In this episode, we learn about Mpox (formally Monkeypox) and its disproportionate impact within the LGBTQ+ community in the Coachella Valley. Mpox was front page news in the summer of 2022 and was cause for alarm as many people started letting their guard down three years into the COVID-19 pandemic. After what many in the healthcare community viewed as a successful awareness and vaccination campaign to combat Mpox, little has been heard about the threat posed to public health...until now. Reports surfaced in early 2023 about a possible resurgence of Mpox which has left many in the LGBTQ+ community scrambling to learn more and be prepared for a rise in cases. Why was the spread of Mpox slowed so quickly and how are community experts in the under resourced Coachella Valley responding to news of a possible uptick in cases? Join Dr. Joshua Liashenko, PhD candidate Sahar Fourzan, public health practitioner Selina Hernandez as they explore all things Mpox. We will hear from Jeff Taylor, the Executive Director of the HIV services non-profit HIV and Aging Research Project-Palm Springs (HARP-PS) and Jacob Rostovsky, CEO and founder of the LGBTQ+ mental health service provider Queer Works as they share details about their work on the front lines to educate, vaccinate, and slow Mpox’s spread in the Coachella Valley.

Resources: 
https://www.harp-ps.org/

https://www.queerworks.org/