August - December 2025

The Chulito Reading Club represents a sacred space for Queer Latine individuals to engage in collective learning and bonding through pertinent literature.

This program operates under the fundamental premise that engagement with literature, particularly that written by and for our community, allows for an exploration of shared experiences and differences, thereby reinforcing the understanding that the Latine community is not a monolith. Critically, the club is intentionally structured to draw participants "offline," fostering an intentional connection with literary materials and countering the effects of technological consumption and digital stimulants.

The initiative is expertly hosted and facilitated by Mr. Francisco “Paco” Gutierrez, a distinguished Mexican writer and cultural worker who possesses over 10 years of experience curating vital community spaces. Chulito Reading Club has launched in 2025, with 3 six-week virtual cycles for approximately eight to a dozen invited Queer Latine members per cycle, including visits from the authors themselves. The CQL Collaborative provides organizational support and administrative oversight for this program. Participants commit to weekly reading and attendance at virtual discussions, which require no pre-work beyond the assigned reading itself.

2025 Books & Authors:

• Chulito by Charles Rice-González 

• Middle Spoon by Alejandro Varela 

• How to Kill a Goat and Other Monsters by Saúl Hernandez

Community Dissemination Award | October 2024 – April 2025

Led by Principal Investigator Pedro A. Serrano (CQLC NFP) and sponsored by Third Coast CFAR, the Chicago Queer Latine Collaborative is excited to present "PrEParate: PrEP For You & Me," a dynamic gallery exhibition showcasing the multimedia work of our acclaimed PrEPárate campaign. This exhibition highlights the vibrant voices and personal stories of Latine LGBTQ+ artists, activists, and community members.

Set at the culturally rich Chicago Art Department, and timed to coincide with the Pilsen Open Galleries 2nd Friday Artwalk on April 11th, the event will feature large-format prints, looping short videos, and live interactions with campaign Ambassadors. Attendees will engage with immersive visual narratives that promote PrEP and PEP awareness as essential tools for HIV prevention.

In addition, visitors will have access to simplified community briefs of our academic publications—available in both English and Spanish—to foster informed dialogue and education.

The PrEPárate Gallery Exhibition is a celebration of art and public health, designed to deepen community engagement, elevate HIV prevention strategies, and inspire transformative conversations around health equity.

Community-Mini Award | January 2022 – June 2022    

Under the leadership of Project Leader Pedro A. Serrano at the Hektoen Institute of Medicine and supported by Third Coast CFAR, this community dissemination award funded a forum on the newly approved Cabotegravir Long Acting (CAB-LA) formulation for PrEP. The forum, held at the CORE Center of Cook County Health and hosted by the HIV Prevention Trials Network study team, brought together HIV healthcare and service providers. The primary goal was to inform and engage key stakeholders about this innovative HIV prevention strategy, thereby promoting informed clinical practices and expanding the reach of cutting-edge PrEP interventions.

Community-Mini Award | September 2020 – December 2020    

Led by Project Leader Pedro A. Serrano at the Hektoen Institute of Medicine and sponsored by Third Coast CFAR, this community dissemination award funded the demonstration of a proof of concept for a health promotion campaign disseminated over social media. Partnering with Cook County Health and independent creatives, the initiative employed community-engaged approaches to address HIV-related health disparities among sexual and gender minority populations. The project not only disseminated timely COVID-19 public health messaging, but also developed a framework for a scalable health communication plan to guide the upcoming PrEPárate campaign.