On April 18th, Sisters Luvinya Always and Rosetta Stone joined Novice Angela Merci and several sexy men and women from Fenway Community Health for a PrEP Awareness Bar Crawl. During the event, the Sisters and the individuals from Fenway Health wore shirts reading either “I’m on PrEP — Ask Me About It” or simply “Ask Me About PrEP.” The purpose of the event was to distribute information about PrEP, promote awareness, and reduce stigmatization by openly and proudly identifying volunteers as PrEP users. While the focus of the event centered on PrEP, the Sisters also distributed condoms and information about HIV positive support groups. Fenway Health also received a small number of vouchers from Gilead covering the cost of PrEP copays which were distributed to individuals who indicated financial hardships.
The event started at 8pm at Club Cafe where the nuns approached bar patrons and asked them about their views on PrEP. From there, the Sisters and friends traveled to Trophy Room, Cathedral Station, the Eagle, and back to Club Cafe. The night ended around midnight.
Overall, the event was extremely successful. While many individuals knew about PrEP, many of them were hesitant approaching medical providers for prescriptions or felt nervous about potential side-effects. This event created a safe space for individuals to ask questions and get connected to resources in the Boston area.
Huzzah!
