HIV: Pathway to Progress

In Episode 3: Navigating HIV & Incarceration (Part 2), we continue our conversation with Kerry Thomas, Community Decriminalization Strategist at The SERO Project. After serving 15 years in prison due to HIV criminalization laws, Kerry used his time behind bars to deepen his understanding of the legal system, turning the knowledge he gained from this experience into a powerful tool for advocacy.

In this episode, Kerry delves into how he began to leverage his experience to support others being criminalized for their HIV status. He reflects on his transition from surviving the system to challenging it, advocating for policy reform, and working with others to dismantle harmful laws.

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Visit www.seroproject.com to learn more about Kerry’s fight for justice reform.

Phillip Westry, Executive Director of FreeState Justice, is the host of Pathway to Progress. Learn about FreeState’s fight to provide LGBTQ+ Marylanders with the FREE legal services they need at freestate-justice.org.

Pathway to Progress is produced by Joel Medina

In Episode 3: Navigating HIV & Incarceration, we’re joined by Kerry Thomas, Community Decriminalization Strategist at The SERO Project, for a powerful conversation about his personal journey and the fight for HIV decriminalization. Kerry served 15 years in prison due to HIV criminalization laws, and during his incarceration, he became a vocal advocate. He collaborated with outreach organizations, engaged with the media, and worked to raise awareness about the challenges faced by prisoners living with HIV.

In this episode, Kerry reflects on his experience with the justice system, the ongoing impact of HIV criminalization, and how his time behind bars became a catalyst for his advocacy work. He shares how he turned his own story into a driving force for systemic change and justice reform.

Don’t forget to return in two weeks on Thursday, January 16th, for Part 2 of his journey.

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Visit www.seroproject.com to learn more about Kerry’s fight for justice reform.

Phillip Westry, Executive Director of FreeState Justice, is the host of Pathway to Progress. Learn about FreeState’s fight to provide LGBTQ+ Marylanders with the FREE legal services they need at freestate-justice.org.

Pathway to Progress is produced by Joel Medina.

In the second episode of Pathway to Progress, FreeState Justice Executive Director Phillip Westry and Victims Advocate Coordinator Nina Ovian sit down with Robert Suttle, an advocate directly impacted by the criminalization of HIV. Listen in as the trio discusses the intersection of HIV, Criminalization, and Race, exploring the history of HIV in the U.S. and how stigma and discriminatory laws continue to affect marginalized communities today. Robert shares his personal experiences and his ongoing activism to challenge these harmful laws, as well as his work to push for the decriminalization of HIV nationwide.

Stick around to hear about the importance of community support in fighting for justice and how Robert stays grounded in his vital work fighting for people living with HIV.

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Visit www.robertsuttle.com to learn more about Robert’s fight against HIV criminalization.

Phillip Westry, Executive Director of FreeState Justice, is the host of Pathway to Progress. Learn about FreeState’s fight to provide LGBTQ+ Marylanders with the FREE legal services they need at freestate-justice.org.

Pathway to Progress is produced by Joel Medina.

FreeState Justice Executive Director Phillip Westry and Victims Advocate Coordinator Nina Ovian sit down with Jada Hicks, Senior Attorney at the Center for HIV Law & Policy. Listen in as the trio discusses the history of HIV in the U.S. and the stigmas that led to its criminalization. Then stick around till the end to learn about the amazing work Hicks sees from advocates fighting for decriminalization and what keeps her grounded as she enacts this vital work every single day.

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Visit www.hivlawandpolicy.org to learn more about Jada's fight against HIV criminalization.

Phillip Westry, Executive Director of FreeState Justice, is the host of Pathway to Progress. Learn about FreeState's fight to provide LGBTQ+ Marylanders with the FREE legal services they need at freestate-justice.org.

Pathway to Progress is produced by Joel Medina. 

Welcome to Pathway to Progress, a podcast dedicated to the fight for HIV justice and decriminalization across the country. Hosted by Phillip Westry, Executive Director of FreeState Justice, each episode features insightful conversations with a rotating panel of co-hosts and expert guests. Together, they explore the history of HIV in the U.S., the ongoing challenges of HIV criminalization, and the bold actions being taken to create a future where everyone—regardless of their status—can live without fear or discrimination.

We're excited to offer you a sneak peek at what you can expect in the upcoming episodes, and we invite you to join us on this journey of fighting against HIV criminalization today!

Brought to you by FreeState Justice, Maryland’s leading LGBTQ+ legal nonprofit.