Tag Archives: Events

30 Years of Facing AIDS

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Jon Vincent, Program Director for Prevention and Education, faces AIDS every day through his work for Fenway.

In honor of World AIDS Day on December 1, 2011, AIDS.gov asked people how they’re facing AIDS. As the largest outpatient HIV care provider in New England, Fenway Health’s staff face AIDS in a variety of ways. Our staff posed for photos to share how they are facing AIDS through their work at Fenway and personal lives.


As an organization, Fenway Health has been facing AIDS since the very beginning of the epidemic. In 1980, our own Dr. Kenneth Mayer volunteered his time to begin the Center’s earliest infectious disease research. In 1981, Fenway made the first AIDS diagnosis in New England. A year later, our Board of Directors created an ad hoc committee, an early predecessor of the AIDS Action Committee, to address the medical and psychosocial implications of the AIDS crisis.

This 1989 cover of The Boston Globe Magazine highlights Fenway's work during the early years of the AIDS crisis.

By 1991, Fenway was performing 40% of all anonymous HIV tests in Massachusetts; and our HIV caseload had reached 500, second only to Boston City Hospital. And 10 years later, Fenway launched The Fenway Institute, devoted to research and advocacy with HIV/AIDS as one of its core issues.

Today, we continue to face AIDS as the provider of medical care for nearly 1,700 HIV-positive patients. Our Navigation Project uses Peer Health Navigators to reach those at highest risk for HIV and get them into life-saving services. Our providers and HIV Counseling, Testing, and Support staff administer nearly 3,000 HIV antibody tests per year; and we continue our commitment to game-changing research through The Fenway Institute.

This week, we invite you to join us for a number of World AIDS Day related events, starting with a public screening of the AIDS documentary We Were Here tonight. Other places you will catch Fenway staff this week include:

  • Tuesday 11.29.11: Mobile Testing at Boston University LGB Union from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
  • Wednesday 11.30.1: Mobile Testing at MIT’s LGBT Union from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
  • World AIDS Day 12.01.11: All day walk-in testing at Fenway: Sixteen

This year on World AIDS Day, we are not only commemorating 30 years of an epidemic that changed the world—we are also looking forward as a community to the advances in research, education, care, and public thinking that will end it. As we prepare to commemorate World AIDS Day, we want to know: how are you facing AIDS? 

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Transgender Awareness Week: Why it matters and what you can do

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Members of the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition sharing information earlier this year. Photo Credit: flickr.com/rachelzall

The third week of November has become one of the most special weeks in my life in recent years. It’s not because it’s shortly after my birthday or right before Thanksgiving—or because I really love hot apple cider and scarf season. Within the past few years, this week has come to signify Transgender Awareness Week.

Transgender Awareness Week

There are so many events happening for Transgender Awareness Week, and I urge you to attend as many as you can. Last night, a fabulous trans organization, TransCEND held a movie screening for the incredibly moving film Cruel and Unusual; and today (Tuesday, November 15), is the highly anticipated Transgender Suicide Prevention video launch. Thursday, Fenway’s Violence Recovery Program is hosting a free screening of the film Two Spirits. Fortunately, the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition lists them all—which is great because it shows how strong our community is becoming and how our allies are really stepping up.

Why this is important

The end of this week is marked by a very solemn event, the Transgender Day of Remembrance, recognizing the many transgender and gender variant individuals who have been murdered due to their gender identity and expression. Each year, we remember the numerous—sometimes dozens or even hundreds—individuals, many of whom were transgender women of color, we’ve lost in the past year while we continue to mourn thousands lost before. If you really take the time, you’ll quickly see how much our community hurts from the grotesque overkill murders, assaults on us in public spaces, and spates of biased killing clusters across the country like in Puerto Rico and our nation’s capitol.

It’s not just violence that our community experiences. A recent report on transgender discrimination showed high levels of discrimination in health care settings, in employment, in housing, and virtually all aspects of life for trans people. I don’t know a single trans person who hasn’t experienced some blatant discrimination in one form or the other; and without explicit protection of trans rights, some will see no reason not to discriminate and will be able to get away with it.

