Meet Bruce Garner

Immediate Past Chair, Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council

Bruce Garner has dedicated his life to volunteerism, paralleling his professional career, and has remained actively involved since retiring in 2008. His mission is to give back to organizations that have contributed to his personal growth, often building bridges for others without expecting to use them himself.

Bruce's commitment to HIV/AIDS advocacy spans decades, including 12 years on the Board of Directors of AID Atlanta, where he served in various leadership roles during the height of the AIDS crisis. He played a pivotal role in introducing case management to client care through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Additionally, he has served on numerous boards, including Jerusalem House and AIDS Treatment Initiatives, and was twice appointed chair of the Ryan White Metropolitan Community Health Care Planning Council.

In the Episcopal Church, Bruce has held significant roles such as chair of the Commission on LGBTQ+ Ministry for the Diocese of Atlanta and President of Integrity USA. He has been a regular Deputy to the church’s triennial convention since 1994 and was the first openly LGBTQ+ person appointed to the church's national committees.

Bruce is known for asking challenging questions and advocating for equity and inclusion, especially for LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS communities. He was honored with an honorary doctorate from Berkeley Divinity School of Yale University in 2016 and has a collection of his works at Emory University’s Rose Manuscript and Rare Book Library.

Even though the skies were cloudy and gray, 300 women brought the sunshine. Dressed to impress, they set the atmosphere for celebration and empowerment in support of HIV/AIDS awareness and better outcomes for all people living with HIV/AIDS. 

While indulging in delightful teas, attendees received life-changing information about HIV policy, self-care and how to advocate for themselves and their loved ones. 

Special shoutout to panelist and Health Equity Scientist Dr. Angelica Geter, and special thanks to the D.I.V.A. Foundation founder and talented actor Sheryl Lee Ralph.

On October 9, Jareese K. Stroud, MPH, Project Director at the MSM Satcher Health Leadership Institute, represented us at the Morris Brown College Wolverines Wellness HIV Testing Drive. We applaud the students who prioritized their health by visiting our booth, where they received goodie bags packed with essential information, fun giveaways and complimentary HIV home testing kits. A special shoutout to Jason Panda, founder of B Condoms, the first and only Black-owned condom company, who stopped by for a quick selfie! Big THANKS to Morris Brown College for the invitation.

MSM Satcher Health Leadership Institute's Program Manager Evan Martin, LCSW-C, joined more than 1,500 people from across the Metro Atlanta area who attended the 10th Annual MSM Community Engagement Day. The event was free to the public and provided attendees with health screenings, information and fun for the whole family. 

This year’s theme was A New Day for Health, Equity and Justice! Through partnerships and collaborations, MSM provided resources addressing mental and physical health as well as the social determinants of health affecting quality of life.

As the nation places increasing emphasis on HIV/AIDS and aging populations, we are thrilled to have Dr. Lawrence Bryant, PhD, MPH, BSW, RRT, a trailblazer with over four decades of expertise in public health, offer his perspectives in a series of Q&As that we will be sharing through the end of 2024. We thank Dr. Bryant for dedicating his time to discuss these pressing health issues.

Q: Why is the focus on HIV/AIDS in aging communities on the radar? Why should the general public be concerned?

A: According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of the nearly 1.1 million people living with diagnosed HIV in the United States and dependent areas in 2021, more than 53% were aged 50 and older. Additionally, this population may also experience significant comorbidities associated with aging, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, renal disease, substance use disorders and various cancers.

A growing number of older adults are living long term with HIV (some were born HIV+). One reason is that improved treatments and testing efforts help people with the disease live longer and healthier lives. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), nearly half of people living with HIV nationwide are over 50. The problem is that healthcare providers often do not recommend HIV testing for this population because they think they are not at risk. Well, I’m here to dispel that myth. As a 71-year-old person living with HIV for 27 years, my sex life is still active.

National Rural Health Day: November 21

November 21 is National Rural Health Day, a day set aside to recognize and acknowledge the unique healthcare needs of rural America. One way you can support is by sharing information on your social platforms with your community on November 21. We’ve made it easy. Just download one or more of these prepared posts and use these hashtags: #NationalRuralHealthDay #PowerofRural #MorehouseSchoolOfMedicine #IAmMSM #SHLI #EndTheEpidemic. Also, remember to tag Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) and Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) in your posts.

In recognition of #NationalRuralHealthDay #PowerofRural #HealthJustice #EndTheEpedemic #GAThrives

Rural communities face a disproportionate shortage of qualified health care providers, with 71% of primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) located in rural and frontier communities of the U.S. states and territories. (source: HRSA Data Warehouse (2022).

#NationalRuralHealthDay #PowerofRural #HealthJustice #EndTheEpedemic #GAThrives

THANK YOU!

On #NationalRuralHealthDay I want to say thank you to the healthcare providers working in rural communities. Thank you for going the extra mile!

#PowerofRural #RuralHealthCare #RuralHealthcareWorkers #GeorgiaThrives

DR. MAISHA STANDIFER FEATURED IN COURIER ECO LATINO

"What’s most important is addressing the root causes of these disparities—ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background, has access to adequate health care and education on prevention," Standifer said.

In support of Hispanic Heritage Month, Dr. Maisha Standifer took part in a discussion with Courier Eco Latino newspaper about the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on Georgia’s communities of color. Read the entire article by clicking on the link below.