaking down barriers for everyone in our community.

When you support GCAP, you are directly funding local care, local advocacy, and local equity right here in East Central Illinois.
❤️🏳️‍🌈Donate today 🏳️‍🌈❤️ gcapnow.com/donate

Please join us in welcoming Jessie Stevens (he/him) to the GCAP team as our new Case Manager!

Born and raised in Chicago, Jessie’s lifelong passion for HIV/AIDS advocacy stems from the loss of his grandmother to the disease in the early 90s. That tragedy shaped Jessie into the person he is today—a tireless advocate for social justice and equity who has dedicated his life to inspiring change through social work.

Jessie previously served as an HIV Housing Case Manager at Chicago House, where he supported people experiencing homelessness and connected them with necessary resources. A certified Community Health Worker and a graduate of Northeastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Social Work, Jessie brings a wealth of knowledge to GCAP and our clients. While beginning his work here, he is also currently pursuing his Master of Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As the newest addition to the GCAP team, Jessie looks forward to being an agent of change in Central Illinois by removing the stigma people living with HIV/AIDS and the LGBTQ+ community faces and empowering marginalized groups.

Please reach out to Jessie ([email protected]) for client referrals, questions regarding case management, or inquiries about transitional housing. We currently have three open rooms available in our Champaign House.

You can also learn more about our services by visiting our website at gcapnow.com.