ML - Michigan Avenue

2014 - Issue 7 - November

Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!

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"Howard Brown was founded in 1974 by members of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association to provide sexually transmitted disease screenings and treatment services for the gay community. In the '80s and '90s, it was at the forefront of the fight against AIDS, and subsequently became a full-service community health center. Today, 40 years later, we provide a full spectrum of LGBT-affirming health services, from family planning to alternative insemination to pediatrics, infectious disease, internal medicines, family medicine, and more. "The organization's 40 -year anniversary is a real cause for celebration for us, and this month we'll be celebrating at our Garden of Eve party, which has become one of our signature events. It's just going to be a big dance party to help us celebrate all our years of service. The tagline for the event is 'Pride XL.' We're going to keep it upbeat; it's all about continuing the mission, but also celebrating all the great things we've achieved. "I've personally known Howard Brown for a long time; I was diagnosed with HIV 20 years ago here, and I've also been a donor, a contributor to the Brown Elephant resale store, and a funder at AIDS Foundation Chicago, where I worked prior to this. The AIDS Foundation was a long-time supporter of Howard Brown, so I've come full circle from being someone who relied on Howard Brown services 20 years ago to now being the organization's CEO. "There are so many critical stories of how Howard Brown is helping people. Four individuals a week on average are told that they're HIV positive for the first time here. It's 2014, and there are better treatments for therapy, but it's always hard news to deliver, and it's often very emotional. I tell a story about a very young man who was just petrified— even today he was not really aware that HIV isn't a death sentence, that there are effective treatments, that he's going to be okay. But he burst out crying and was shaken up. We helped him, he left with an appointment, and he probably still is shaken up right now, but we tended to him immediately and tried to reassure him he has a bright future. We're not going to abandon him; we're going to help him get into care. Our transgender patients, too, face so much anxiety about healthcare because their bodies are in transition. They need a place where they can clockwise from above: Howard Brown patients and donors Naomi Goldberg and Libby Hemphill with their son, Nathan; David Ernesto Munar was diagnosed with HIV at the Howard Brown Health Center 20 years ago. Now he serves as president and CEO of Howard Brown, which has expanded its focus from the fight against HIV/AIDS to become a full-service community health center. continued on page 84 Lasting Health AS howArd brown heAlth center celebrAteS 40 YeArS oF cArInG For chIcAGo'S lGbt coMMUnItY, pAtIent-tUrned-ceo DaviD ErnEsto Munar IS leAdInG the cheerS. as told to j.p. anderson 82  michiganavemag.com PEOPLE Spirit of Generosity

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