Julie Patterson, Director of the AIDS Funding Collaborative, received the Marilyn Kuczynski Faith & Strength Award at a ceremony on December 2, hosted by the Case/UH AIDS Clinical Trials Unit and the UH Special Immunology Unit. Honorees are chosen because of their compassion, love, and commitment to those living with HIV/AIDS and the work they do to ensure the community is treated with dignity and respect.
This year's ceremony was planned to surprise the winner at the World AIDS Day event. Julie was kindly tricked into getting up on stage to explain the history of the award, but the big reveal was her name in the envelope.
It’s an amazing honor to have been chosen for this by a group of people living with HIV who were gathered at a healing weekend. It blows my mind.
The Sankofa HIV Initiative presented the physical award, a Sankofa bird sculpture hand-carved by artisans in Ghana.
About Julie Patterson
Julie Patterson serves as Director of the AIDS Funding Collaborative (AFC). She has professional experience in AIDS service organizations, academia, local public health, and private consulting. As a former adjunct instructor of the Master of Public Health Program in the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University, she has directed field experiences and taught community interventions and community health research and practice. She serves as a co-chair for Strategy and Finance on the Cuyahoga Regional HIV Prevention and Care Planning Council and on the community advisory boards of the Cleveland AIDS Clinical Trials Unit, the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, and Immunotherapy for HIV Cure.
About the Faith and Strength Award
Before later shifting to World AIDS Day, the award was given on National Faith HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NFHAAD), founded by Khadijah Abdullah in 2016. In 2016, advocates from 10 cities convened in Washington DC to design and discuss the reason for NFHAAD. It was designed to bring all faiths together each year in the fight against HIV until there is a cure.
In keeping with the spirit of the day, Cleveland created the Marilyn Kuczynski Faith & Strength Award. Marilyn was chosen as the namesake because of her compassion, love and commitment to those living with HIV/AIDS and she worked tirelessly to make sure they were always treated with dignity and respect.
Previous award winners
2023: Isis Tiffany Soul
2022: Deairius Houston
2021: Adriana Whelan
2019: James Taylor
2018: Tracy Lamar Johnson, Jr.
About Marilyn Kuczynski
Marilyn’s hands-on volunteerism spans the community and reaches people of all ages, from all economic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. She has dedicated over 30 years of her life helping those who are less fortunate. In this case specifically when it comes to HIV, she has done more as one single person than any organization. To quote the DENVER PRINCIPLES which were enacted in 1983, Marilyn has made it possible for those living with HIV/AIDS “TO LIVE AND DIE WITH DIGNITY.” She gave spectacular Christmas parties for years for those living with HIV and their families so that they may have a little joy and their kids could experience the love of family and the holiday spirit in a time when this condition was very trying on their family.
She provides comfort and support to those affected by HIV/AIDS; works with the sick and elderly at St. Augustine Health Campus, leading resident activities while supplying personal items. She sat with the sick on their dying bed when they had no other family around because the stigma made them die in silence. She also uses her skills and contacts from former jobs to help fundraise.
Marilyn serves and continues to serve St. Agnes or Our Lady of Fatima church community for countless years. Anyone who has ever been in her presence knows that she made their life better by the time they walk away. Marilyn Kuczynski has built community by bringing people together for a common good.
