A new HIV awareness campaign is targeting younger, queer communities of color in Greater Cleveland with its messaging.
Gone is the symbolism of the red ribbon that dates back to the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Instead of focusing on death and loss, the emphasis is on knowing your status, getting tested for HIV regularly and seeking support for prevention and treatment.
“It’s like any other chronic illness. You want to know your blood pressure. You want to know your HIV status,” says Andrea Lyons, vice president of marketing and communications for Neighborhood Family Practice, which rolled out the campaign’s bus shelter ads at the end of May.
A Cleveland-area health center that serves people navigating poverty, NFP recently received a two-year grant to fund the campaign from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a federal agency focused on improving access to health care for underserved populations.
Once Lyons secured the funding, she prioritized a retelling of the cultural narrative around HIV. Images feature a variety of genders, races and bodies, emphasizing that HIV can affect anyone, of any demographic or look.
“It was really important to include communities that are not often communicated to, with and about related to HIV and AIDS. We’re very intentional about telling a story that conveys agency and dignity,” says Lyons.
Partnering with Pueblo Strategy
NPF partnered with Pueblo Strategy—a Latina-owned, BIPOC-focused marketing agency based in Cleveland’s Kamms Corners neighborhood—to design the campaign. Mariely Luengo, Pueblo’s founder and CEO, and designer Coly Puzzuoli presented NFP with multiple options, and to their surprise, “[NFP] took the most edgy, brave, forward messaging of the options.”
The bus shelter poster features a Black man with bright red hair holding a red anthurium flower – both nods to the classic red of AIDS awareness without the association of the ribbon. The message, “Your neighbors have your back,” evokes a sense of community rather than pathology, and “Solidarity in HIV prevention” showcases NFP’s message that knowing your status is community care. More advertisements will be rolled out over the summer in digital and print with similar themes.
From Lyons’ perspective, the agency “nailed it.” She speaks to the dedication anchored throughout the imagery and design of the campaign. “[Luengo] has LGBTQ+ folks on staff who were part of building this campaign, and you can see the love and passion come through this work. It’s beautiful.”
While testing the ads in focus groups, Luengo took note of a generational gap between older and younger queer communities. About the older LGBTQ+ folks, she says, “You can see their trauma. They’re the ones who had to bury their friends. They’re the ones who the government told that they weren’t worth investing in the science. And then the younger generation, they are very educated about the virus, but it’s hard to take care of yourself in this environment.”
Focusing on Communities of Color
According to Lyons, a top priority for Neighborhood Family Practice is to be a community pillar – which means educating and supporting everyone in Cleveland to be aware of their HIV status, even if they aren’t a patient of the practice.
“It’s important for us to be there and show up in a way that we can be known as a trusted community partner first, and the healthcare initiatives follow thereafter,” says Lyons. The advertising campaign seeks to connect with individuals and communities to make them feel seen and heard.
Both women also want to shift the narrative and stigma around HIV. Luengo says, “HIV campaigns in the past have been used as a weapon against ‘the gay agenda’ and to tell a narrative of fear.”
“The dream outcome,” adds Lyons, “is predominantly that communities of color seek out being tested and understanding their status. We were very intentional about wanting to communicate to communities that have a very high level of stigma related to their status, HIV/AIDS or even lifestyle.”
Intersectionality and awareness of systemic barriers to healthcare were another key consideration for the campaign. Luengo says, “The most difficult thing for the patient is to have continued services. Follow-up care and taking that pill in the morning are much more complicated when you’re looking for employment and housing and transportation.”
Future Works from Neighborhood Family Practice
You may have seen NFP at Cleveland’s Pride in the CLE, on Saturday, June 3. The medical center sponsored the Youth and Family Fun Zone during the Pride event. They’re also a sponsor of the Mx.Juneteenth event on Saturday, June 17.
Since this awareness campaign has two years of grant funding, next year will bring more HIV awareness initiatives from NFP. Lyons hopes to include interviews and stories from real Clevelanders living with HIV to combat the stigma and continue to educate and inspire people to get tested regularly and know their status. 🔥
Ignite Action
- Learn more about Neighborhood Family Practice’s HIV prevention, care and services by going here.
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