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Somos la organización sin fines de lucro del área metropolitana de Cincinnati dedicada a transformar vidas de manera positiva en la lucha contra el VIH/SIDA.
A través de la prevención, la vivienda y la atención del VIH, nuestro trabajo para poner fin a la epidemia del VIH es fundamental para una comunidad saludable.
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The Fight Isn’t Over
The fight against HIV has come a long way. Advances in prevention and treatment—and years of strategic investment—have brought us closer than ever to an HIV-free future. Across the country, communities have used these resources to expand care, reduce new infections and address the inequities that have fueled the epidemic for decades. It’s a pivotal moment—where science, strategy and community momentum are aligned.
But this progress is fragile. In some regions and states, shifting priorities and stigma-driven policies are already slowing or reversing gains. We know what works—but ending the HIV epidemic will take continued investment in the people, programs and policies that drive real change.
At Caracole’s Caracon Symposium 2025: The Fight Isn’t Over, speakers explored how communities are responding to HIV—what’s working, where progress is stalling and the barriers we still need to overcome. Watch the sessions and follow along with the Powerpoint slides below.
Divestment and Criminalization: Attacks on People Living with and Deeply Impacted by HIV
Explore the current legal landscape and its impact on HIV care, prevention, and criminalization across the United States. See how legal cases and judicial rulings are shaping public health efforts in 2025.
Hamilton County Public Health Drug Checking Program
Examine an innovative Hamilton County Public Health program that tests and tracks the street drug supply in partnership with people who actively use drugs. Understand how the program informs interventions and builds relationships with an underserved community to center their voices and safety concerns.
Advancing Health Equity for Black SGL Men in Chicago
Discover how the Chicago Black Men’s Caucus supports same-gender-loving Black men through psycho-social events. Learn how community-centered spaces advance public health messaging and improve health outcomes and equity for a population heavily impacted by HIV.
From Exam Rooms to Living Rooms: The Shift Toward HIV Self-Testing
Follow the shift from in-person HIV testing to self-testing and explore how programs are adapting. Learn strategies for reaching underserved communities with actionable public health messaging and why the community values self-testing.
Jesse Milan, Jr., JD
CEO Emeritus, AIDS United
Jesse Milan, Jr., JD is a nationally recognized leader in HIV policy with over 30 years of experience in public, private and nonprofit sectors. He retired as President & CEO of AIDS United on July 1, 2025 and now serves as CEO Emeritus, following nearly a decade leading the organization’s national efforts in grantmaking, capacity building, policy, and advocacy to end the HIV epidemic.
A trusted advisor and advocate, Milan has served on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, the PEPFAR Scientific Advisory Board and boards including Funders Concerned About AIDS, the Black AIDS Institute and AVAC. A lawyer, he previously chaired the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV and STD Prevention and Treatment and served as AIDS Director for the City of Philadelphia.
Milan has been widely honored for his service, including an honorary doctorate from Virginia Theological Seminary and the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the US People Living with HIV Caucus. He has lived with HIV for over four decades.
Meet some of our 2025 speakers (in alphabetical order).
Jaasiel Chapman es originario de Cincinnati y se dedica a luchar por quienes viven con el VIH/SIDA o se ven afectados por este. En la actualidad, trabaja en Hamilton County Public Health como coordinador del programa EHE, supervisando la iniciativa Terminar con la Epidemia del VIH. Su trabajo allí se enfoca en involucrar y empoderar a los socios comunitarios con recursos y herramientas para terminar con la epidemia de VIH/SIDA en el área metropolitana de Cincinnati. Anteriormente, Chapman trabajó en IV-CHARIS, la única organización de VIH/SIDA del área dirigida por minorías, y como educador comunitario para el Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Infecciosas de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Cincinnati. Jaasiel asistió a la Universidad de Cincinnati.
Jada is a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness, focused on helping others embrace the power of self-advocacy and self-care. Her journey with mental health inspired her to take a holistic, trauma-informed approach to healing, recognizing the connection between individual well-being and the need for community support.
As a Black woman committed to health equity, Jada believes true change starts within. She encourages others to prioritize self-care, rest, and self-compassion as tools for empowerment. To her, being an ambassador for change means ensuring that those doing the work are also cared for and uplifted. Jada is dedicated to creating spaces where people feel seen, supported and encouraged to thrive on their own terms.
