By Joanie Juster–
On April 17, 2025, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) convened a small but mighty group of community leaders for a panel discussion led by SFAF’s CEO, Dr. Tyler TerMeer, to discuss the impact of the current administration’s first 90 days upon their work, and to reflect on how to move forward.
Representing nonprofit organizations that support communities under escalating attacks from the administration, these leaders talked about their daily, endless struggle to protect their clients, their staffs, and their communities as they are impacted by paradigm-shifting budget cuts, chaotic (and often illegal) executive orders, and a blizzard of policy changes. In the best of times, their jobs are challenging. Right now, as J.M. Jaffe, Executive Director of Lyon-Martin Community Health, described it, “We’re seeing attacks on every single level.”
Dr. Monica Gandhi, director of the UCSF Gladstone Center for AIDS Research and medical director of SF General Hospital’s HIV Clinic, Ward 86, shared the emotional toll she feels of trying to care for her HIV/AIDS patients while federal programs for such programs are being gutted. On a global level, she shared her horror at the impact of ending the life-saving PEPFAR program: the rate of deaths from AIDS accelerating to one every three minutes, and one child dying of AIDS every 12 minutes. And, as a researcher, she and her staff also have to cope with trying to prevent important research grants from being canceled simply because they contained words like “they.” “It’s such a waste; it’s so ridiculous,” she said.
Planned Parenthood (PP) Mar Monte is the largest PP affiliate in the U.S., serving over 300,000 clients in Northern California and Nevada. President and CEO Stacy Cross is no stranger to fighting for the right to health, reproductive, and gender-affirming care for their clients: Planned Parenthood has been a favorite target of conservatives for decades. But she admitted that “this is not a normal time; we’re living in chaos.” They have had to walk away from badly-needed federal funds rather than bend a knee to the current administration’s flurry of executive orders and demands, while taking on a greatly-increased caseload of clients pouring into California and Nevada for care that they cannot get in their home states. They have also had to enhance security at their facilities. Cross said, “Our clients are afraid. Our staffs are afraid. Our communities are afraid.”
She is a seasoned fighter, always looking for ways to continue providing the care their clients need. She said, “We bought a copy of Project 2025. We studied it. We were prepared.” Even with such preparation, she admitted that the speed and downright cruelty with which the administration enacted the Project 2025 plans has been challenging. But no matter what, she vowed, “We’re very creative and resilient.”
As President of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Imani Rupert-Gordon affirmed that “our job is to do our work to the best of our ability.” That can often mean shutting out the noise: the constant drumbeat of attacks from Washington. “It’s scary and chaotic, and that part is intentional.” As our civil rights and the rule of law are being eroded on a daily basis, she said, “Every single week we are less safe than the week before.” But that just means we all need to step up and fight harder: “We are in our hero era,” she declared. This is the time for us all to step up and act, bravely and strategically. Showing up at a rally means something. Calling your elected representatives means something. Supporting the organizations on the frontlines means something; it sends them a signal that you care about the work they are doing. (See the links shared in this piece for how you can help.)
Lyon-Martin Community Health, an organization that has been providing essential health care for some of San Francisco’s most marginalized populations for nearly 50 years, is especially feeling the weight of being a target right now. With federal funding for research disappearing overnight, both physical and cybersecurity under constant attack, and anti-trans executive orders and legislation ramping up weekly, Jaffe said, “This is definitely a ‘death by 1000 cuts’ situation.” But pointing out that Lyon-Martin has never closed its doors in its almost 50 years of service, Jaffe confirmed that they are more committed than ever to serving their clients.
After hearing from the leaders of each of these organizations, Dr. TerMeer reminded us that “even the revolution requires rest.” We’ve been fighting these attacks for only three months, and this level of attack is unsustainable. We need to pace ourselves, give each other breaks, and grace, because each of us will be overwhelmed at some point.
All of the organizations represented on this panel—and many more—need and deserve our support more than ever. And I’m adding to this list the ACLU, which is on the frontlines, litigating on our behalf every day. Please give what you can: these folks are fighting for all of us.
Lyon-Martin Community Health: https://tinyurl.com/LyonM
National Center for Lesbian Rights: https://tinyurl.com/NCLR2025
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte: https://tinyurl.com/PPMM25
San Francisco AIDS Foundation: https://tinyurl.com/SFAF25
UCSF/Ward 86: https://tinyurl.com/UCSFW86
Hitting the Streets, Again and Again
Huge thanks to everyone who came out for the nationwide Hands Off! Protest on April 5; the numbers were impressive in every state and around the world, making it hard to ignore the fact that people everywhere are not happy with having their freedoms, their financial stability, their security, and their very government stolen from them.
And yet more thanks to everyone who came out for the People’s March on April 12. Once again, the community came together to make their voices heard in peaceful but powerful protest.
Please keep it up, folks. Nonviolent protest, again and again, every chance you get, is spreading the word, helping to inform and educate people who might not have realized until now the existential dangers facing our country. Public perception is turning the tide.
HIV/AIDS Funding: You Can Help
Among the most alarming budget cuts from Washington is the slashing of funding to HIV/AIDS programs. These cuts will cause great harm, both to people already living with HIV or AIDS, and to those at risk of infection.
Two of San Francisco’s biggest annual fundraisers for HIV/AIDS programs are coming up soon. Please do what you can to support SF AIDS Foundation’s annual (and, this year, final) AIDS LifeCycle, as well as the annual AIDS Walk San Francisco. You can participate in these events as a fundraiser, or support other participants. Here are the links:
AIDS LifeCycle: https://tinyurl.com/ALCF25
AIDS Walk SF: https://tinyurl.com/AWSF2025
Shhh … They’re Listening!
There have been a lot of articles recently on how to protect yourself from surveillance, as DOGE, ICE, and more ramp up intrusion into our personal lives. It’s a good idea to take them seriously.
FYI, the largest cybersecurity conference in the world—the RSA conference—will be taking place at Moscone Center in San Francisco April 28 through May 1, and the city will be crawling with cybersecurity experts. Given the massive security leaks coming out of Washington recently, this year’s conference promises to be even more interesting than usual. More info:
https://tinyurl.com/RSASF25
Until Next Time
Stay strong, stay vigilant, and keep bugging your elected officials. No one is coming to save us; we only have each other.
Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.
In Case You Missed It
Published on April 24, 2025
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