Empodérate is a welcoming space where LGBTQ+ people can feel seen, respected, and supported. Our services are shaped by the cultures, identities, and real-life experiences of the community members.
We work to support LGBTQ+ health and create a place where everyone can seek care without fear or judgment. We also help fight stigma and discrimination related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and HIV.
Through health education, guidance in finding services, and community events, Empodérate helps people connect with trusted information, useful resources, and one another. These connections can help people feel supported, build community, and take steps toward healthier and more fulfilling lives.
Empodérate offers free community and prevention services available to the whole community at large, but designed intentionally with LGBTQ+ individuals in mind. Our peer-based services address sexual health, mental health, gender-affirming care, and barriers to access care and support, while fostering engagement, involvement, and belonging.
Empodérate is an inclusive public health initiative where LGBTQ+ individuals and allies can connect with peers and receive support without judgment. Whether you come for a group, an event, testing, or one-on-one support, you can expect:
The In-Home HIV Test is safe and easy to use. Still, we understand if you are worried about the process and your result. Fear not! We are here to explain the step-by-step process to you now and will be there with you virtually during the testing process. Your counselor will help you read your result and will provide you with next steps.
The Empodérate Center at La Clínica del Pueblo uses the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test, which is a rapid self-administered test. This CDC approved test uses oral fluid (saliva) to check for antibodies to HIV Type 1 and HIV Type 2, the viruses that cause AIDS. The kit is designed to allow you to take the HIV test from the comfort of your home with the collection of an oral fluid sample by swabbing your upper and lower gums with the testing device. After collecting the sample, you insert the device into the kit’s vial, which contains a developer solution. Once the device is in the kit’s vial, you will wait 20 minutes before reading the test result. Again, your counselor will help you read your result and will provide you with next steps.
If you think you have been exposed to HIV without any form of protection, take a deep breath. PEP — or Non-occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis — can lower your chances of getting HIV. PEP must be started within 72 hours (three days) after you were exposed to HIV, but the sooner you start it, the better. If you feel as if you need PEP, contact us at (202) 507-4800. We are more than happy to help you gain access to PEP as soon as possible. If you would like to start PEP, please call us so we can make you an appointment with one of our community partners. Alternatively, you can directly call the DC Health and Wellness Center at (202) 741-7962.
Empodérate’s Home-based HIV Test Kits will be mailed to you within 48 hours after requesting it, if you live in the DMV (DC, MD, or VA) area. If you would rather take your test at one of our physical sites, please contact us to set up an appointment that best fits your schedule. Remember, you are in charge of making decisions about your sexual health and we are here to help you decide what best fits your needs.
Remember, you will not have to do the test by yourself. We are here to support you throughout the entire process. After you receive your HIV test kit:
The HIV testing and counseling session will be performed virtually using a secured platform, like Zoom, to protect your health information. The counselor will guide you during the sample collection process, your result and its meaning, as well as your next steps. During the session:
Negative / Non-reactive: there are no HIV-1 or HIV-2 antibodies or HIV-1 antigen detected at the time of your test. Continue practicing good self-care and sexual health practices: get tested again in three months, urge your partner(s) to get tested, use a new condom every time you have anal or vaginal sex (if you need condoms, you can order them here and we will mail them to you for free!), use only water or silicone-based lubricant, don’t share needles or other injection equipment, speak to your medical provider about STI screening, and ask your counselor about PrEP — the safe, daily pill that prevents you from getting HIV.
Positive / Reactive: HIV-1 or HIV-2 antibodies or HIV-1 antigen were detected at the time of your test. Let’s start with the good news: we are here to support you, and a lot of people living with HIV have long, happy, fulfilling lives. You will be offered assistance to access healthcare services at La Clínica del Pueblo or at another agency, and assistance to notify your sexual partner(s) so that they can also receive appropriate medical attention. Your case will be reported to the Department of Health, as an indispensable requirement in the efforts to control the HIV epidemic. Attend your medical appointments, take your medicine as instructed to keep your viral load undetectable (undetectable means you cannot transmit HIV to your sexual partners), keep using condoms to protect against other STIs, and seek professional help to address the stress associated with living with HIV — we can help you access mental health services at La Clínica del Pueblo, if you desire.
HIV = Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV causes AIDS. It damages your immune system, making it easier for you to get sick.
AIDS = Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS is a syndrome, or range of symptoms, that may develop over time when a person living with HIV does not receive treatment. It is the most serious stage of HIV. It is caused by the damage that HIV does to your immune system.