JeMarr Jackson es coordinador de pruebas de VIH en Caracole, con especialización en prevención y alcance comunitario. En su función, ayuda a transformar las vidas de las personas que viven con el VIH y trabaja para garantizar la prevención del virus en quienes se encuentran en alto riesgo. Originario de Cincinnati, Jackson obtuvo su licenciatura en comunicaciones en la University of Cincinnati. En Caracole, demuestra su pasión por las personas que viven con el VIH y en riesgo de contraerlo, y refleja los valores de la agencia a través de su labor en la comunidad. Antes de trabajar en Caracole, JeMarr también colaboró con otras poblaciones diversas, incluidos jóvenes sin hogar y en situación de riesgo.
Jeniece D. Jones, MPA, JD, is the Chief Executive Officer of Caracole, Greater Cincinnati’s HIV services organization. With over two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, public policy advocacy and race equity, she provides strategic direction to advance health equity and community partnerships.
Previously, Jeniece led the Public Justice Center in Baltimore and Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) in Cincinnati, driving impactful policy changes in housing, civil rights, and eviction prevention. She also served as CEO of Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati, growing donor engagement by 68%.
A dedicated advocate for social justice, she has been recognized by the Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus and the National Caucus of Negro Women. She holds degrees in Journalism, Public Administration, and Law.
Outside of work, Jeniece enjoys reading and writing speculative fiction.
Kay Johnson graduated from the University of Cincinnati and completed her medical training at the Medical College of Ohio, followed by her residency and fellowship at the University of Cincinnati. She specializes in HIV in primary care and has worked at the Infectious Disease Center at the University of Cincinnati since 1991, focusing on HIV, hepatitis C and hepatitis B chronic infections.
She also sees patients through UC Health at the Montgomery Primary Care Network office.
Kay was honored to receive Caracole’s Volunteer of the Year Award in 2020 and the Timothy Freeman Sustained Excellence Award from the University of Cincinnati in April 2024.
Dr. Tavell L. Kindall, PhD, DNP, APRN, AACRN, AAHIVS, FAANP, FADLN, FNAP, FAAN is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. He currently works at St. Thomas Community Health Center in New Orleans, LA. He provides primary and specialty care, and education and prevention services to adolescents and adults at risk for and/or living with a wide array of infectious diseases. He completed the RN and APRN programs at Grambling State University, the DNP degree at the University of South Alabama College of Nursing, and the PhD degree in nursing education at William Carey University. He is a gubernatorial appointee representing advanced practice to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. He is active locally and nationally in numerous professional organizations in nursing. He speaks locally and nationally on a wide range of nursing and healthcare topics.
Devin Knutson is a Senior Epidemiologist for Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH). She has been with HCPH since July 2021. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2020 with a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology. Devin is passionate about harm reduction. In addition to conducting overdose surveillance, she has helped establish and develop HCPH’s Drug Checking Program. She also works on and oversees several projects within the Division of Epidemiology focused on keeping the community informed of emerging drug and substance use trends.
Sean McCormick (él) es abogado de la plantilla legal del Positive Justice Project, una iniciativa de The Center for HIV Law and Policy, donde se enfoca en abordar la epidemia del VIH, la crisis de sobredosis y otros desafíos de salud relacionados a través de soluciones legales y de políticas públicas que centran la justicia en las personas más afectadas por la opresión sistémica. Antes de cursar sus estudios de derecho, Sean trabajó para mejorar la atención clínica de personas que viven con trastornos por uso de sustancias, VIH y VHC, publicando sus hallazgos en ocho revistas académicas arbitradas. Al graduarse, Sean impulsó políticas de reducción de daños y prevención de sobredosis en el Departamento de Salud Pública de Chicago a través de la Beca de Derecho en Salud Pública de los CDC. Sean escribe y ofrece ponencias con frecuencia sobre estrategias eficaces para erradicar la criminalización del VIH y otros enfoques punitivos carcelarios, implementando soluciones de salud pública basadas en evidencia. Obtuvo su Doctorado en Jurisprudencia de la University of Illinois y licenciaturas en salud pública y español de The Ohio State University.
