GLAAD brought the next stop of its Generation Z & HIV: An HBCU Tour to Alabama State University (ASU) on February 5, hosting a powerful day of conversations and community engagement aimed at increasing HIV awareness among students. Building on the inaugural tour stop at Jackson State University, this event united students, local leaders, health advocates, and national partners to center Gen Z voices and meet young people where they are in the fight against HIV
The Generation Z & HIV HBCU tour is designed to bridge gaps in awareness and access for young Black students across the South. Research guiding this initiative shows that while Generation Z are more open about LGBTQ+ identities than any previous generation, however according to GLAAD’s HIV Stigma Report, many still lack basic information about HIV prevention, treatment, and stigma. And even more so in Black and Brown communities based in the South.
Leaders in HIV advocacy and health education joined the conversation, including Marcus Wilson, Senior Director, U.S. Public Affairs at Gilead Sciences, Dr. David Malebranche, Senior Director, Global HIV Medical Affairs at Gilead Sciences, Dr. Shakita Brooks Jones, Executive Director, CAARAC, TC Caldwell, Executive Director, The Knights and Orchids Society, Toi Washington, Founder and Executive Director, Trans Women of Color Healing Project, Alabama HIV Advocates, and partners from MGOA x Payton Productions. Their collective expertise framed why prioritizing HIV awareness among Generation Z is crucial—not just in terms of prevention and care, but also in understanding cultural and systemic barriers that many students face.
During the night, advocates talked openly about how they engage with Gen Z and offer a brave space for students to feel comfortable in educating themselves and having open conversations and questions surrounding HIV.
However, in order for these conversations to be led in the most impactful ways, these spaces and conversations need to remain person centered.
“We have to make sure that it is specific to the individual. We have all these ideas. What is needed for this individual […] and we have to make sure we’re speaking to them and not at them,” said Toi Washington when speaking about her own experiences as a trans woman being left out of conversations because of stigma. “You’re saying it’s for me but the representation looks nothing like me.”
Students were invited to share their perspectives directly, offering real insight into what it’s like to navigate campus life and health systems, including experiences with the Student Health Center at ASU.
One student said: “Putting a banner on your table is not going to get me to take heed to your message. When things like TikTok are what is getting a lot of our attention. You have to find mechanisms that make it relatable to us as the new generation.”
Another student brought up how they don’t use their student health center often because there was never a real push or invitation to seek it out.
“For many, peak COVID was the main and first time many students stepped foot into the health center because they were required to. And it’s not really until you’re there when you meet the main nurse […] that you’re able to receive all sorts of information from COVID to sex education. But it should be a more inviting environment overall for students.”
These reflections reinforced that effective HIV outreach must be shaped by student voices and prioritize relatability, trust, and environments where young people feel genuinely welcomed.
At the heart of the evening was a Fireside Chat featuring renowned artist and designer Antowan Fleeton, a Montgomery native whose work and influence resonate deeply with local youth, in conversation with Darian Aaron, GLAAD’s Senior Director of Local News: U.S. South. Together they ended the night with a thoughtful and impactful discussion about identity, creativity, and health equity in communities of color.
“It was almost nonexistent” said Fleeton when reflecting on open conversations on HIV and queerness growing up in the South, “It was normally in a negative light versus an educational one.” He further emphasized that this absence of open dialogue shaped how many young people learned, or failed to learn, about their health, underscoring why creating intentional spaces for honest conversation is critical today.
“Silence doesn’t always equal safe,” said Fleeton. “Whether that means finding a safe space, or a safe person, if we don’t speak about it we can’t explore or figure out the options to do it.”
Through events like the ASU stop, GLAAD and its partners aim to change that narrative by bringing trusted voices, lived experiences, and essential health resources directly to students.