HIV and AIDS are not the same thing, and not all people living with HIV have AIDS. HIV is the virus that’s transmitted from person to person via certain body fluids. Over time, HIV destroys an important kind of cell in your immune system, called CD4 cells or T cells, that helps protect you from infections. When you no longer have enough of these CD4 cells, your body can’t fight off infections the way it normally does.
STI = Sexually Transmitted Infection
Remember there’s something you can always do to protect yourself against an STI: use a condom during every sexual encounter with your partner(s). Condoms will protect you from gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, HIV, and any other STIs that are passed through genital fluids. Unfortunately, most traditional condoms won’t prevent skin-to-skin infections like herpes or HPV. However, the female/internal condom can offer some protection in those cases, because its unique design actually covers some of the vulva or the outer part of the anus, depending on where you’re using it. If you need condoms, you can order them here. We will mail them to you for free!
While some STIs have symptoms, others do not. Because some STIs are asymptomatic, it is vital to make STI testing a regular part of your sexual health routine. You could be carrying a virus or infection, not know it, and be passing it on to your partner(s). Consider getting tested for STIs and HIV at least once per year, or every 3 to 6 months if you are sexually active. Testing lets you know exactly what’s going on inside your body. And having that knowledge will make you feel powerful and in control of the choices you make for your health.
If you want to know more about STIs or want to get tested, you can contact us at any time at (202) 507-4800. Remember, the more information you have, the better decisions you will make about your sexual life.
PrEP stands for “pre-exposure prophylaxis.” PrEP is a pill you take daily that lowers your chances of getting HIV through sex by more than 90%. And if you inject drugs, it lowers your chances by 70%.
PrEP is for people who are HIV negative and at risk for acquiring HIV. You should consider taking PrEP if you have had anal or vaginal sex in the past 6 months and: have a sexual partner with HIV (especially if the partner has an unknown or detectable viral load), have not consistently used a condom, or have been diagnosed with an STI in the past 6 months. PrEP is also recommended for people who inject drugs and have an injection partner living with HIV with whom they share needles, syringes, or other equipment.
PrEP is safe. In fact, no significant health effects have been reported. But, like with any drug, you may have some unpleasant side effects, like nausea, dizziness and fatigue. These side effects aren’t life threatening. If you are taking PrEP, tell your healthcare provider about any side effects that are severe or do not go away after 2–3 weeks. People who use PrEP should see their health care provider every 3 months for a follow-up appointment, routine HIV screening, and prescription refills.
Using a condom during your sexual encounters is a personal decision; however, remember PrEP only protects you from HIV. PrEP does not protect you from other STIs, like gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, or HPV. Only condoms can protect you from other STIs and pregnancy. Remember, if you need condoms, we can provide them to you for free.
Studies have shown that PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken consistently. Among people who inject drugs, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV by at least 74% when taken consistently. For PrEP to be effective for people who have anal sex, it needs to be taken consistently for 7 to 14 days before sex; for people who have vaginas, 20 days. That’s how long it takes for PrEP to show up in the tissue of the anus or the vagina.
According to the CDC, there are no known drug conflicts or interactions between the medicines used in PrEP and hormone therapy, though more studies are needed on this topic. If you are worried that PrEP will affect your hormone therapy, ask your health care provider to check your hormone levels.
Undetectable equals Untransmittable means that people living with HIV who have been consistently taking their antiretroviral treatment (ART), as instructed by their medical provider, for at least six months and have an undetectable viral load cannot spread the virus via sexual encounters.
Viral load is how much of the virus is present in a person’s bloodstream. Current treatment can reduce the HIV viral load to the extent that levels of the virus in the blood are too low to be significant. While the virus is undetectable, it will not affect the person’s daily life, and it will not necessarily shorten their lifespan. At this point, the virus is also untransmittable, meaning it cannot be passed on to another person.
Today, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives. And if their viral load is undetectable, they can have sex with their partner(s) without worrying about transmitting the virus.
The short answer is: no. While it is completely true that if you have an undetectable viral load, you won’t transmit HIV to your sexual partner(s) while having sex, it is important to protect yourself from acquiring other STIs. An undetectable viral load doesn’t mean you’re protected from getting other STIs. So, if you want to protect yourself and protect your sexual partner(s) from other STIs, you should still use condoms every time you have sex. If you need condoms, you can order them here. We will mail them to you for free!
Knowing that a person living with HIV and with an undetectable viral load can’t transmit the virus to their sexual partner(s) during sex shatters long-standing myths and misconceptions about HIV and people living with HIV. It is vital to spread information and awareness about how HIV is transmitted and break down some of the stigma that people living with HIV face every day. These harmful myths are why we continue to fight against stigma, educate our communities, and work with community members to increase capacity and leadership in community health.
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