BTAN Charlotte: 1 Year Old and Counting

Faye Marshall of BTAN Charlotte

Co-chairs Darrin K. Johnson and Faye Marshall have been involved with BTAN Charlotte since its inception in early 2015. Here they discuss the organization's role in the community and what activities they're planning next.

From the perspective of a new chapter, why was it important for BTAN to have a presence in Charlotte?

Faye Marshall: Charlotte has the highest rate of HIV in North Carolina.

Darrin K. Johnson: BTAN brings together leadership, and particularly Black leadership, in our community and helps develop a framework to implement strategies to decrease the infection rate—addressing not only HIV but other health disparities as well.

How have local AAHU Fellows benefited your BTAN chapter?

DKJ: AAHU Fellows Jeffrey Williams-Knight and Tellus Good take part in organizational development. In our first BTAN meetings, they presented a model that underscored the importance of organizations working together. My background is in organizational development, and we were using a similar model at the Mecklenburg County Health Department, but theirs is specific to minority populations.

FM: They were also able to disseminate biomedical and treatment information that is oftentimes missed to community organizations and PLWHA.

How would you recommend that other chapters use their AAHU Fellows?

DKJ: As a direct link to the Black AIDS Institute. The Institute can provide a national strategy instrumental for local or regional organizations struggling to build capacity for HIV prevention and treatment programs.

FM: Have them engaged in the planning body and bring information to community leadership—for PLWHA but also for providers, such as case-management agencies, which may not have the most up-to-date information or be as knowledgeable about the treatments needed to better serve the population.

What upcoming activities are you most looking forward to?

DKJ: Starting our Brown Bag Lunch series, where we can begin to develop strategies to reduce new infections and help facilitate conversations among leaders to address gaps in services and ensure that we provide a continuum of care from prevention to treatment.

FM: I am looking forward to increasing advocacy efforts in our community, because in some ways that has taken a backseat. There were times when there was more push for consumer involvement and advocacy. I believe BTAN will help.

What events are coming up?

DKJ: We are holding a huge HIV testing initiative during the CIAA basketball tournament at the end of February. We're doing a PrEP Summit on Feb. 29 at the UNC Charlotte Center City campus from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

FM: At last year's CIAA tournament, we offered HIV and hepatitis C screenings. We tested 600 individuals and hope to exceed that number this year.

April Eugene is a Philadelphia-based writer.