What to do now

Show your support for legislation to protect the rights of the transgender community.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do. Apart from raising awareness, advocating, and organizing for trans rights in your workplaces, local businesses and service providers—which are other great ways to show support—one of the most important and time sensitive actions is to call your representatives in Massachusetts to support a bill that would protect transgender people in the state in employment, housing, hate crimes, education and credit. It’s really easy to do this. Just go to this link which will tell you exactly what to say and direct you to who to call if you don’t know your Reps. This bill could be voted on as early as today, so the reps need to know that their constituents see this as important!

It’s very easy to tack “T” onto “LGB” and claim support, but to show tangible support is as easy as making a few phone calls to advance rights the trans community in Massachusetts deserves. Make the call and ask your friends to do so too. 

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HIGH playwright discusses addiction, Kathleen Turner, and giving back

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Kathleen Turner stars in HIGH. Photo Credit: Lanny Nagler

Playwright Matthew Lombardo talks about his play High and the benefit he is doing for Fenway Health. The play stars the fabulous Kathleen Turner (Peggy Sue Got Married, Serial Mom, The  War of the Roses) as Sister Jamison Connolly, who agrees to sponsor a 19-year-old drug user in an effort to help him combat his addiction. Struggling between the knowledge she possesses as a rehabilitation counselor and a woman of religious conviction, she begins to question her belief in miracles and whether people can find the courage to change. High explores the universal themes of truth, forgiveness, redemption and human fallibility. And it stars Kathleen Turner! 

Playwright Matthew Lombardo

Fenway: The issues in High are very personal for you, as you have dealt with drug addiction in the past. Was writing this play, in a way, another “coming out” for you? Did you worry about acceptance by your friends and family?
Matthew:  I actually was terrified to write this play because I thought if it ever got produced, everyone would ultimately learn about my past. But the more I learned about addiction, the more I felt compelled to share my experience in an effort to help educate people on this very real and very devastating disease.

It’s infinitely easier to tell your friends and family that you have cancer or diabetes, because most everyone understands the components of those afflictions and will instantly have more compassion. But having the disease of addiction is not something people generally comprehend. The common misconception is that an alcoholic or addict can just stop if they really wanted to—and loved ones sometimes take it personally when that doesn’t happen on their time clock.

I suppose I’m fortunate that I have such an extremely supportive inner circle of family and friends who not only stuck by me during my darkest days but encouraged me to “come out” in an effort to help others suffering with this disease and bring this issue further into the light.

Fenway: The play focuses on the deep, dark world of addiction, but you do manage to blend in a fair amount of humor. Was it difficult to find that balance?
Matthew: Universally, there is always humor in every situation. And with such an intense subject matter, I needed to give the audience ample time to breathe, to laugh, and to process. That’s what’s so wonderful about working with Kathleen. She has this remarkable sensibility of knowing just how to balance all of that out. The audience latches onto her from the very top of the play and she basically acts as their tour guide, taking them through this very difficult journey with just the right amount of humor and receptivity.

Tickets to the VIP reception for the opening night of High in Boston will benefit Fenway Health.

Fenway: Speaking of Kathleen Turner, she is indeed a star-among-stars. How did you connect with her to be a part of this?
Matthew: I actually just picked up the phone and called her agent. I told him I was writing a new play with a role that I thought would be perfect for Kathleen. After he read it, he agreed and sent the script to her. Within a week or so, I was sitting in Joe Allen’s having a hamburger with her and my director, Rob Ruggiero. From that day forward, we started our collaboration and haven’t stopped since. I really don’t know if I would have done this play without Kathleen. She is utter perfection in this role.

Fenway: High has been on Broadway and is now kicking off a National Tour right here in Boston. How are you and the cast feeling?
Matthew: We could not be more excited! Kathleen LOVES Boston and so enjoys playing to the audiences here. I’m also a big fan of this city having had my last play, Tea at Five, performed at The American Repertory Theatre and then for an encore presentation at The Shubert Theatre. Our entire cast and crew really enjoy being together, and having the opportunity to hit the road with one another is going to be a blast! We are definitely a fun bunch!

Fenway: It was your idea to throw a benefit for Fenway Health in which 50% of the proceeds of VIP tickets will be donated to Fenway. 

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