Bringing Faith to the Fight
Better work. Better collaboration. Better outcomes. That’s COMPASS Bettermade.
How one DH team turned an unexpected ask into a career-changing campaign.
Transforming Health Through Spiritual Activism
Despite the fact that we have the biomedical tools needed to effectively end the HIV epidemic, pernicious barriers continue to confound progress. Here in the US, some demographic, racial, ethnic, socio-economic and geographic populations are disproportionately impacted by HIV.1 In fact, the South experiences a higher burden of HIV compared to other regions across the country, especially among communities of color. In 2019, Black Americans in the South represented half of all new HIV diagnoses in the region, despite comprising only 19% of the Southern population.1
This is not just a public health crisis; it’s a social justice imperative.
Until we dismantle entrenched racism underpinning systemic structures, political gamesmanship, misinformation, and stigma, HIV will continue to adversely impact communities of color.
Gilead’s COMPASS (COMmitment to Partnership in Addressing HIV in Southern States) Initiative partners with community-based organizations to combat the HIV epidemic in the Southern United States.
While the COMPASS program continues to champion community-based public health, social work, and advocacy initiatives, tackling the systemic health inequities and disparities of health requires renewed activism and a collective spiritual reckoning.
1. https://aidsvu.org
Changing the Narrative to Change Outcomes
Throughout history, faith communities have served as pivotal and galvanizing change agents in social justice movements. The Black Church, a place of solace, strength and activism for centuries, hasn’t traditionally been known as a refuge of tolerance and acceptance when it comes to their LGBTQ+ congregants or people living with HIV. However, faith leaders are working to reset the toxic theologies that have long fueled stigma. And Gilead wants to help champion their efforts.
Our clients are an innovative force, and the next evolution of COMPASS involved something not usually thought of when it comes to HIV: religion, faith, and spirituality—key elements that play a huge role in Black communities in the South.
So, the job of this new phase of COMPASS is to change the narrative around HIV within faith communities. And our job? To show this ground-breaking approach to the rest of the world.
Representation Matters
So how do you speak to Black audiences about the intersectionality of social justice, HIV, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and faith in a time when the world is finally recognizing that Black Lives Matter? You start with the representation and inclusion of Black voices.
Enter JB, LL, and Burrell. Justin Burns, ACD Copy, and Lorianna Logan, Copywriter, led the charge in ideating around the ask. Two Black creatives who unapologetically represent their communities, culture, and craft. Add in Burrell, a diverse, multicultural agency that has a long-standing history and expertise with speaking to Black audiences, and you have yourself a team with Black-generated and Black-validated ideas.
Introducing: Power Within Reach
It is well known that the power of a sermon is something that is beyond words. Something that has the power to change individuals, communities, and even the world. But this power usually lies within a church’s walls.
What if we took this power out into the community, met people where they are, and used it to promote the need for love and acceptance for the HIV community?
Our team loved it, Burrell loved it, and our clients loved it.
A short film, featuring spiritual leaders, delivering a message of acceptance and belonging—beyond the church. Wherever the community lives, the conversation would be happening.
It Shouldn’t Seem Real—It Should Be Real
So how the hell do we do that?
The last time we checked, copywriters don’t have sermon writing in their wheelhouse.
Authenticity is needed to evoke real change—so our writers took the backseat. To help us bring this to life, we invited almost a dozen spiritual leaders—reverends, pastors, imams, people of faith—to a three-hour workshop. Using a series of prompts to inspire discussion, we were able to draw out the same potent language that these leaders use amongst their communities. Working with our director, Sadé Clacken Joseph, at the same time, this language was woven into our COMPASS sermon, which was shared back and blessed by the faith leaders at the end of our collaboration.
Can I get an amen?
The Right Work in the Right Moment
Let’s step back into a time period that no one wants to relive: 2020 into 2021. Quarantine time. When DH was sent home from work with nothing but time, stress, and worry. And that worry kept finding reasons to grow.
Cue the heightened importance of the Black Lives Matter movement after the death of George Floyd. The political climate was anything but calm. It was a time when everyone wanted to do something impactful.
Little did we know, an opportunity would come with our day-to-day work to do just that.
This team likes to call it a once-in-a-career project, but if there’s anything we learned after all this, it’s that it doesn’t have to be. Sure, the stars aligned. But work like this doesn’t have to be a rare occurrence. As the world continues to evolve, so should our work, our conversations with clients, and our ways of thinking.
Who’d have thought that religion could play a role in ending HIV?
Who’d have thought that a healthcare agency would work with faith leaders to write a sermon?
Who’d have thought that social justice work could happen while you were just…working?
None of us did. Until we did.
We all have that power for change—and it’s well within our reach.