New Initiative to Increase Monkeypox Vaccine Access and Knowledge

—September 14, 2022

Center for Black Equity Receives Funding from Gilead Sciences to Lead Community Driven Initiative to Increase Monkeypox Vaccine Access and Knowledge In LGBTQIA+ Black and Latinx Communities. 

The Center for Black Equity (CBE) and Gilead Sciences, Inc. announces a new partnership to address the immediate need for increased vaccine access and knowledge about the monkeypox virus (MPV) in the Black and Latinx LGBTQIA+ communities. Utilizing the Center for Black Equity's ongoing partnerships and support of the International Black Pride Membership Network, this funding will be used to improve access to accurate information regarding MPV and MPV vaccinations at the community level, as well as linkage to MPV vaccination sites. Efforts will focus on linking Black and Latinx LGBTQIA+ persons to local organizations for up-to-date information and vaccinations in their local communities. The program will also address stigma to encourage testing and increase vaccination. Overall, this campaign aims to help end the MPV pandemic by positively increasing community knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors in ways that reduce new MPV cases within the Black and Latinx LGBTQIA+ community.

For more information about this initiative, contact CBE Deputy Director Kenya Hutton at k.hutton@centerforblackequity.org.

About Center for Black Equity
The CBE is a global network of LGBTQ individuals, allies, community-based organizations, and Pride organizations are dedicated to achieving equality and social justice for the Black LGBTQ community through health equity, economic equity, and social equity.

About Gilead Sciences
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that has pursued and achieved breakthroughs in medicine for more than three decades, with the goal of creating a healthier world for all people. The company is committed to advancing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases, including HIV, viral hepatitis, cancer and inflammation. Gilead operates in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.

Gilead has promoted equity, particularly healthcare equity, since the company brought its first therapies to the market. Through global partnerships, Gilead’s medicines today reach millions of people in low- and middle-income countries around the world.