Take Action: An Open Letter from AIDS Advocate Marla Francisco

Hello allies in the HIV/AIDS community,

My name is Marla Francisco. I’m an AIDS advocate and I’m asking you to take a moment to contact your legislators to oppose the budget cuts to HIV/AIDS funding.

I’m one of the many HIV-positive Illinoisans who is at risk of losing the critical HIV/AIDS services that keep me healthy. The anticipated budget cuts will impact every area of the HIV/AIDS services and the staff that run them.  The HIV/AIDS community has the power to stop these cuts, but we must TAKE ACTION! It’s easy and can make the difference between positive folks like me being forced to choose between taking our medication, paying rent, or putting food on the table. 

That’s why I told my legislators to protect funding for HIV/AIDS services and why I am organizing my community to do the same! I forwarded AFC’s alert to my network urging their immediate action. Can I count on you to join me in this fight?

Here are three easy ways that you can help:

•    Contact your legislators to urge them to raise revenue to prevent budget cuts. Tell your legislators your own story, no matter who you are: a person with HIV, family member, friend or service provider.
•    Forward this message to your friends, family, co-workers, and community-based organizations.
•    Print out this letter and collect signatures from people in your community, agency, church, support group, or neighborhood.  Fax signed copies to AFC at (312) 922-2916 by Tuesday, May 26.

Please show our state that this is of serious consequence and cannot be afforded.

Thank you,

Marla J. Francisco