Adam Reilly ha trabajado en la prevención del VIH y junto a personas que viven con el VIH durante más de 17 años. Su experiencia incluye la aplicación de pruebas de VIH, consejería y servicios de apoyo tanto individual como grupal. Promotor de la reducción de daños desde hace mucho tiempo, Adam ayudó a impulsar programas de intercambio de jeringas en Cincinnati y desempeñó un papel fundamental en la aprobación de la ley de Ohio de 2014 que amplió el acceso a jeringas en todo el estado.
Fue nombrado “Defensor del Año” en la edición Best of the City de 2011 de CityBeat, recibió el premio Oscar Armstrong de Public Allies en 2013 y lideró The Cincinnati Exchange Project para obtener el galardón Health Care Heroes de 2015 del Cincinnati Business Courier. Adam es miembro de Caring Ambassadors y forma parte del comité directivo de Ohio Health Modernization Movement. Ha liderado la planificación de la Caraconference durante los últimos ocho años.
Pierre, a proud Chicago native from the South Side, is a distinguished gentleman who believes that peace and stability are essential for growth. With over 15 years of experience in hospitality, networking, and customer service, he has cultivated a deep understanding of community connection and the importance of creating spaces where people can thrive without unnecessary conflict. After earning his BA, Pierre transitioned into community work, joining the Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus (CBGMC) to serve and uplift his own. His mission is to ensure that the voices of Black gay, bisexual, and same-gender-loving men are heard, their contributions recognized, and that true equality for all is achieved—all while fostering an environment of understanding, respect, and tranquility.
Josh builds campaigns that change how communities prevent, treat, and talk about HIV. As Director of Public Health Marketing at KW2, a national agency that works with public, private, and nonprofit partners to empower communities and improve lives, he brings more than a decade of experience with federal, state, and local jurisdictions. Guided by the belief that budget should never limit impact, Josh develops communication frameworks that remove barriers to care and prevention, ensuring that no one is left behind. His work across the country blends behavioral science, community partnerships, and culturally responsive storytelling to move people from awareness to action.
Cole Stines is a Senior Community Outreach Coordinator at Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH). Prior to obtaining his position at HCPH in January of 2024, he was employed in the sales industry for 13 years. Cole’s time spent in the sales business interacting with many people of different socio-economic backgrounds propelled his interest in finding ways to improve health equity for all. His attitude towards health equity led Cole to complete his Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from East Tennessee State University in 2023. Cole is enthusiastic about harm reduction and helping those in underserved populations. Some of his work includes working with local partners to prevent adverse health outcomes in Hamilton County, Ohio and developing quality improvement measures to reduce barriers to access of needed supplies and services in the communities he serves.
Cederick A. Taylor is a dynamic force in community development, public health and education whose career bridges the worlds of outreach, empowerment and storytelling. As a licensed Community Health Worker (CHW) and seasoned instructor, he has trained and mentored new generations of CHWs through Cleveland State University, equipping them with the tools to navigate health systems, build trust in their communities and deliver care that uplifts the whole person.
With more than eight years of experience in HIV outreach, navigation and peer support, Cederick has worked on the frontlines of public health in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Washington DC, and now Columbus, building programs that connect people to lifesaving care and resources. His expertise lies in turning challenges into opportunities—whether it’s through facilitating support groups, creating workforce readiness initiatives or developing innovative community-based programs that merge health, education and the arts.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Cederick is deeply committed to community empowerment. He has launched initiatives under his own Taylor & Associates banner, helping residents in underserved neighborhoods access emergency housing, utility assistance and health education. His work embodies the belief that strong, healthy communities are built not only through services, but through connection, dialogue and shared growth.
And for a fun twist—Cederick is a certified canoe instructor who can’t swim. That irony captures his spirit: someone who jumps into challenges fearlessly, leads with resilience and proves that with determination and creativity, anything is possible.
Cederick’s voice is one of lived experience, professional expertise and authentic passion. Whether in a classroom, at a community meeting, or behind a megaphone at a rally, he continues to champion equity, access, and empowerment for all.
Please contact the symposium organizer Adam Reilly at [email protected].
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