Centers All Black Women

BGSR affirms the value and humanity of Black women to support the practical application for centering Black women in discourse and programming related to HIV.
Women of diverse experiences will be charged with taking up space, sharing experiences, and co-leading initiatives that model Black women being seen, heard, and valued as leaders in health and healing.

Community Developed

Key stakeholders joined together to co-create a collective representation of what led to the Risk to Reasons framework and what we represent in the led, community. Black women, living with HIV, leveraging their talents in the arts (dance, poetry, vocal performance), education, healthcare, and public health fields, leading organizations focused on HIV, maternal health, mental health, heart health, social justice, and health equity, and most importantly the legacy of so many that come before them; our student population who will serve as Curators on their campuses and in community.

Pleasure Positive

BGSR activities use sex-positive framework and examine factors beyond the context of risk, deficit, and problem, to disrupt HIV and associated stigma.
Black girl joy and pleasure are situated at the core of activities, to normalize happiness and humanity in the same space as care and prevention. We will assert and validate the full range of how Black women show up, seek pleasure, heal, communicate, love, and live –in health.

"Our ask is simple. Be who you need."

Jasmine Ward PhD, MPH, CHES

Director

Dr. Ward is a native of Chicago, Illinois but has made Arlington, Texas home. She is a proud graduate of Tuskegee University where she earned a BA in Psychology. She went on to receive an MPH in Health Behavior from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and a PhD from UAB and the University of Alabama specializing in Health Education and Health Promotion. She is committed to building community and industry understanding of public health, increasing public health and equity priorities, advancing social justice to achieve health equity, and developing a diverse and highly competent pipeline of public health leaders. In addition to leading the BLiPH network, Dr. Ward supports various public health programs and organizations including serving as the President of the Black Caucus of Health Workers, a charter member of the Ethics Advisory Committee for Denton County (TX) Public Health Department, and the External Advisory Committee for the Graduate Public Health Program (GPHP) College of Veterinary Medicine at Tuskegee University.

Deirdre Speaks

Technical Exert

Deirdre has lived with HIV for over 20 years but is most passionate about her activism on eradicating stigma and ending the criminalization of people living with HIV. Deirdre Johnson is the Co-founder of Ending Criminalization of HIV and over-incarceration in Virginia (ECHO VA) coalition, a vast network of multiracial and gender-inclusive Virginians led by people living with HIV and their allies, fighting for freedom from stigma and injustice for all. Currently, Deirdre is the National Program and Strategic Planning Manager at Sero Project overseeing the AMP and Wellspring grant programs. She also serves as the State Lead for Positive Women's Network, USA, and is a graduate of their 2019 Policy Fellowship, the Sero Project Justice Institute (SPJI) alumni, a member of SisterLove, Inc. 2020 Leading Women’s Society, a U=U Plus Ambassador and has been featured as the top 100, 25 & 10 amazing people living with HIV by Plus magazine. Deirdre also hosts Pillow Talk with Deirdre Speaks, a weekly support group for people living with HIV that averages about 300+ years of experience participating.

CAMPAIGNS & PROJECTS

#BGSR

Black Girls Spring for R&R The title of our program, where we normalize conversations around HIV. Moving from Risk into Reasons for prevention and care!

#ASBW

Alternative Spring Break Weekend An extended weekend of real conversations, relationship building, relearning, refocusing, relaxation and whatever your "R" stands for!

Application

The R&R Curator application is now open!

apply here

Nomination / Reference

If you are nominating or referring a student, make sure the form is completed by November 2023!

Click here

"We must reframe risk"

to end the stigma and find solace in knowing there are sisters advocating for you, for me, for all of us. So none of us fall through the cracks.To normalize health as wealth.
We must reframe risk to leave a legacy of change, make a difference, bridge the gap. To learn, to grow and to share. To be part of a bigger impact.
We must reframe risk to work collectively. To commit to Black women. To shift the narrative.
We must reframe risk to show there’s life after HIV. To take control. To delight in the beauty of our shapes and sizes. To enjoy happy, healthy and fun sex lives.
We must reframe risk to affirm that we are creators, that we are powerful, that we are brilliant, that we are bold, that we are enough, that we matter."

Reframing Risk: Our Call to Action— The Black Women’s Working Group to Reframe Risk