World AIDS Day Community Reception Celebrates Art, Education, and Progress in HIV Treatment

Time:  1:30-4:30pm
Date: December 1
Location: The Indianapolis Public Library Central Library, 40 E St Clair St, Indianapolis, IN 46204

The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis (THFGI) announces a World AIDS Day Community Reception on Sunday, December 1, 2024, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Indianapolis Public Library – Central Library. This family-friendly event combines visual art, live performance, and HIV education to commemorate World AIDS Day.

The centerpiece of the reception is the #CelebrateUU Art Campaign, featuring 25 personal narratives from Hoosiers living with HIV in the era of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable). This photography exhibition demonstrates how individuals maintaining undetectable viral loads through treatment have zero risk of transmitting HIV to sexual partners.

The reception will feature a wide range of activities, including:

• A Drag Story Time at 2 p.m., with readings from “Hope for Ryan White,” a new children’s book written by Dano Moreno and illustrated by Hannah Abbo, that introduces HIV education to children aged 4-8 in a thoughtful and accessible way.  

• A vogue dancing performance at 3 p.m., which will combine entertainment with an educational component, demonstrating how ballroom culture has supported LGBTQ+ and Black communities, particularly those impacted by HIV. 

• The opening of the #CelebrateUU Art Campaign, a photography exhibition featuring 25 personal narratives from Hoosiers living with HIV in the modern era of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable). 

The #CelebrateUU Art Campaign is of particular note. The exhibition aims to reduce HIV stigma and promote understanding through the power of personal narratives. With U=U, we know a person living with HIV who is on treatment and maintains an undetectable viral load has zero risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partners. 

#CelebrateUU  is more than collection of powerful and important stories, says Todd Fuqua, the creator of #CelebrateUU: “#CelebrateUU is also a movement calling on people living with HIV to celebrate years of having an undetectable viral load—much like people celebrate years of recovery from addiction or years of remission from cancer.”

Attendees will also have access to a resource fair featuring 21 healthcare organizations offering information on HIV prevention, education, and general health services. A mobile testing van from the Marion County Public Health Department will provide free on-site HIV and STI testing. A panel from the AIDS Memorial Quilt will also be on display, honoring the memory of those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses. 

This free event is supported by BU Wellness Network, C Todd Creations Photography, Gilead Sciences, the Indianapolis Public Library Foundation, the Ending the HIV Epidemic and Ryan White HIV Services Programs of the Marion County Public Health Department, and Roberts Camera.

The #CelebrateUU exhibition will remain on display through December 29th.

For more information about this event, please contact: Todd Fuqua C Todd Creations Photography 317-847-1945 [email protected]