Yesterday evening, we gathered for an incredibly moving evening of reflection with our community. HIV has drastically impacted so many of our friends, families, loved ones, and community members across the past 4 decades. As our panelists spoke, we were reminded of not only how far we have come, but also how far we have yet to go in the fight against HIV transmission and also in advancing equitable access to healthcare.

For over three decades, each October 11, the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies have celebrated National Coming Out Day — a celebration of of the vibrancy of our community that encourages folks to share their truth with the world and take a stand against all forms of LGBTQIA+ discrimination. But how did the day get its start, and why is it so important to observe?

The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the fight against HIV, TB and malaria in 2020, according to a new report released by the Global Fund today. The Results Report shows that while some progress was made, key programmatic results have declined for the first time in the history of the Global Fund.

National Gay Men’s HIV + AIDS Awareness Day is observed annually on September 27 to direct attention to the ongoing and disproportionate impact of human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) on gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States.

Each September 18th, CAP observes National HIV/AIDS & Aging Awareness Day. This day brings attention to the growing number of people living long and full lives with HIV and to their health and social needs. (#HIVandAging) With many scientific advances and therapeutic options, most people living with HIV who are on effective treatments can expect to live to more than 70 years of age.

CAP is excited to announce the start of a brand new program in SW Washington in partnership with the Rainbow Advocacy and Inclusion Network (RAINS). With support from the Gamma Mu Foundation, CAP and RAINS will work together to provide peer-based social support for LGBTQ+ folks in and around Longview, WA.

July 14 is recognized around the world as International Non-Binary People’s Day. This occasion shines a light on those who identify as non-binary and celebrates the rich diversity of the non-binary and gender non-conforming community!

As of Tuesday, June 29th, 2021, CAP SW WA’s STD Clinic is re-open to the public after a 15 month hiatus. Cascade AIDS Project had been providing low-barrier full panel HIV/STI testing and treatment to the LGBTQ+ community in Vancouver for nearly a decade when COVID-19 hit.

Sex, identity, family, relationships: All of these are topics you talk about with your therapist—and all are intimately related to sexual orientation and gender identity. How can you get help with family issues if your mental-health provider doesn’t understand what it’s like to have a different gender identity than your parents or siblings?

Testing.com, a trusted informational guide for medical lab testing and at-home screening, has recognized Cascade AIDS Project + PIVOT as two of the best community-based organizations in Portland for providing vital services, such as free or low-cost STD testing and treatment, to fight the growing STD epidemic.

HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD) is observed annually on May 18th to recognize and thank all the dedicated volunteers, community members, health professionals, and scientists working together to develop a vaccine to prevent HIV. It is also a day to educate about the importance of preventive HIV vaccine research. A safe and effective preventive HIV vaccine is key to ending the HIV pandemic.

The past year living with COVID has created some incredible logistical and service challenges for nearly everyone, and we at CAP are no exception. With many of our services being client-facing, we have worked to navigate the complexities of continuing to provide these critical services in a way that is safe for both us and our clients.

National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV Awareness Day (NAPIHAAD) is observed on annually on May 19, and it began 16 years ago thanks to a group in California called API Wellness. Up to this point, the faces of the AIDS crisis were predominantly white gay men, and presently, the most at-risk demographic is African American men.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General has issued an alert to the public about fraud schemes related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Scammers are using telemarketing calls, text messages, social media platforms, and door-to-door visits to perpetrate COVID-19-related scams.

CAP and Our House have been working in partnership for over 30 years. Together, our two organizations have been exploring how an integration of our programs, services, and administrative operations might maximize our collective capacity to serve people living with, and affected by, HIV in every stage of life, throughout Oregon and SW Washington.

This April 18th we recognize the 6th annual National Transgender HIV Testing Day (NTHTD). NTHTD was created to highlight ways to reduce HIV transmission, HIV stigma and promote routine HIV testing for transgender and gender non-binary folks – population which experience disproportionately high rates of HIV transmission.

Today’s young people are the first generation who have never known a world without HIV and AIDS. In the United States, more than 1 in 5 new HIV diagnosis are young people between 13 and 24 years old. By the end of 2016 around 51 percent of youth living with HIV were unaware that they had HIV.

With COVID drastically impacting many of our direct client services, such as HIV + STI testing, we wanted to take a moment to provide a quick update about testing at CAP and how you can find testing opportunities near you!

I’m writing this open letter on behalf of Cascade AIDS Project (CAP) to first and foremost condemn the racist violence experienced by Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. This event has brought to light that, as an organization, we too have participated in systems that have failed the AAPI community. I want to apologize and acknowledge that our work with and advocacy for your communities in Oregon and SW Washington has been lacking.