Indiana University-Indianapolis Sociology Professor Carrie Foote, is featured in the #CelebrateUU Art Campaign which opened at the Indianapolis Public Library on World AIDS Day, Dec 1. The exhibit highlights 25 stories of Hoosiers living with HIV in the modern era of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable). With U=U, we know a person living with HIV who is on treatment and maintains an undetectable viral load has zero risk of transmitting HIV to their sexual partners. The exhibition aims to reduce HIV stigma and promote understanding through the power of personal narratives, and it will remain on display throughout December.
Todd Fuqua, the creator of #CelebrateUU, describes their vision as “#CelebrateUU is a global movement calling on people living with HIV to celebrate years of having an undetectable viral load, much like people celebrate years of recovery from addiction or years of remission from cancer.” “This is more than an exhibition of portraits,” Todd emphasized. “It’s about changing the way we see HIV and ourselves as a community. It’s about celebrating strength, resilience, and the science that allows us to envision an end to this epidemic.”
Call to Action: The Path Forward: Residents of Indiana living with HIV are invited to share their own stories on social media, celebrating their anniversaries of having an undetectable viral load with the hashtag #CelebrateUU. Instructions are available at https://celebrateuu.org/ The ultimate goal of the exhibition is to amplify these 25 stories into 250 or even 2,500 Hoosiers, creating a ripple effect that challenges stigma and normalizes conversations about HIV. For more information on the #CelebrateUU initiative, including how to participate, visit CelebrateUU.org
The #CelebrateUU Art Intervention will be on display November 27 – December 29, 2024 at the Indianapolis Public Library – Central Library 40 E. St. Clair St, Indianapolis Event info at https://bit.ly/CelebrateUUExhibition
Click here to read Professor Foote’s story and what U=U means to her. She has been living with HIV since 1988. 