End the Epidemic Newsletter

December's word is HOPE!

As we enter the final days of 2024, we reflect on an extraordinary year for the Morehouse School of Medicine SHLI Georgia Thrives community. Looking back on our accomplishments and forward to the possibilities of 2025 makes HOPE a fitting theme.

This past quarter, our presence within the community was unquestionable. We hosted an insightful and engaging Rural Health Day webinar on November 21. Click here to watch the recording. Additionally, Dr. Maisha Standifer contributed to raising awareness by participating in media interviews published on December 1, World AIDS Day. Our team also joined forces with the Empowerment Resource Center for their annual toy giveaway. Please take a look at the information below.

As we move toward 2025 with hope, our efforts will focus on providing life-saving information, enhancing our SHLI Health Equity Tracker by adding additional impactful insights, fostering deeper community conversations throughout rural Georgia and building more partnerships with organizations dedicated to health equity.

If you’re inspired to join us on this journey, whether through volunteering or by inviting us to participate in events you are hosting in 2025, we encourage you to connect with us. Email us by using the Georgia Thrives website contact form at the bottom of the Georgia Thrives webpage or message us on any of our social media platforms. We welcome advocates for positive change and are excited to collaborate with those who share our vision.

We are grateful for all the progress made in 2024. Together, let’s make Georgia THRIVE in 2025!

Meet Vicki Bridges Phillips, FNP-BC, FPMHNP

Family Nurse Practitioner, Director of Student Health Services at Albany State University

Dr. Phillips is a board-certified family nurse practitioner and an alumna of Albany State University, where she completed her bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the Medical College of Georgia, now known as Augusta University.

Dr. Phillips boasts a diverse nursing background with experience in public health, urology, pediatrics, obstetrics, women’s health and geriatrics. Her practice experience spans hospital, primary, public and long-term healthcare settings. Currently, she serves as the family nurse practitioner and director of Student Health Services at Albany State University.

A scholar of the University System of Georgia Executive Leadership Institute and the Albany State University Leadership Institute, Dr. Phillips was recently selected as one of 30 participants in the Leadership Albany 2025 class.

In addition to her professional achievements, Dr. Phillips is an associate minister at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, where she fulfills numerous ministerial duties and contributes to the church's Medical Mission Team to Haiti.

Dr. Phillips and her husband, Mr. Jesse Ray Phillips, Sr., have been married for more than 35 years and have two children, Beau and Jesse. Additionally, she is honored to be part of the Morehouse School of Medicine SHLI HIV/AIDS Health Equity Task Force, where she collaborates with colleagues to advance health equity.

World AIDS Day with MSM Satcher Health Leadership Institute Georgia Thrives

In observance of World AIDS Day, MSM Satcher Health Leadership Institute GeorgiaThrives proudly partnered with the Empowerment Resource Center (ERC) for its annual toy giveaway. This two-day event celebrated community spirit with a festive mix of love, laughter, holiday cheer and hope.

Families enjoyed wellness services, educational awareness sessions and seasonal treats such as hot cocoa and spiced teas. Children delighted in selecting gifts from the EPC toy box, while more than 100 community members took advantage of essential health screenings, including HIV testing. The event also offered important resources and educational sessions on PrEP, empowering attendees with knowledge and support for healthier futures.

We hope you have enjoyed our Q&A with Dr. Lawrence Bryant. Below is Part Three, the final installment of this insightful and impactful conversation. Enjoy!

Q: What role do support systems and community resources play in the lives of aging individuals with HIV/AIDS and how can these be improved?

A: Support systems and community resources play a critical role in the lives of older adults with HIV/AIDS by providing emotional, social, personal and informational support. These systems are crucial in helping older adults manage their health conditions, combat social stigma, access necessary medical care and maintain quality of life as they age. This is especially important when they face challenges like decreased mobility, falls, decreased cognition, complex medical systems and mental health issues such as isolation, loneliness, substance use and depression. By addressing these needs, community resources can help older adults with HIV live healthier and more fulfilling lives. Moreover, the support of a knowledgeable and culturally responsive healthcare team can help older adults achieve their healthcare needs resulting in better outcomes.

Q: Is there anything else we need to add that we may have missed that the public should make a priority?

Click on "Read More" below to see the answer to this question and the Q&A from Parts One and Two!

November and December proved to be significant months for media exposure. Every opportunity to speak and share awareness could save a life. Here is a roundup of the media interviews.

Click on the links to read the stories starting with Dr. Maisha Standifer's World AIDS Day interview on the popular podcast, Be Well, Sis.

Last month’s awaited interview with Georgia Public Broadcasting is now live. Take a look here.

Dr. Maisha Standifer participated in a Q&A session with Authority Magazine about healthcare disparities. The full interview can be found he re.

2024 was a year of great strides for the MSM Satcher Health Leadership Institute.

We stretched ourselves and our community.

We made new friends and partnerships.

We spoke and listened to the needs of the people we serve.

We took the need for health equity in rural communities to our followers on social media and the response has led us to our hope for 2025.

Take a trip with us as we reflect on the great things we accomplished in 2024!

We did more in 2024 but we hope to make Georgia THRIVE in 2025!

Click on the graphic or here to watch a snapshot of our year in review.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute encourages everyone to get tested and know their status. Click here (pages 37-38) to view a listing of local area testing sites (Source: NIH-funded Center for AIDS Research at Emory University). Together, we can mark another milestone in the Black community's ever-evolving history of better tomorrows and brighter futures.