Advancing LGBTQ Health
& Community Equity
Health journalism produced by LGBTQ media brings attention to critical issues—from inequitable access to healthcare to groundbreaking medical advancements that benefit the community. Even in a city as medically advanced and globally recognized as Houston, disparities in care and access continue to affect many LGBTQ individuals.
The OutSmart Foundation supports reporting that documents these disparities while highlighting emerging research, community resources, and innovative solutions that improve health outcomes and advance equity for LGBTQ communities.
Through independent journalism and community storytelling, this reporting helps inform the public and connect readers with vital resources.
Reporting on LGBTQ Health Equity
DOCUMENTING HISTORYCOMMUNICATING THE ORAL History of AIDS in Houston
May 2016 Issue
Today’s medical advances—including PrEP therapy and modern antiretroviral treatments—have transformed HIV care. Yet the devastating early years of the AIDS epidemic remain a critical chapter in our community’s history. Many who lived through that era have understandably tried to put those painful memories behind them, but preserving these stories is essential to understanding the impact of HIV/AIDS and the resilience of those affected.
To help ensure these experiences are not lost, The oH Project was founded to collect, preserve, and share the stories of people affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Houston, Harris County, and Southeast Texas—particularly those from the earliest years of the crisis.
COMMUNITYAvery Belyeu
March 2024 issue & ACCOMPANYING video
OutSmart Media profiled Avery Belyeu following her appointment as CEO of the Montrose Center, Houston’s largest LGBTQ community resource center. With more than a decade of national nonprofit leadership experience, Belyeu brings valuable perspective and vision to an organization that has long served as a cornerstone of support for LGBTQ individuals and families in the region.
MEDICAL RESEARCHIn an interview with OutSmart Media reporter Lourdes Zavaleta, Dr. Jonatan Gioia discussed his role in a major medical breakthrough: the development of the first injectable PrEP treatment, approved by the FDA in 2021.
Gioia helped coordinate clinical trials for the new HIV prevention therapy and emphasized the importance of representation in medical research.
“Diversity in clinical trials is absolutely fundamental,” Gioia explained. “We need to really understand the communities that we serve. We know that underserved communities are the most impacted by HIV. Therefore, those are the folks that also have to be represented in these clinical trials.”
Jonatan Gioia
February 2019 issue
COMMUNITYALLIES IN HOPE
june 2023 issue
As the conversation around HIV/AIDS has evolved, so have the organizations working tirelessly to combat stigma and provide critical resources. The AIDS Foundation Houston recently rebranded as Allies in Hope to foster inclusivity and connect with a broader community; it also named Jeffrey Campbell as its first Black CEO. The changes represent a hopeful new chapter in the fight to end HIV/AIDS in Houston.
LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH: A 30-year history
October 2011 Issue
DOCUMENTING HISTORYWhat began as a grassroots effort by LGBTQ activists grew into the Montrose Clinic, a vital resource for Houston’s LGBTQ community. Over time, it expanded its reach and services, evolving into what is now Legacy Community Health — Houston’s largest community health provider, serving diverse populations with care and compassion.
OutSmart Media chronicled the evolution of Legacy with photos, an oral history and timeline.
COMMUNITYCaleb Brown
November 2021 issue
In a cover story and profile in the November 2021 issue of OutSmart Media, Houstonian Caleb Brown spoke with reporter Zach McKenzie about ways he challenges the stigma of living with HIV. “My first post was a video of me taking my medicine and talking about what living with HIV is like. I wanted to normalize it and explain that there was no reason to be scared. I’m a normal person just like anyone else.” Brown’s posts caught fire and his reach expanded outside of his social circles. “Strangers started messaging me, asking about where they could get PrEP, what next steps they should take after getting a diagnosis, or about free clinics in their area. These questions forced me to do the research, and I was glad to do it. It eventually became second nature.”
COMMUNITYPaula chambers
June 2024 online feature
Colorectal cancer is the second-most-fatal cancer in the United States — and it’s also probably one of the most stigmatized cancers. “There’s no point in being ashamed in talking about colorectal cancer. And yet, so many people are ashamed to talk about it, especially men, and even more so with men of color. As I have said many times, we all have a gut and we all have a butt,” activist Paula Chambers shared with OutSmart during Colorectcal Cancer Awareness Month.