10 Black HIV/AIDS Advocates Who Are Making a Difference

Notisha Massaquoi, Executive Director, Women's Health in Women's Hands, Toronto

When is a health center not just a health center? When it puts social justice at the center of wellness. Women's Health in Women's Hands (WHIWH), headed by author and social worker Notisha Massaquoi, is just such an organization. Dedicated to serving black women and women of color in the Toronto area -- and home to the only support group for HIV-positive black women in Ontario -- WHIWH doesn't just provide primary care, mental health and HIV/AIDS services and health promotion activities. It's been involved in numerous participatory research projects designed to gather scientific knowledge on the populations it serves, as well as facilitate meetings with policymakers, service providers and community members.