Shabbat Emor
At Shabbat services, GMHC‘s VP of Public Policy & External Affairs Jason Cianciotto shared the current state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic here in New York and more broadly. As GMHC faces $1.1 million in funding cuts in the City budget, Cianciotto addressed what this will mean for GMHC and our community at large.
From testing to dismantling stigma and the war on drugs, Jason was open about the need to end stigma/shame and to ensure that HIV testing, mental healthcare, and universal access to PrEP are part of standard medical care.
He also emphasized the importance of openness in healing trauma. With openness about his own healing process personally, Jason illuminated that the personal is also political — and that openness to learning, seeing, hearing, and feeling new things can help us to build safer and more supportive communities.
Thank you for being with us, Jason, and thanks to the whole team at GHMC for the essential work in our city for over 50 years!