A win for our community: Reported cases of HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and early stage syphilis have gone down in Allegheny County between 2024 and 2025.
However, certain communities continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Black women in particular have always faced significant challenges when seeking healthcare, and that is true in Pittsburgh as well. According to KFF(opens in a new tab), an independent healthcare policy organization, “about one in five (21%) Black women say they have been treated unfairly by a health care provider or their staff because of their racial or ethnic background.”
Allies’ vision is to create a space where people access integrated medical care and supportive human services in a respectful setting, free of stigma and discrimination. As such, increasing access to resources among Black women remains a high priority.
Allies has looked back to our history of programs that centered Black women, and we’re giving the concept a refresh for 2026. The concept is simple: engage women in conversation about STIs in small groups, encouraging questions and sharing. We will ensure everyone knows multiple ways to prevent STIs, whether it’s taking PrEP, using condoms properly, changing a behavior – like figuring out how to talk to sex partners – and more. We will address stigma and misconceptions, offer free STI testing and provide refreshments and other incentives.
Though reaching Black women is our focus right now, our team is excited to provide community education to groups of all kinds, from high school classrooms to community organizations to senior centers. If you’d like to engage us, we offer STI testing, STI education, and prevention tools ranging from condoms to ensuring access to PrEP, PEP, doxyPEP, and treatment for adults.
If you are interested in hosting an Allies outreach and education event, contact Anitra Branch at abranch@alliespgh.org(opens in a new tab).
