Karl welcomes back award-winning sex educator, writer, and HIV activist Ashley Cobb – founder of Sex With Ashley, CDC “Let’s Stop HIV Together” ambassador, and author of the new book Pleasure, Please!: The Black Woman’s Guide to Unapologetic Pleasure and Confidence. Continue reading ASHLEY COBB – Pleasure, please!
What happens when $1.2 trillion in healthcare cuts hits communities that were already fighting to survive? Cleve Jones and Sean Strub join Karl to talk about 7 Days in June – a nonpartisan, grassroots campaign running June 1–7 that’s calling on local, state, and federal leaders to protect health as a governing priority. Continue reading CLEVE JONES & SEAN STRUB – 7 days in June
Steve Doyle created the PLHIV Documentary to give people living with HIV something too many have been denied – a platform to tell their own story, in their own words, on their own terms. Continue reading STEVE DOYLE – Fighting stigma with a camera lens
Activist and advocate Yana Kolpakova sits down with Karl for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on Plus Talk. Why are people so fixated on how someone contracted HIV? What does that obsession reveal about fear, stigma, and the way society assigns blame? Continue reading YANA KOLPAKOVA – Stigma & the Eastern Bloc
If you’ve ever struggled with sleep while living with HIV, this episode is for you. Host Karl Scmid sits down with returning guest Dr. Anu to explore why sleep challenges are so common in the HIV community — and what you can do to feel more rested and supported. Continue reading DR. ANU SESHADRI – Sleep and HIV
While HIV can be controlled with treatment, a cure remains one of the biggest challenges in modern medicine. Dr. Lewin explains how HIV hides inside the body, why it’s so difficult to eliminate, and what scientists have learned after decades of research. From the concept of the “viral reservoir” to rare cases of cure, this conversation explores both the complexity – and the hope – behind the ongoing search for a cure. Continue reading SHARON LEWIN – Why can’t we cure HIV?
What if healing… sounded like this? 🎧✨
Licensed counselor and activist Shadawn McCants breaks down how sound baths and meditation can support mental wellness for people living with HIV and why that matters more than ever. Continue reading SHADAWN McCANTS – Healing & living well
He thought HIV would take him out.Now he’s still here and still fighting.
Activist Bob Bowers joins #PlusTalk to share his journey, the role faith played in his survival, and why he refuses to stop advocating for others living with HIV. Continue reading BOB BOWERS – From fear to faith
The fight against HIV isn’t over.
Returning guest and ACT UP icon, Peter Staley, joins us from #CROI2026 to reflect on how far we’ve come and why this moment matters more than ever. Continue reading PETER STALEY – The fight against HIV isn’t over…
People don’t fall out of HIV care. The system doesn’t always meet them where they are.
Dr. Marcus Tellez on access, stigma, and why listening matters, especially during tough times like these. Continue reading THE REASON PEPOPLE FALL OUT OF CARE
