Using the Arts and Dance to Engage Black and Latino LGBTQ+ Individuals and Reduce HIV Stigma

Sponsored by the HHS Office of Minority Health, in partnership with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP), the Innovative Community Engagement Strategies to Reduce HIV-related Stigma and Disparities Challenge (the Challenge) sought innovative and effective approaches for community engagement and mobilization to reduce HIV stigma. It also sought to improve pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) utilization among racial and ethnic minority individuals who are at increased risk for HIV infection or are people with HIV. The Challenge advanced through three phases and awarded a total of $760,000. It received more than 80 submissions and selected three winners, awarding each of the Phase 3 winners a $60,000 prize to advance their work.

HIV.gov is sharing the work of Realistic Education in Action Coalition to Foster HealthExit Disclaimer (REACH LA), one of the Phase 3 winners.

The Intervention

As a Challenge winner, REACH LA, through its gender and sexual-identity-diverse staff who, in addition to their professional careers, also work as social media influencers, dancers, and other creatives at large, developed the Persuasive Campaign and its precursor, the Wellness, Action, Prevention (WAP) video. To address HIV stigma, discrimination, prevention, testing, and other HIV-related issues, the campaign uses REACH LA’s decades-long history and relationships with Los Angeles house and ballroom communities to create musical interpolation videos. These videos include narratives, messages, and storytelling that promote, for example, PrEP, condoms, and HIV medication.

We recently spoke with REACH LA’s Chief Communications Officer, Jeremiah Givens, about its use of dance and the arts within the house and ballroom community as well as the Latino party crews to reach its priority populations—Black and Latino gay/bisexual men, women of trans experience, and non-binary individuals ages 13–39. REACH LA employs its four pillarsExit Disclaimer of

• social enterprise
• creative arts
• personal development, and
• health and wellness

to engage communities, focusing on HIV prevention education, HIV testing, linkage to care, and mental health support services for HIV-positive and high-risk negative youth and young adults.

Jeremiah explained that the Persuasive Campaign uses songs that are “relevant, current, and also considered iconic regarding the artist choices. We used songs—sometimes, by openly gay men of color like Frank Ocean and Lil Nas X—to promote reducing and ending HIV stigma by addressing issues such as stigmatizing language, masculinity, HIV status, and U=U” (undetectable equals untransmittable). The final videos premiered at a popular local bar that the organization often uses for its events. Jeremiah described how the uniqueness of the campaign, as well as REACH LA’s staff, positions the organization to meet people where they are.

The Impact

“We are the demographic that we are serving,” Jeremiah shared. “What we produce and what we service is for us, by us! A lot of us come from the different lived experiences who have experienced increased stigma in our community—whether it be our Blackness, indigeneity, sexuality, or gender.” The benefit of having a staff that shares the experiences of the community it serves created opportunities for REACH LA to expand its telehealth and free PrEP programs. “The best thing we can do is to express boldly and proudly who we are so that other people can feel empowered to do the same,” Jeremiah added.

Additionally, Jeremiah explained that the campaign yielded “an uptick in HIV tests, increased doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (Doxy-PEP) access, expanded registration in our incentivized HIV programming, and facilitated the enrollment of over 500 people into our free PrEP program.” Further, REACH LA was able to distribute HIV self-test kits and schedule appointments for on-site HIV testing at its facility. The campaign has also allowed REACH LA, as Jeremiah offered, “to use this video as a marketing piece and leverage for continuing the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative and the CDC’s Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign. Being able to partner and leverage our messaging for those [initiatives] has created a great impact also.”

Next Steps

Jeremiah shared that REACH LA will continue hosting weekly workshops and groups to engage the community, providing care such as testing and wellness support. The organization will also keep gathering input from the Community Advisory Board and focus groups to maintain authentic and unfiltered feedback. “It is crucial when the community feels heard, and we prioritize that value.” Additionally, REACH LA will explore creative tools to combat HIV stigma and promote PrEP and treatment through arts, wellness, social, and personal development programs that resonate with the community.

We encourage you to learn more about:

• The Challenge
• The HHS Office of Minority Health
• The OASH Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy