50+ USCA Scholars Share Their Stories

Several of our 50+ Scholars at USCA have shared their stories of what attending the conference meant to them. We’re happy to share them with you now.

Emilio Apontesierra-Paretti
My experience with the 2019 USCA was very informative, a great networking strategy, and a good rollercoaster of emotions. USCA not just gave me tools about how I can help to End the epidemic in their memory, but it gave me hope and the opportunity to speak up. Being one of the 51 scholars of this year 50+ Strong & Healthy program is one of the more humble experiences that I never had felt before.

Having workshops focused on 50+ people living with HIV is not just important, but it provides us with the opportunity to have our voices heard and to share our own personal experiences. Ending the epidemic without us is not possible and each one of us have our own rollercoaster of challenges.

Wow moments from USCA are so many but the hundreds of warm smiles, thousands of “Hi brother,” “hi sister,” and innumerable family hugs have to be the first “Wow moment” to be mentioned. Social media training needs to be mentioned also. What great tools for those who know how to deal with online challenges, definitely a challenge for those who are over 50+ and with little social media literacy! The plenary with Dr. Redfield’s mandate for disruptive innovation have to be mentioned, because it had empowered me to follow those leaders who protested to him and to the whole country with the power of their truth. Watching protesters doing what he asked for: “Disruptive innovation.” Protesting is not new in the HIV field, but those protesters are innovators. They have provided clear and precise information for CDC to star innovating, Arianna Lint giving data of and from transgender people was a disruptive innovation that worth to mention in my wow moments. Another memorable moment of my rollercoaster was during the special exhibition ball featuring Dominique Jackson, Mother Elektra from “Pose.” Category is: Ending the Epidemic with Inclusion!

 

Robert Pompa
USCA 2019 was “a smash hit,” “the bomb,”, “dope” or however you choose to describe an exceptional conference experience.    It is apparent the lengths which NMAC organizers go to ensure that PLHIV feel welcome and safe in addition to the attention to diversity,  inclusivity, and intersectionality.   I attended several of the breakout sessions that were part of the HIV 50+ program as well as several that met other needs for my role at my home agency.  I was blown away by the opportunity NMAC provided to offer a discussion with Laura Cheever!  Thank you, Moises, for giving me a chance at the mic to express my comments directly to Dr. Cheever.  Specifically, the importance for all policies and programs to be drafted and enacted through a Trauma Informed Care (TIC) lens and that anyone receiving funding to deliver services be trained in TIC.  Additionally, I stumbled upon the “Positively Fearless” mental health break out session and was in awe of the delivery style and topics of that session.  The gentleman who facilitated was exceptional (the panel too!). This session “nailed it” in regards to mental health concerns for what it means to live with HIV (at least many of the folks I serve in my BCS role as well as my own)!  Thank you again NMAC for the privilege and honor to be a member of the HIV 50+ Strong and Healthy Cohort and another wonderful conference. 

 

Art Jackson
My experience at USCA can be summed it with one word and that is “Enthusiasm.” I learned new ideas on addressing those of us aging with HIV by attending the various specific tracks that dealt with housing, HRSA,  and and the luncheon plenaries where we the audience got to engage in the slide before the track started was beyond awesome. USCA allows many of us to not only network and check in with each other but one of the most important aspects for me is the access to the latest and most up to date information when it comes to HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and care.  

NMAC has led the way in not only addressing but being very specific in the need to have programming addressing the ever growing population of people living with HIV. Whether it is those who are long term survivors, or newly diagnosed the data shows how this population is the largest and the fastest growing and looking at care and the many other issues that go along with that will be vital to us growing in a healthy, positive manner. We know that isolation, lack of housing, and the ability to live our lives in an independent manner will be vital to our future and development of programming, that addresses these issues is going to be signifcantly important to our long term survival.  

Looking at how we are working with agencies whether they are state, county, city or federal one thing we must do is make sure we are addressing specific and targeted programs and policies for people living with HIV/AIDS.  USCA gives us a platform, policies and practices we can use and implement that will allow our voices to be heard.

 

Alexa Rodriguez
My name is Alexa Rodriguez, I am Indigenous Salvadoran immigrant transgender woman. I am the director of a regional organization Trans-Latinx DMV. I have the privilege to be outside doing what I love, organizing and mobilizing community especially trans community. This year I was able to be part of the host committee and the scholars for HIV 50 Plus. I feel the love and the energies to continue contributing whit my community and with organizations like NMAC that does amazing work ENDING THE EPIDEMIC, and opening opportunity for all and especially trans women of color. one of many of my favorite part is when a trans woman of color is on stage talking on her experience next to academic scientists, because, like myself I might not a have a academic master degree, but I have a 21 years living with HIV and that make me an expert and gives me a doctoral degree in HIV. I hope to myself to be on stage on one of the coming conferences and speak from my heart and be visible to other like me and be he voice of many who doesn’t have a voice or not be heard  

Mi nombre es Alexa Rodríguez, soy mujer indígena transgénero inmigrante salvadoreña, soy directora de una organización regional Trans-Latinx DMV. Tengo el privilegio de estar afuera haciendo lo que amo, organizando y movilizando a la comunidad, especialmente a la comunidad trans. Este año pude ser parte del comité anfitrión y, como académicos del VIH 50 Plus, siento el amor y las energías para seguir contribuyendo. con mi comunidad y con organizaciones como NMAC que hacen un trabajo increíble FINALIZANDO LA EPIDEMIA y abriendo oportunidades para todas y especialmente las mujeres trans de color. Una de mis partes favoritas es cuando una mujer trans de color está en el escenario hablando sobre su experiencia junto a científicos académicos, porque; como yo, podría no tener una maestría académica, pero tengo 21 años viviendo con VIH y eso me convierte en un experto y me hace tener un doctorado en VIH, espero estar en el escenario de uno de los próximas conferencias y hablar desde mi corazón y ser visible para otros como yo y ser la voz de muchos que no tienen voz o no se les escucha.

 

Janice Shirley
Hey, my name is Janice Shirley and Iwould like to share my experience at the USCA by way of the 50+ Scholars Club.  I was able to attend all of the sessions that were suggested. The one I enjoyed most was when I was asked to be a Presenter of the micro-loan grant from Gilead which was on Community Education. I was a bit nervous because the other two presenters had power points and I just had my agenda for the months on the session that we meet on twice a month. Even with that I learned a lot about myself, like don’t sweat the small stuff and believe in my abilities and trust the process. I was also able to meet with  Paul and discuss with him about doing four sessions next year in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I’ve always loved coming to the USCA  because of the experience I get, the people I meet, and the things I’m able to learn and take back to my community.  

 

Miguel Delgado
Blessings.
I first wish to thank all the deceased brothers and sisters who fought and offered their lives for a response to address this epidemic and to those who continue this renewed activism today. They are my inspiration. The HIV 50+ Strong and Healthy Program of 2019 was one made with care and quality which addressed essential issues to develop a care strategy aimed at HIV positive people over 50 years of age. The topics presented were tackled from the holistic care of us, the people with whom HIV lives who, thanks to medical advances and the care of health providers, we have a long life. The development of my skills as a leader, seeing me as an activist, advocating for our rights, are some of the benefits of this conference. A lot of emotion during the presentations, a great sense of brotherhood and camaraderie among the participants, was among others my experience. The conversation with Paul Kawata was very emotional. Being part of the group of Puerto Ricans that received the pass to hold the next USCA 2020 conference in Puerto Rico, made me proud. Thanks to the people and institutions that made my participation possible. 

 

Porchia Dees
I received the 50+ plus scholarship to attend this year’s USCA Conference. I believe that I was one of the only 50+ scholars who were under 50 years old, and I was so honored to be able to be a voice for people who have been aging with HIV since birth. I am also very grateful for the opportunities that were provided to all of the 50+ scholars even after the conference. This year’s theme was ending the epidemic through their memory. 

I attended a few sessions from the HIV & Aging 50+ track that was created for us as well as a lot of other sessions that sparked my interest. I learned so much, and was able to network and make connections with so many different advocates and representatives from different organizations around the world. It was amazing to see all of people who turned out for the 2019 USCA conference.  

My favorite part about the conference was the plenary sessions.  The timeline of the HIV pandemic that was given to us in the first session left me feeling extremely blessed and grateful for how far we have come in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The speeches by Iyanla Vanzant and Linda Scruggs left me feeling extremely empowered as an African American woman who has been living with HIV for going on 33 years now to continue to keep doing the work that I am doing and pushing to make a difference until we get to an AIDS free generation.  

 

Reggie Dunbar
I attended the 2019 USCA in Washington DC September 5th-8th and was taken back to the beginning of AIDS, GRID, etc. Memory and memories are meaningful especially for those like me who were there in the beginning.
I appreciated showing the history from where we have come to where we are now to where we will be headed.
The workshops were stimulating. Having US Departments like HRSA, CDC, etc, the listening sessions, and people living with HIV in the same rooms was encouraging. Seeing and engaging community members and advocates from across the country was great.
 I am more than encouraged to continue the fight and mission for advocacy, education and information about HIV-AIDS.
Thanks for the experiences and I look forward to more and future engagements with NMAC.

Steven Vargas
This year’s USCA focused on efforts to finally End the HIV Epidemic. It made very clear that to finally end the epidemic levels of HIV, we will need more than the biomedical advances to do so. We must address racism and sexism and their attendant atrocities (homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, poverty) and the havoc they bring (unemployment, hunger, homelessness, trauma). What HIV has taught us is no matter what pills are in the pipeline, if we do not address these challenges equitably, they will continue to persist. HIV will continue to persist. If we are serious about finally ending the damage HIV can cause, then we must do more than address the medical side of HIV, and focus on the social side.  Particularly important were the Listening Sessions scheduled with HRSA’s Laura Cheever and Antigone Dempsey. It provided an opportunity for us to alert our Federal funders of the need to be proactive with including those of us aging with HIV in the process of developing an end to the epidemic. Thanks to advancements in HIV prevention and medical treatment, many of us are gratefully aging with HIV. A relatively new trend, this aspect of living with HIV yields many uncertainties: how will HIV and aging interact, how do many years of taking medications as they were developed affect our aging process. We can learn and plan together for this eventuality so others may not experience the same uncertainties. Thank you, NMAC, for affording us this opportunity!

Where Have All the Funders Gone?

Where Have All the Funders Gone?

Next week (October 28 & 29) donors will come together for Funders Concerned About AIDS AIDS Philanthropy Summit. Here are the 2017 top 20 funders of HIV/AIDS (global and domestic).
Here are the top 10 funders of the US HIV/AIDS epidemic. Eighty percent of the domestic HIV funding comes from the pharmaceutical industry.
Top 10 States Receiving Funds

All of the above data comes from Funders Concerned About AIDS signature report,
Philanthropic Support to Address HIV/AIDS.
Our movement needs a significant influx of private sector funding and leadership if we are to end the HIV epidemic in America. Government support can only do so much and has significant limitations. Private industry, foundations, and donors need to support what the government cannot. This is a once in a generation opportunity to end an epidemic.

Ending the HIV epidemic in America requires culturally-responsive and sustained engagement in health care and adherence to meds for the majority of the 500,000 people living with HIV who have fallen out of care, are unaware of their HIV status, or have not achieved an undetectable viral load. Additionally, the federal plan to end the HIV epidemic in America has set a goal to get around 900,000 more people on PrEP. Does the existing HIV infrastructure have the capacity to serve 1.4 million more people? Is this kind of expansion possible without a significant increase in private sector support?

Where are the business champions? I do not naively believe that we can do it by ourselves. We cannot. Corporations, foundations, and major donors are needed now more than ever. Our movement needs private sector support and leadership. In the past, CEOs like Bob Haas from Levi Strauss would make the case for HIV to his peers. Where are the CEOs working with community to end the epidemic? Other than the pharmaceutical industry, they all seem to be gone. John Dempsey, it’s time to come back to help finish the job.

According to Funders Concerned About AIDS, “For the fourth year in a role, private HIV/AIDS philanthropy to the US has reached a new high, totaling $186 million in 2017, a 7% ($12 million) increase from 2016. This is mostly attributable to a 40% increase in domestic funding from Gilead Sciences.” In the near future, I will discuss the racial justice component to funding, but for now I just wanted to share the numbers.

Yours in the struggle,
Paul Kawata
30 Years of Service

Paul Kawata

Can We End The HIV Epidemic in Women, Particularly Black Women?

NMAC Mourns the Loss of Congressman Elijah Cummings

NMAC joins with all Americans who fight for racial and health justice, in mourning the passing of Congressman Elijah Cummings.

“Since 1996, Congressman Cummings not only proudly represented his constituents in Maryland’s 7th Congressional district, he represented all Americans who are marginalized because of their race, sexual orientation, sexual identity, HIV status, and injustices associated with minority health disparities,” said Joe Huang-Racalto, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy for NMAC.  “Congressman Cummings was also an unbending voice for civil rights.  As Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus in the 108th Congress, Congressman Cummings helped lead the fight against two federal marriage amendments, which if passed, would have laid the foundation for amending the U.S. Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriages.  While we mourn his loss, his legacy of bringing to the forefront and fighting the injustices facing minorities will live on.   On behalf of NMAC’s staff, board, and our constituents, we send our deepest thoughts of love and grace to his wife, Maya and their three children.”

Can We End The HIV Epidemic in Women, Particularly Black Women?

This is the question for the Opening Plenary of the 2019 Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit.  A recent post on Facebook from Leisha McKinley-Beach with recommendations from the Atlanta Black Women Leaders on PrEP laid the foundation for the Summit’s discussion about the many challenges Black women face to make biomedical HIV prevention work.
I was concerned about singling out Black women, worried that it could further stigmatize them, but in the same Facebook post, someone I admire said that we need to hold up and talk about Black women. I’ve invited Leisha and the Atlanta Black Women Leaders on PrEP to help lead the planning of the Opening Plenary and to write an article for the NMAC newsletter that speaks their truth. We have to tell our “truths” if we are going to end the HIV epidemic in communities shouldering the largest burden of HIV.While I appreciate the above infographic developed by the CDC, there are two big challenges: 1) It states that one in four persons living with HIV is a woman while it should really read that one if four persons living with HIV is a cisgender woman; 2) CDC currently classifies and counts transgender women as men who have sex with men, aka MSM. Also, the CDC classifies Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native women as “other”. It is time to stop these out-of-date practices.

During the Opening Plenary, there will be a memorial that remembers the murdered transgender women this year. The American Medical Association says there is an epidemic of violence against trans women, particularly Black and Latina transgender women. Our efforts to end HIV in the transgender community must address the twin epidemics of HIV and violence. The Summit has reached out to Arianna Lint of the TransLatin@Coalition to begin a conversation on how to hold this memorial.
Innovation Plenary/Long-Acting HIV Treatment
Another plenary at the 2019 Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit will look at long-acting HIV prevention and treatment will soon impact how people will take HIV medications, i.e. innovations like injectables and implants of HIV meds. How will they change the nature of our work? Will they work in the communities highly impacted by HIV?

For people who have a hard time remembering to take a daily pill, will an injection or implant be a game-changer for them? Understanding implants and “choice” will be a very difficult question for our community. Will they be accepted as an option in impacted communities and will they be accessible if they are acceptable? Can the government force anyone to get implants that protect them against HIV? Since our efforts to end the domestic HIV epidemic requires plans to reach hundreds of thousands of people, do these innovations make our work easier or harder? Without comprehensive HIV treatment education programs, NMAC is concerned that some communities will be left behind as the treatment paradigm is shifting. Plans to end the HIV epidemic must include HIV treatment education for all communities highly impacted by HIV.

2019 Summit Scholarship Recipients
This year the Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit will award 280 scholarships from over 800 applications. NMAC will spend $313,000 on scholarships for the 2019 Summit. The average award is $1,117. Over 200 successful applicants will be receiving an NMAC scholarship for the first time.

Demographics of Scholarship Recipients
Gender/Gender Identity                           Age                                 Race/Ethnicity                                                       HIV Status

Androgynous 1% 22-24 3% African American 46% HIV Negative 44%
Female 30% 25-34 47% American Indian/ Alaska Native 4% On PrEP 17%
FTM/Transmen 5% 35-44 25% Asian 3% HIV Positive 31%
MTF/Transwomen 17% 45-54 15% Caucasian 20% Undeclared 5%
Gender
Non-confirming		 4% 55-54 9% Latinx 25% Unknown 1%
Gender Queer 4% 65+ 1% Prefer not
to disclose		 2% Blank 2%
Male 36%
Prefer not
to disclose		 3%

NMAC wants to thank Gilead for their support of the Summit. Additional funding was provided by ViiV, Janssen, Avita, Walgreen’s, Curant Health and InTheMeantime Men. We thank all of our donors; however, it is important to note that they have no input in scholarship decisions or the conference program.

Additional Scholarship From Independent Agencies
100 more scholarships will be given out (25 per agency) by 1) Abounding Prosperity Inc., 2), FLAS Inc. 3), Latinos Salud, and 4). Sister Love. Please contact them directly to get more information about their scholarship process. NMAC thanks them for adding to the scholarship pool. Their process and decision making are independent of NMAC and the Summit.

Scholarship applications were reviewed by members of NMAC’s Constituent Advisory Panels (CAPs) and NMAC staff. One of the major challenges this year was incomplete applications. We encourage everyone to answer each question fully so they can receive the highest possible score. We also have webinars on our website that offer helpful information about the scholarship process. Please know that we value you and your leadership and contributions to our community. Unfortunately, we cannot support all of the requests we receive.

See you in Houston!

Yours in the struggle,

Paul Kawata
30 Years of Service

 

 

 

 


BLOC To Launch In Spanish

NMAC is proud to announce its new monolingual Spanish-Building Leaders of Color (S-BLOC) training institute funded through the HRS HIV/AIDS Bureau. Over the coming months, NMAC will Partner with PROCEED Inc. to translate all of the existing English Building Leaders of Color (BLOC) training.

Together, NMAC and PROCEED will use their complementary assets and expertise to translate the Building Leaders of Color (BLOC) Bootcamp Training Institute curriculum into Spanish and pilot the translated curriculum with Spanish-language speaking/ LatinX identified persons living with HIV.

The translation of BLOC furthers the goals of HRSA and aligns with the work of NMAC and PROCEED to reduce disparities and promote equity in all aspects of HIV prevention and treatment, including the leadership and participation of Latinx people living with HIV.

“I am ecstatic that the BLOC will be translated into Spanish,” said Gisele Pemberton, Director of PROCEED Inc., National Center for Training, Supportand Technical Assistance. “The LatinX community of people living with HIV need and deserve this. We need the insight, talent and skills of LatinX PLWH at every table, as we work toward ending the epidemic. By offering the BLOC in Spanish, NMAC is removing a major barrier to the full participation of our community.”

“The need for Latinx voices to be heard has rarely been greater than today,” said Steven Vargas, Program Coordinator, AAMA (Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans). “At a time when we see drops in new HIV diagnoses across the nation, we still see new cases go up for our young Latinx MSM community, and we still see in some areas late diagnoses of HIV. At a time when we believe we can end the epidemic levels of HIV by increasing access to biomedical interventions, we are barring access to some Latinx community members in the U.S. I am very grateful for NMAC and its intentional focus on leading with race for translating the BLOC program into Spanish. This will benefit and empower our Latinx communities to raise their voices at a time when we need them most.”

BLOC se Lanzará en Español en 2020
NMAC se enorgullece en anunciar su nuevo instituto de desarrollo de líderes en poblaciones de color en español (S-BLOC) financiado a través de la Oficina de VIH/SIDA de HRSA. En los próximos meses NMAC colaborará con PROCEED Inc. para traducir toda la capacitación que está en Ingles – Building Leaders of Color – Desarrollando Lideres de Color (BLOC por sus siglas en Ingles).

Juntos, NMAC y PROCEED utilizarán sus activos complementarios y experiencia para traducir el currículo del Instituto de Capacitación de Líderes de Color (BLOC) al español e implementarlo con personas que se identifican como Latinx y viven con el VIH.

La traducción de BLOC promueve los objetivos de HRSA y se alinea con el trabajo de NMAC y PROCEED para reducir las disparidades y promover la equidad en todos los aspectos de la prevención y el tratamiento del VIH, incluyendo el liderazgo y la participación de las personas Latinx que viven con el VIH.

“Estoy muy contenta que BLOC se traduzca al español”, dijo la Dra. Gisele Pemberton, directora de PROCEED Inc., Centro Nacional de Capacitación, Apoyo y Asistencia Técnica. “Las personas que viven con el VIH de la comunidad Latinx necesitan y merecen esto. Necesitamos la visión, el talento y las habilidades de las PVCV Latinx en cada conversación y trabajo, mientras tratamos de poner fin a la epidemia. Al ofrecer BLOC en español, NMAC está eliminando una barrera importante para la plena participación de nuestra comunidad.”

“Es necesario que las voces de personas Latinx sean escuchadas siendo ésto más importante hoy en día.” Steven Vargas, Coordinador del Programa, AAMA (Asociación para el Avance de los Mexicanos-americanos). “En un momento en que vemos una disminución en los nuevos diagnósticos de VIH en todo el país, todavía vemos que nuevos casos aumentan para nuestra comunidad de HSH latinos jóvenes, y todavía vemos en algunas áreas diagnósticos tardíos del VIH. En un momento en que creemos que podemos poner fin a los niveles epidémicos del VIH aumentando el acceso a intervenciones biomédicas, estamos prohibiendo el acceso a algunos miembros de la comunidad Latina en los Estados Unidos. Estoy muy agradecido con NMAC por su enfoque intencional de poner la raza y cultura como la prioridad y traducir el programa BLOC al español. Esto beneficiará y empoderará a nuestras comunidades Latinx para que levanten su voz en el momento en que más lo necesitamos”.

 

First Monday in October

Traditionally, the first Monday in October is the day that the US Supreme Court convenes following its summer recess. On Tuesday, Oct 8th the court will hear three cases about whether it is legal to fire someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The court will decide if federal laws that ban discrimination based on sex apply to a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Given the current make-up of the court, the outcome is not certain. If we lose, the decision will codify discrimination into the law and run contrary to the court’s ruling on marriage equality. In 2015, the Court ruled that states cannot deny two people the right to get married based upon their sexual orientation because of the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause. Same-sex couples, thereby, had the same terms and conditions for marriage as mixed-sex couples. States could not discriminate based on the sex of either marriage applicant. If states can’t discriminate, can employers?

People living with HIV are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. This law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities including those living with the virus. That means if you are LGBTQ+ living with HIV, employers cannot discriminate against you for having HIV, but in 25 states they can fire you for being gay, lesbian or bisexual. And in 26 states, you can be fired for being of transgender experience and/or gender non-conforming. Approximately half of Americans reside in a state where you can fired for identifying as LGBTQ+.

The majority of people living with HIV are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Stigma and discrimination are things that they face on a daily basis. Often it is impossible to differentiate where the discrimination started. Were you fired because you are living with HIV or because of your sexual orientation and/or gender identity? Will the Americans with Disabilities Act protect people living with HIV if they are fired because they are LGBTQ+ identified? Is that distinction even possible to make? Can you imagine there is an employer who will protect the straight people living with HIV, but fire the LGBTQ+ person living with the virus?

Why does this matter to our efforts to end the HIV epidemic in America? Over the last 35 years, we’ve seen and documented the impact that stigma has on PLHIV. We’ve learned how stigma impacts access and retention in healthcare and adherence to meds. Whether the stigma comes from living with HIV, race, sex, gender identity or sexual orientation, it is usually impossible to tell. Our efforts to end HIV must address the stigma that the Court may codify into law. If you can be fired for identifying as LGBTQ+, that makes us by law second class citizens who are not worthy of the same rights as our straight counterparts.

 

The states colored in grey do not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in public or private employment. The ones in purple or pink only offer limited protections for public employees.

How many of those states are part of our efforts to end the HIV epidemic?

 

 

Here is the map for our efforts to end the HIV epidemic. The dots represent the local jurisdictions and the states in blue represent the states that are part of the effort. Of the seven states that are targeted in the federal effort to end HIV, none of them fully prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in public and private employment.

Regardless of the state or jurisdiction, most people living with HIV feel that discrimination and stigma are challenges that impact their daily lives. Even if the target jurisdictions has laws that protect them (most of them do), they live in the country where the courts will soon decide if they are second class citizens, not worthy of the same protections. This is important because our solutions must fit within the political realities of where people living with HIV live and why we must fight against laws that discriminate against the communities that are highly impacted by HIV.

For decades, Congress has tried to amend the Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, sexual identity, sex-based stereotypes, as well as other life facts.  In fact, on May 17, 2019, the House again passed the act, and again, Majority Leader McConnell is refusing to bring it to the Senate floor for a vote.

This is a terrible injustice and we find ourselves depending on a conservative Supreme Court to protect LGBTQ citizens because the Senate has again failed to act.

I’m hopeful that the Supreme Court recognizes the refusal of the Senate to allow a vote on the Equality Act.  Millions of Americans risk getting fired or losing their housing based on who they are and who they love.

On behalf of NMAC’s staff and Board, I strongly urge the Supreme Court to do the right thing – to protect all LGBTQ Americans from employment and housing discrimination.  And I call upon Senate Majority Leader McConnell to stop obstructing justice for these Americans – pass the Equality Act.

Onward. Together.

Yours in the struggle,

Paul Kawata

HOPWA Cuts Endanger HIV Fight

This week’s “Ending the Epidemic” is from Ace Robinson, NMAC’s Director of Strategic Partnerships.

More than meds! More than meds!

It is a mantra that our community keeps preaching if we are serious about ending the HIV epidemic. In 2019, we have had medication that can prevent HIV acquisition after someone is exposed in the form of PEP for 14 years. We also have meds to prevent HIV acquisition before someone is exposed in the form of PrEP for the past seven years. We also know that people living with HIV (PLHIV) who have sustained access and use of treatment can live a longer and healthier life. And those people who can maintain sustained access to care and treatment and achieve viral suppression cannot sexually pass the virus onto another person, aka Undetectable equals Untransmittable (U=U) or Treatment as Prevention (TasP).

Compared to 1987, when we opened our doors at NMAC, we have come light years ahead in our journey to End the Epidemic. But one thing that has become more abundantly clear with each passing day is that we will never achieve our common goal to End HIV with just meds. The stark reality is that HIV clinics still have a steady stream of new patients who are either newly diagnosed and have people who have fallen in and out of healthcare.

Why is that? HIV is more than just a virus. It is an opportunistic disease that is firmly rooted in the communities of greatest need. HIV, even more so than before, finds a way to harm the most vulnerable among us. And there are no people more vulnerable in this country than people who are sleeping on American streets. On any given night, over half a million people sleep in shelters are on the streets. And, according to the Office of Housing & Urban Development (HUD), 40% of those people identify as Black/African-American.

The ripple effect of housing insecurity knows no bounds. The HUD program called HOPWA, or Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS, is a lifeline for PLHIV and their families to access housing. And that’s why there is a nationwide call-to-action alert throughout the field of HIV. President Trump’s budget was released for 2020. The budget added nearly $300M in HIV funding for the new Ending the HIV Epidemic (EtHE) initiative announced in February at the State of the Union address. However, that HIV-specific funding increase for EtHE came at the same time as a proposed $63M decrease in HOPWA funding.

The impact on reducing access to HOPWA would be enormous. It would exceed its impact on just PLHIV. Recently Greg Millett, vice president of amfAR, stated, “We know that people living with HIV who are unstably housed are less likely to be virally suppressed. If you are virally suppressed, you are more likely to die from HIV while also making it possible to transmit the virus on to other people. This is why temporary housing subsidies are allowable under Medicaid and the Ryan White Care Act programs. It is an explicit recognition that housing status and health are interconnected.”

And Millett’s assertion is not just supported by PLHIV, their loved ones, and community-based organizations supporting HIV-impacted populations. A few weeks ago at NMAC’s United States Conference on AIDS (USCA), the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Robert Redfield proclaimed, “I believe it in every bone in my body. Housing is a medical issue…we are never going to get to the end game unless we recognize that housing is a medical issue.”

HOPWA is core to our ability to reduce the numbers of new HIV infections and HIV-related deaths. That fact is clear. HOPWA funding not only should not be decreased. HOPWA funding must be increased. Under no circumstances can we go backwards.

Public health is not rocket science. We must align what we already know is best to achieve our common goal to End HIV in America and beyond. It can and will be done.

Onward. Together.

Yours in the struggle,
Ace Robinson, MHL, MPH

Thank You

Thank you for another great United States Conference on AIDS. We are a movement, and a family and together we will change the world by ending the domestic HIV epidemic.

I am continually moved by the passion, commitment, and vision of the activists, caregivers, and providers on the frontlines.

This is an epic journey as we fight to end an epidemic that does not yet have a vaccine or cure. Can biomedical HIV prevention take us to the end?

There are people who will try to minimize our contributions because they don’t understand the value and power of community. Their privilege makes them believe they have answers for people that can’t begin to understand.

Here are some of the amazing comments I received on Facebook (I received their permission to reprint):


For leaders who want to extend their education about Biomedical HIV Prevention, we have moved the deadline to apply for scholarships for the 2019 Summit to Friday, September 20th.USCA 2020 will be in San Juan Puerto Rico, Oct. 10-13, 2020. The meeting was pushed to later in the year to avoid the peak of the hurricane season. USCA is going to Puerto Rico to 1) bring much needed economic development to the island after Hurricane Maria, 2) focus on the impact of HIV in the Latinx community, and 3) give attendees the experience of being in a meeting where English is not the only language.I want to extend a final thank you to the NMAC staff, board, and Constituent Advisory Panel members; to members of the DC Host Committee; and to our generous and committed sponsors, including:


And thank you to all 3,000 attendees. We hope it was all you wanted.

Yours in the struggle,

Paul Kawata

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to USCA!

This is going to be the largest United States Conference on AIDS. The weather is very concerning. We want everyone to be safe. The best way to stay informed about the conference is via the smartphone app. Go to Google Play or Apple app stores and search for “2019 USCA.” There are 160 workshops. The non-printed program book is 110 pages long. There are four plenaries and there will be long lines at registration and to get into plenary sessions. We apologize in advance and thank you for understanding. There is lots of interest and concerns about building federal plans to end the domestic HIV epidemic.
Hurricane Dorian

While Washington, DC is not directly impacted, attendees come from regions that might be hit by Hurricane Dorian. Your safety is our first concern. If you can’t make it because of Hurricane Dorian, USCA will refund your registration fee. Be safe and stay in touch. We just want to know you are OK.

If you are hosting a workshop and need to cancel, please inform Alison McKeithen/ amckeithen@nmac.org.

If you have a scholarship and need to cancel, please inform your NMAC contact person.

If you need to change any of your travel or hotel reservations, please do it directly with the airline and/or hotel. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to provide this service. Be sure to read and follow all the cancellation policies.
  • USCA Host Hotel: Marriott Marquis, 202-824-9200
  • Courtyard Marriott (DC Convention Center), 202-589-1800
  • Embassy Suites, 202-739-2001
  • Cambria, 202-299-1188

Thank you for understanding and contacting the properties directly.

Disruptive Innovation!!!

An HIV leader recently said, “We are only going to end the HIV epidemic using disruptive innovation.” If we repeat what we’ve always done, we will probably get the same result. Ending the epidemic plans must do things differently in order to reach the people living with HIV who have fallen out of care or are unaware of their HIV status. To use disruptive innovation means to bring the promise of PrEP to communities that were missed in early efforts. Who is this person calling for disruptive innovation? It’s the head of the CDC, Dr. Robert Redfield. He is also the target for a protest at the Opening Plenary.

Dr. Robert Redfield portraitNMAC supports Dr. Redfield’s mandate for disruptive innovation and our community’s right to protest and speak truth to power. We agree that we can’t do things the same way and expect different results. Our concern is that this message is not getting to the field. How can we use disruptive innovation and build comprehensive community consultations into the jurisdictional plans, particularly when a “draft” of the plan is due by the end of the year? NMAC hopes the CDC will listen to the concerns that are raised and that we all work together to achieve Dr. Redfield’s goals of comprehensive community consultation and disruptive innovation!

Protests

As a meeting planner, protests give me acid reflux. As an activist, I understand their power and importance. At NMAC, our response to protests is based on our values. We believe that protests are in the DNA of the HIV movement. It is our shared legacy from the civil rights movement to the women’s movement to the fight for LGBTQ equality to ACT-UP. We stand on the shoulders of generations who stood up and spoke truth to power.

At the same time, we also know that knowledge is power. As oppressed people, we do not always have access to the people and information that can save our communities. Attendees come to USCA to listen and learn. NMAC has a responsibility to also ensure that result.

There is no space for hate speech, bullying, or violence. Given life’s traumas, particularly the trauma of living with HIV, NMAC fights to protect all the communities that are hardest hit by HIV.

The protest at the Opening is about the CDC. Naina Khanna thinks it’s more an organized and permitted speak-out. It was organized by PrEP4All and includes the Positive Women’s Network-USA, Housing Works, Positively Trans/Translatin@Coalition, People Living with HIV Caucus, and ThriveSS.  They are concerned about molecular HIV surveillance, clinical trials, guidelines, and prevention efforts. We’ve agreed in advance that the protest will be limited to 10 minutes so attendees can hear the full presentations from the speakers.

All of the Opening Speakers were informed in advance. To their credit, nobody pulled out. NMAC shared information about the speak-out because we don’t want to surprise anyone, particularly our federal colleagues. USCA does not want to “get” anyone. Our field needs real answers to some of the most complex questions of our times. How do we re-engage and keep the 250,000 people living with HIV who have fallen out of healthcare? How can we reach all the communities that need and could benefit from PrEP? What is the scale needed to reach all these people and the goals of the federal plan? What are the roles that race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, depression, and addiction play in HIV prevention, care, and services? There will be a private meeting after the plenary between Dr. Redfield and these organizations. The goal is to have a conversation.

It is a tough time in America. There are lots of reasons to be upset, confused, and mad. Can we put aside our differences and work together to end the HIV epidemic? This will be the biggest test of our leadership.

Using Culture To Highlight Communities

USCA believes that HIV prevention and care efforts must value the culture of the communities the work is trying to reach. All too often services are based on the institution and not the clients. We use culture to connect the humanity of the communities highly impacted by HIV and the provider of services to those communities. Saturday’s plenary is a celebration of people living with HIV and Undetectable equal Untransmittable, including HIV positive singers Branden James and Jade Elektra. Mykki Blanco is hosting a master lecture on how HIV impacts his art. Janssen is sponsoring a special showing of the documentary “5B.” Cliff Morrison and I will host a question and answer period following the film. On Saturday night we get to meet with Noah’s Arc star Rodney Chester and screen “Noah’s Arc: Jumping The Broom.”

Join NMAC and the DC USCA Host Committee for a welcome reception for all USCA attendees on Thursday, September 5th. Enjoy an evening of entertainment, fellowship, and a Special Exhibition Ball featuring Dominique Jackson, Mother Elektra from “Pose!”

Just another typical year at USCA. What would the meeting be if there wasn’t a hurricane or protest or both? Thank you again for joining us. We never take your support for granted and work hard to make USCA the innovative meeting that our movement needs.

Yours in the struggle,

 

 

 

 

Paul Kawata
POZ magazine was gracious to print a special run of the magazine for USCA. I am not on the cover, but they are doing this wrap for the meeting. Thirty years is a long time and I am proud to stand with NMAC in our fight to end the HIV epidemic.

NMAC Welcomes the 2019 USCA Social Media Fellows

NMAC is proud to welcome this year’s USCA Social Media Fellows! Each year, 18 Fellows are selected to attend USCA to use their existing social media skills to help spread the word about HIV prevention, care, and treatment and expand their abilities through interacting with others in the field.

Davina Conner

Facebook: PozitivelyDee
Podcast: PozitivelyDeesDiscussion
Twitter: @DavinaConner
Instagram: @pozitivelydee

Davina Conner Otalor was diagnosed with HIV 22 years ago and her podcast has reached many for the last five years, educating by way of social media and community work to clarify the impact of HIV criminalization, seeking to dispel stigma, and address internalized stigma within people living with HIV. She uses her show as a platform to educate individuals who are HIV positive and HIV negative. Davina is an advocate/activist, speaker, radio host, a founding steering committee member of Prevention Access Campaign (UequalsU), a member of Positive Women’s Network USA’s Colorado Reginal Chapter, a 2020 Leading Women’s Society Alumni and a former Denver HIV Planning Council member. Dee’s podcast won the ADAP Social Media Campaign in 2017, the persistent advocate award at AIDS Watch 2019, and has also been featured in several magazines for her work. She founded her own non-profit organization 501c3 called Poz Haven Foundation that started out as grassroots advocacy. Her nonprofit works mentoring those who are diagnosed and individuals who are struggling mentally by way of telephone or in-home mentoring while bringing the often-underrepresented voice of women of color and women living with HIV to the table. Davina started advocating because of the stigma that many go through being diagnosed with HIV and is determined to work hard for women of color, trans women and all women with HIV. Davina uses her show as a platform to educate all communities and stands for the rights of every human being no matter how they chose to live their life. Dee’s big heart and the love she has for people shows while working to inspire, encourage and motivate all.

Jacen Zhu

Twitter: @PrEPSQUADDC
Jacen Zhu is a voice within the queer community who uses his platform in erotica to address issues affecting people of color (POC). He advocates primarily for black queer issues such as: racism within the industry, sexual & mental health, and substance use. Jacen utilizes his experience with addiction to start the initiative #TakedownTina. He also speaks about his journey being HIV positive living undetectably and the continued stigma within and out of the industry. He has partnered with PrEP Squad DC, as Undetectable Man to spread the message of U=U (Undetectable equals Untransmittable) in communities of color.

 

Jeffrey Long

Facebook: MyAdvocacyWorkJeffreyLong

Jeffrey Long is an HIV, hepatitis, and harm reduction activist from Cherokee, NC. He has been extensively involved in federal, state, and tribal advocacy on behalf of people living with HIV and substance abuse disorder. Jeffrey currently sits on the Steering Committee for the North Carolina Ending the Epidemic initiative, as well as several boards and committees for the Western NC AIDS Project, based in Asheville.

 

 

Lester Bloom

 

Lester Bloom goes by the name Tazzico. He was born, raised, and still resides in New Orleans, Louisiana. As a visual artist, he plays around with various mediums from painting to glassblowing to photography. He loves expressing himself and inspiring others through his artwork. You can find some of his artwork on Instagram.

Instagram: @Tazzico

 

Shyronn Jones
Shyronn Jones is a woman living with HIV, freelance writer, author, movie producer and cross-movement activist based in Atlanta, Georgia. She is the Founder of iknowAwareness LLC where she shares her personal experiences and education about HIV. She encourages others to “Educate About HIV With Care Not Fear” and to use people-first language. She leverages social media to bring information to community stakeholders and maintains a presence in HIV advocacy efforts in Metro Atlanta. She has amplified local, regional and national issues to bring about political and social change. As a Black woman living with HIV, she brings her perspective to movements like Black Lives Matter and Fight for $15. She is a dedicated member of the Positive Women’s Network-USA– serving as a Communication Action Team Member, Member Spokesperson, Policy Fellow, Certified Regional Trainer and Georgia State Lead. She also serves as the Interim Vice Chair of The Fulton County HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Policy Advisory Committee and a Member of The Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Councils’ Priorities Committee.

Website: www.iknowAwareness.com
Twitter: @shyronn_jones
Instagram: @shyronnjones
FB Group: iknowAwareness
FB Profile: shyronn
FB Page: PWNGA
LinkedIn: iknowawareness
YouTube: Shyronn Jones

Dimitri Moise
Dimitri Joseph Moise is an actor, award-winning editor, social entrepreneur, speaker, and advocate. He is notably known for his work as Mostel Defferies on The Last O.G. starring Tracy Morgan, on TBS. Dimitri is the founder of spl : inc, a consultancy focused on intentionally inclusive media; and the US Project Manager at Global Thinking Foundation, which promotes financial literacy and gender equality worldwide. Dimitri has also been featured on Good Morning America. As an advocate and spokesperson in the HIV/AIDS community, Dimitri dedicates his life to eradicating HIV stigma and addressing the disparities existing among marginalized communities. As an undetectable advocate, he has been featured in HIV Plus Magazine; Thought Catalog; and is a spokesperson for the nonprofit HIV Advocates. Dimitri is also nominated for three 2019 WEGO Health Awards. “Empowering others means empowering yourself.”

Facebook Profile: dimitri.moise

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DimitriMoiseOfficial/

Instagram: dimitrimoiseofficial

Twitter: dimitrijmoise

LinkedIn: dimitrijosephmoise

Dernell Green

Dernell E. Green is the 3MV Director/ Social Media/Marketing Coordinator at Brotherhood, Incorporated in New Orleans, Louisiana. Before working at Brotherhood he was a school teacher by day photographer and graphic designer by night. Dernell has attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette & Dillard University where he majored in Public Relations and Music. He became an advocate in the HIV field when he realized that he influenced so many of his friends and followers’ actions in life. Since being at Brotherhood for the past two years Dernell has impacted over 100+ college students to simply “Know Your Status” by taking a Rapid HIV test with his agency. Also, he created avenues and outlets for students/community to just have somewhere to go enjoy each other’s company and more, from POSE Watch Parties to Good Friday Shakedowns. Being a voice and giving the kids what they want has always been his ultimate purpose in life.

Insta: @blazerndbowtie

Twitter: @blazerndbowtie

Facebook: kydd.mychal

James Q. Simmons
James Q. Simmons is a Board Certified Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and on-air medical expert currently working on his Doctorate in Nursing Practice at UCLA. His research is focused on understanding the impact of social media on initiation of PrEP in the Black MSM community. He also curates the online and social media health initiative “Ask The NP – everything you’re too scared to ask your MD!” A safe space on social media where followers get real, relatable, and reliable information to empower their health. He is on the Advisory Board for APAIT, an organization working to positively impact the quality of life for medically under served communities living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS and other health disparities through culturally competent and linguistically appropriate programs in Southern California. He believes strongly in NMAC’s mission of leading with race to end the HIV epidemic in all communities and is honored to be a Social Media Fellow at his first ever United States Conference on AIDS.

Twitter: @AskTheNP

Instagram: @AskTheNP

Facebook: AskTheNP

YouTube: AskTheNP

Hernando Umana
Hernando Umana has been seen on Broadway and National tours with Kinky Boots and School of Rock. He recently launched a premium line of CBD products for pets called CBD Dog Health (@cbddoghealth) and promotes medicinal cannabis as an activist. Diagnosed with HIV 11 years ago, Hernando decided to come out publicly with his status. Since then he’s worked as an activist with features in Esquire, Poz Magazine, the U=U campaign all over New York and more.

Twitter: @hernandoumana

Instagram: @Hernandoumana

Ian L. Haddock
Ian L. Haddock (he, him, his) is a black, gay/queer/pansexual male residing in Houston, Texas. He is the Executive Director of The Normal Anomaly Initiative and the President of Impulse Group Houston. He is the Executive Producer of Outcry the Mini Doc streaming on Amazon Prime Video and the forthcoming docu-series to be released in Fall 2019. He also serves as a host of The Real Gag Internet Radio Show. Haddock is the 2019 Trailblazer of the Year from the African American State of Emergency Task Force and was awarded as the 2019 Dr. Mark A Colomb Emerging Young Leader from the National African American Leadership Conference.

Facebook: ianlhaddock
Facebook Page: Normal Anomaly
Instagram: @thenormalanomaly
Twitter:@DaNormalAnomaly

D’Ontace Keyes

[D’Angelo] D’Ontace Keyes is the Digital Communication Manager at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) where he executes content distribution and social media strategies. Keyes previous led marketing and fundraising activities for Philadelphia Black Pride and served as a content producer for MOBI (Mobilizing Our Brothers Initiative) in New York City. Keyes received his MBA in Marketing with a focus in Innovation from Philadelphia University and formal arts education from The University of the Arts. Since postgrad, Keyes has worked with teams from the Center for Quality Improvement and Innovation, Pride Action Tank and GLSEN to adopt design mapping for  developing innovative solutions to issues impacting youth in healthcare, welfare and education systems. A dedicated public servant, Keyes previously served as a commissioner with Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, where he assisted in developing the first government level report addressing racism and discrimination in Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community.

Facebook: AIDS Chicago

IG: @aidsfoundationchicago

Facebook: D.Ontace

IG: @mrkeyes

Melanie Ampon

Melanie Ampon, a California Bay Area native, is a passionate advocate for transgender and human rights. She is a Human Rights Commissioner for the City and County of San Francisco. She has worked at San Francisco’s transgender cabaret dining club, AsiaSF since 2003. She was in a national television program in 2015-16 called Transcendent, that chronicled 5 trans women navigating their personal and professional lives in San Francisco. It was one of the first all-trans docu-series television programs. It helped give light and understanding of the transgender community from an entertainer’s point of view.

Melanie is co-chair of the HRC’s LGBT Advisory Committee (LGBTAC), a Community Advisory Board (CAB) member at the San Francisco Community Health Center (SFCHC), and is also a Transgender Advisory Committee (TAC) member at the Office of Transgender Initiatives (OTI) the first Trans lead City Office in the nation. She has lent her voice to host numerous events for organizations such as Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), SF Trans March, The Trevor Project, and more.

Instagram: @nyacruz
Twitter: @nyaasiasf

Tiana Jones

Tiana Jones is a 24-year-old born and raised Las Vegas native. Tiana is a current Master of Public Health student at Grand Canyon University with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health from the University of Nevada-Reno. Her advocacy for HIV/AIDS started with the passing of her Aunt Rhonda in 1994 from AIDs related complications. During her undergrad, she was a Peer Health Educator where she helped assist with free STI testing weekly. She was an intern for Northern Nevada Hopes in Reno, Nevada, which was the first HIV treatment clinic in the state. Today she is serving her community as an HIV Program Specialist in Las Vegas. Her future includes becoming a well-known advocate for HIV/AIDs not only in Nevada but in the United States through social media. Tiana also known as “TIANAAWOAH’’ on YouTube, started her channel in 2015 focusing on hair tutorials, fashion hauls, and lifestyle experiences. She believes that if you allow the conversation around HIV treatment and prevention to become normalized, then we as people will be on our way to ending stigma and the epidemic. It’s not easy being an advocate for HIV, but if it was, everyone would do it. That is why it’s important to continue to educate our peers, our family, and strangers on the importance of getting tested, getting treatment, prevention and simply staying educated. Driven by her strong belief in the value of human life and dignity of all people, her ultimate goal is to provide support for the most marginalized and underserved populations affected by HIV. Tiana is excited to be at USCA for the first time and cannot wait to meet and learn from all the fabulous attendees.

Instagram: @tianaawoah
YouTube: TianaaWoah

Lillian Lennon
Lillian Lennon is a queer woman who is proud to call Talkeetna and Anchorage, Alaska her home. Her career in activism started with the cofounding of Talkeetna Pride, her hometown’s first LGBTQ+ organization. After moving back to Anchorage for school she became the field organizer for the successful Fair Anchorage campaign that took down the transphobic ballot initiative known as Proposition 1. Since then she has been a freelance activist and recently an LGBTQ+ field organizer for Planned Parenthood and Transgender Leadership Alaska. In her free time, she enjoys illustrating, filmmaking, and jamming out on the ukulele.

Social Media Links:
Twitter: @mslillianlennon
Instagram: @mslillianlennon

Raif Derrazi
Raif was diagnosed with AIDS on his 27th birthday in 2012. This was his greatest fear in life and he soon realized his ‘victim mindset’ is what brought him down this long circuitous journey to his current circumstances. A LOT had to change both internally and externally for him to regain control of his life. He did a lot of internal work and started to take a leadership role in his life with the intention of being his own hero! Fitness and bodybuilding were a natural fit and a great outward manifestation of his new-found power. Raif is now a pro natural competitive physique bodybuilder. He also realized that role models for the HIV community were hard to come by so he decided to start talking about his HIV status on social media in hopes of providing guidance and inspiration to others. With a growing YouTube subscribership (10k) and following on Instagram (23k), he shares his life and his journey living with HIV and embracing a fitness lifestyle. What was originally his worst fear, has now become the biggest blessing in disguise as Raif is happier and healthier than he has ever been with a new found purpose and passion for being an example and helping others.

YouTube:raifderrazi

Instagram: @raifderrazi

Twitter: @rderrazi

Brandon Bright
Brandon Bright is from from Ft. Worth, TX. He started work with the AIDS Outreach Center in 2017 as an Outreach Worker and is now spearheading MPact DFW. MPact DFW is part of the Empowerment intervention, which is geared towards young gay men of color. He is looking forward to learning ways that he can enhance his social media outreach.

FB: MPACT DFW
IG: @MPACT DFW

Lateef D Hudson
Lateef D Hudson was born and raised in Detroit Michigan. He identifies in the LGBTQ community where he tries to teach and learn from the youth as much as possible in bettering his community. Lateef worked with the non-profit Ruth Ellis, volunteering and interning for five years before becoming a member of their LGBT youth advisory board. Lateef has been in and out of foster care for as long as he remembers, bouncing from home to home but also picking up on some skills like problem-solving, self-confidence, strong work ethic and many more. In October 2018, he started his journey by becoming a linkage specialist at the Detroit Health Department. Lateef is a young and energetic person who, like most of the youth of today, uses way to much social media but also knows the ins and outs of it in to regards to reaching out to his own generation and those that came after him. He does not let any obstacles get in his way, he perseveres and keeps working towards his dreams.

Facebook: Linkup Detroit

 

Maria Meija

Maria is the co-author of the book from a “Warrior’s Passion and Pain,” a real life account of her 30-year battle with HIV. She is currently the co-chair of the Women and Minorities Outreach for the Dab the AIDS bear project. Maria is a part of the campaign “Let’s Stop HIV Together” for the Center for Disease Control as their ambassador. She is also an ambassador for a Greater
than AIDS ongoing campaign for women, HIV, Trauma, and IPV, “The Stigma Project, and the global ambassador and CAB member for the women’s organization “The Well Project.” Diagnosed with HIV in 1991 after contracting it in 1988 at the age of 15, Maria began a long journey finding hope, pride, and passion in an undereducated society unprepared to deal with the growing epidemic of HIV and AIDS. After ten years without treatment, Maria found herself at a crossroads. She could begin medical treatment or continue to slide towards death. Thankfully she chose to live and to fight for more than just her own health.

Maria immersed herself in HIV/AIDS education and became a powerful activist for education, treatment, testing, prevention, LGBTQ, and human rights. She has been featured in magazines, billboards, TV, as well as national and international conventions. Maria has been a part of four documentaries to help raise HIV awareness. She is a volunteer for the Red Cross, an HIV educator for Jackson Memorial Hospital and a motivational speaker. She is an HIV consultant and a member of several digital advisory boards: Janssen Pharmaceuticals Digital advisory board, Community Advisory Board of The Well Project, and sits on the Board of Directors “CANN” in Washington, DC.

Her extensive social media involvement is included below. Maria’s book from a “Warrior’s Passion and Pain” has made her message very clear: she is far more than a condition. Her personal journey through life is a moving account of survival. HIV has been only one of her many challenges.

Today Maria lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. She continues to build support, educate, and encourage testing and health care in a city with one of the highest new HIV infection rates in the country.

Maria es la co-autora del libro Desde la Pasión y dolor de una guerrera, una historia de la vida real de su batalla de 30 años con el VIH y su vida. Actualmente es co-presidente de la Divulgación Mujeres y Minorías de Dab The AIDS bear project.

Maria hace parte de la campaña “Detengamos el VIH Juntos” como su embajadora para el Centro de Control de Enfermedades, tambien es embajadora de “The Stigma Project” y es la Embajadora Global y CAB de la Organizacion global para mujeres y chicas “The Well Project” tambien Embajadora de Greater than AIDS y su campana “VIH,Trauma,mujeres y violencia”.
Diagnosticada con el VIH en 1991e infectada en 1988 a la edad de 15 anos, Maria comenzó una larga travesia de esperanza, orgullo y pasión en una sociedad sin educación que están preparados para hacer frente a la creciente epidemia de VIH y SIDA. Después de diez años sin tratamiento Maria se encontró en una encrucijada. Ella podría comenzar el tratamiento médico o continuar a deslizarse hacia la muerte. Afortunadamente ella eligió vivir y luchar por algo más que su propia salud.

Maria se sumergió en la educación sobre el VIH / SIDA y se convirtió en un activista de gran alcance para la educación, el tratamiento, las pruebas y la prevención, para la comunidad LGBTQ y derechos humanos. Ella ha aparecido en revistas, vallas publicitarias, televisión, Radio así como las convenciones nacionales e internacionales.

María ha sido parte de cuatro documentales para ayudar a crear conciencia del VIH. Ella es una voluntaria de la Cruz Roja, un educador de VIH para el Hospital Jackson Memorial y un orador motivacional. Ella es asesora de VIH y miembra de varios asesorias digitales: Janssen Pharmaceuticals , Miembra de asesoria para comunidades para The Well project y se sienta en
la junta directiva en Washington “CANN”

Su amplia participación de los medios sociales es extensivo e incluye el libro de Maria Desde la”pasion u el dolor de una guerrero, ella tiene un mensaje muy claro: ella es mucho más que una condicion. Su trayecto por la vida es un relato conmovedor de la supervivencia.

El VIH ha sido sólo uno de sus muchos retos. Hoy María vive en Ft Lauderdale, Florida. Ella continúa construyendo apoyo, educacion y anima a las pruebas y el cuidado de la salud en una ciudad con una de las tasas de nuevas infecciones de VIH más altas del país.

Follow Maria on Twitter at @mariahivmejia

Instagram: MariaHIVMejia
FB: https://mariahivmejia
YouTube: Maria Mejia
English Facebook page: MariaHIV
Spanish: mariahiv1111
Read Maria’s blogs at:

The well project (a girl like me)
Thebody.com
Until there’s a cure

Enrique Salas
Instagram: @Salas_enrique

I was born in Maracaibo, State of Zulia, Venezuela in 1968. I did the primary school and high school in my hometown; there I began to combine my academic studies with my initiation into the world of music and theater integrating Youth Music  Orchestra and Dór theater group where I took my first steps in performing arts.

In 1984 I did professional studies in music theory. I also studied piano and violin at the State of Zulia Music Conservatory. Simultaneously I became part of the State’s Juvenile Orchestra where I spent two consecutive years in the strings ensemble. In parallel I participated as an actor in DORgroup plays: “El Cubo” and “Requiem for El Saladillo”, winning several awards at student festivals which motivated me to move to the city of Caracas, capital of Venezuela in 1987, to continue my career in the arts. Once settled in Caracas I joined the Anna Julia Rojas Theatre Laboratory and the National Youth Theatre, where he participated as an actor and production assistant in the play “Hamlet” directed by Master Horacio Peterson (1989). It is in 1992 when I first participated as a director and author of the monologue “Mi Mejor Marido” starred by Venezuelan actress Carolina Lopez during Caracas’ International Theater Festival in 1992. That same year I worked as the producer of the soap opera “Amor de Papel” which aired nationally Venevision, and for fourconsecutive years and I was part of the cast of the sitcom” Cheverisimo”, also from the said television channel.

 

In 1997, I graduated as Bachelor in Theatre mention Production Management at the Theater University College, then directed by prominent writer and Venezuelan theatrical manager Pilar Romero. Since then I have worked with: Compañia Lili Alvarez Sierra, Centro de Directores para el Nuevo Teatro (New Theater Directors Center) l.E.Producciones C.A where I’ve directed Elizabeth Fuentes play “My husband is a cuckold” masterfully acted by Venezuelan leading actress Elba Escobar, and as Playwright I premiered my big theatrical success “Drunken Tales”  the latter with over 700 performances, well received in all of Venezuela’s cities and in New York and Washington. In Arte y Parte Producciones, I served as general producer of “The World of Oz” musical, “The Sleeping Beauty and Prince Valiant” and “Hercules the hero of the Stars”, and with my own theater company 13  Producciones C.A. I work as a playwright, director and executive producer for the plays: “Se abrio la Jaula” (The Cage is Open),”Reflexiones con 3 de Ellos” (Reflections with three of them), “Mujeres Infieles” (Unfaithful Women) and “Relatos Borrachos” (Drunken Tales) all these presented national and internationally.

 

In late 2013 I obtain a diploma in Dramaturgy from the School of Arts at Universidad Central de Venezuela. In 2014, I wrote the comedy “Divorciemonos, Cariño” for Caracuchos Producciones C.A., starring leading Venezuelan actor artistic Jean Carlos Simancas, along with Josemith Bermudezand Adrian J Matos, this production was directed by leading Venezuelan actress and director Elba Escobar and has performed at full house in Miami and Venezuela’s major cities, always receiving ovations. For Caracuchos Producciones C.A. I also wrote the short play “El Sauna” (The Sauna) which was a blockbuster in  the ¼ First Theater Festival in Caracas, Venezuela, where he also participated as a playwright of the  play “ElAvila” which received beautiful accolades from the national critique. Two months after, I write for the ¼ Theater second edition “Sin Pecado Concebida” (Conceived without Sin), produced at that time by MP Producciones, C.A which was also a resounding success, and premiers his latest production “Beba en Cabaret” with Venezuelan international actress Beba Rojas”.

“The Sauna” was presented in Madrid, Spain, and Miami hi enjoys the success of his short plays “Sin Pecado Concebida” (Conceived without Sin) in the Passion of Micro Theater Miami season with wonderful performances by: Maria Cecilia Oduber Indira Leal and Ana Gabriela Barboza. He produced the play “Casting Express” starring Flor Elena González, Josette Vidal Restifo and Indira Leal. Then he continues as writer and director of “Confesiones de Alcoba (Bedroom Confessions)” starring: Andreina Yepez and Moises Gonzalez also presented in Micro Theater Miami, “Gorda y Gordo” written and directed byme. This play was also presented in “Micro Theater Guadalajara” in Mexico, from 12 June to 12 July. In MiamiI presented the short play “Brindaremos por ti,” of my authorship; all presented with great success inthe MicroTheater of the Spanish Cultural Center.
At the same time I work on the dialogue “Live to Love” soap opera, original from Cesar Sierra and that will air in Venezuela and great part of Latin America.

For the opening of the Paseo de las Artes in the city of Doral, I produce Fernando Martinez play “Feroz” and premiere my successful piece “Mujeres Infieles” in the “Hoy Como Ayer” club at Miami 8th Street with international actresses Martha Picanes Martha (Cuban), Denise Sanchez (Puerto Rican) and Venezuelan Andreina Yepez this in May 2015. At the same time I premiere “Relatos Borrachos”  with performances by Elba Escobar (International Actress), Alba Roversi (International Actress) and Daniel Sarcos (Host of Telemundo morning show “Un Nuevo día”), on 19 and 20 June 2015 in the prestigious Trail Theatre 8th Street Miami, with great success, being sold out it is decided to extend the season for another weekend of July, and every Thursday of October, starting the US tour in Houston where a function was held, also sold out, at the newly opened
Queensbury theater.

 

In parallel, in The Walkk of Arts in the city of Doral, I have directed and produced Monica Montañez “La Ilamadita”, Ignacio lzcaray “La viuda de Gardel” and José Luis Useche “En la quinta paila” and wrote “A mi me llaman la Wendy” and “El amor si existe, cuesta 10000 pesos”; “El Avila” “Religiosas Navigay”, and direction  and production of Elizabeth Fuentes “My Husband is a Cuckhold” starring Venezuelan leading actress Elba Escobar. In 2016, among other projects I presented my plays “La Tóxica” “Gulamia” “Demonios Sueltos” y “Se abrio la Jaula”, a piece that had great success in Venezuelan, and now will be produced with an international cast

Nace en Maracaibo, Edo. Zulia Venezuela 1968. Realiza estudios de primaria y bachillerato e inicia sus estudios academicos de música -teatro en la estudiantina juvenil Zuliana y el grupo teatral Dór.

En 1984 estudia piano y violín en el Conservatorio de Música del Edo. Zulia. Se integra a la Orquesta Juvenil del Estado donde permanece en el grupo de cuerdas por dos años.

Como actor participa en las obras: “El Cubo” y “Requién por el Saladillo” del grupo Dór, opteniendo varios premios en festivales estudiantiles, en el 1987 se trasladarse a la capital de Venezuela para continuar ahí con su preparación en las artes. Se integra a la compañía de Teatro Nacional Juvenil, como actor y asistente de producción en la obra “Hamlet” dirigina por el maestro Horacio Peterson (1989) en el (1992) Debuta como director y autor del monólogo “Mi Mejor Marido” con la actriz venezolana Carolina López en el off festival del Festival Internacional de Teatro Caracas 1992, ese mismo año es contratado como productor de la telenovela “Amor de Papel” y por cuatro años consecutivos forma parte del elenco de actores del programa  “Cheverisimo” trasmitido por Venevisión.

En 1997, se gradúa de Licenciado en Teatro mensión Gerencia de Producción en El Instituto Universitario de Teatro. Desde entonces ha trabajado con las compañías teatraless: Compañia Lili Alvarez Sierra, Centro de Directores para el Nuevo Teatro. I.E. Producciones C.A. donde ha ejecutado cargos de Director en la obra “Mi Marido es un Cornudo” de Elizabeth Fuentes actuada magistralmente por la primera actriz venezolana Elba Escobar y como Dramaturgo estrena su joya teatral de la”Relatos Borrachos” (esta ultima presentada con más de 3000 funciones de gran aceptación en todas las ciudades del interior de Venezuela y en Nueva York, Washington, Houston, Cánada, España y Miami, . En Arte y Parte Producciones fue productor general de los musicales “El mundo de Oz”, “La Bella Durmiente y el Príncipe valiente”, y “Hércules el héroe de las Estrellas” en su propia compañía teatral Trece 13 Producciones C.A se desempeña y proyecta como dramaturgo, director y productor Ejecutivo de las obras: “Se abrió La Jaula”, “Reflexiones con 3 de Ellos”, “Mujeres Infieles”, “Relatos de alcoba” y “Relatos Borrachos” todas estas presentadas a nivel nacional e internacional.

A finales del año 2013 realiza un Diplomado de Dramaturgia en la Universidad Central de Venezuela.

En el 2014, Enrique escribe para Caracuchos Producciones C.A. La comedia “Divorciemonos Cariño” donde participa como protagonista el primer actor venezolano Jean Carlo Simancas y dirigido por Elba Escobar se han presentado en la ciudad de Miami y en las principales ciudades de Venezuela siempre SOLD OUT recibiendo grandes aplausos. Enrique también escribe la obra  breve “El Sauna” siendo la obra con mayor éxito de taquilla en el Primer Festival de Teatro de 1/4 en la ciudad de Caracas Venezuela  donde también participa como dramaturgo de la obra “El Avila” la cual recibió hermosos elogios de la critica nacional. Dos meses después escribe para su segunda edición de Teatro de 1/4 la obra “Sin Pecado Concebida” y estrena su más reciente espectáculo “Beba en Cabaret” con la internacional actriz Venezolana Bebas Rojas del programa Bienvenidos. También estrenan en Venezuela su obra breve “Sudor” que rompe de nuevo récord de taquilla en el Teatro 1/4 realizado por primera vez en el Sambil Caracas.

En en 2015 se radica en Miami. Su obra “El Sauna” es expuesta  en Madrid España y en Miami disfruta del éxito de sus obras breves “Sin Pecado Concebida”, produce la obra “Casting Express” escribe y dirige “Confesiones de Alcoba” “Gorda y Gordo” y “Brindaremos por Ti” presentadas con gran éxito en el Micro Theater Miami del Centro Cultural Español. Paralelamente dialoga para la telenovela “Vivir para Amar” original de César Sierra y que será trasmitida en Venezuela y gran parte de Latinoamérica.

Enrique Salas produce la obra “Feroz” para la apertura de El Paseo de las Artes en la ciudad del Doral FL y estreno su exitosa pieza “Mujeres Infieles” en el club “Hoy como Ayer” de la calle 8 de Miami con las actrices internacionales Martha Picanes (Cubana), Denise Sánchez (Puerto Riqueña) y la venezolana Andreina Yépez en mayo 2015, al mismo tiempo ensaya la obra “Relatos Borrachos” con las actuaciones de Elba Escobar, Alba Roversi y Daniel Sarcos (Animador de del programa “Un nuevo Día” Telemundo) la cual se estreno en Junio 2015 en el Teatro Trail de la calle 8 con todas las funciones SOLD OUT en Miami y Houston. Este mismo año Salas se hace residente permanente americano para continuar con su actividad artística en los Estados Unidos.

Para el Paseo de las Artes en el Doral FL escribe las obras: “A mi me dicen La Wendy” “El Amor si existe cuesta 10 mil Pesos” “Con mi ex marido no Quiero” “Cena con Mamá”  “Religiosas Navigay” Se me paró el Colibrí, Felices los 4, Sal del closet pa que Goces, Yo si soy Pendeja, Tú lo que quieres es que me coma el tigre, Los Masajistas, La muñeca envidiosa y el Soldadito que Goza. Dirige las obras: “La 5 Paila” “Mi Marido es un Cornudo” “Hollywood Style” “Yo soy La Loca de la Casa” con esta ultima obra es invitado a participar en el festival “Mujeres sobre Escena”  New York (November 2015)

Enrique Salas es galardonado con un Reconocimiento al Mérito por Luigi Boria Mayor of City of Doral in October 2015 y su sueño es seguir trabajando y aportando a la cultura de este gran país USA. Se hace merecedor del premio “Mara de Oro Internacional” en su primera edición en Miami 2016 con “Yo si soy Pendeja” como mejor obra teatral del año. También recibe varias nominaciones con su unipersonal “Me fue infiel pero me dio Papeles” obra que tuvo la temporada más larga continua en taquilla en el Paseo de las Artes Doral 2015 – 2018.

Enrique Salas realiza una gira por varias ciudades de Estados Unidos (Miami, Houston, Dallas, Nueva York, Filadelfia) con su nueva adaptación de “Yo si soy Arrecha” versión de uno de los monólogos de Relatos Borrachos que realiza para la actriz Elba Escobar, la cual también presenta en Pánama, Madrid, Barcelona, La Coruña y Tenerife.

Luego del cierre de Paseo de las Artes Doral (Febrero 2018) Salas inicia las presentaciones de lo que denominó The Latin Bolero Show iniciando con esto sus producciones musicales que han tenido en escena a figuras como: Caridad Canelon, Elba Escobar, Flor Nuñez, Liliana Morillo, Lilibeth Morillo, Diveana, El Pollo Brito, Daniel Sarcos, Mario Cáceres, Yasmil Marrufo, Astrid Celeste, entre otros.

El 19 de abril de 2018 contrae núpcias con el economista Venezolano Tonny Andrés Tover Felce y Luego diseña para Daniel Sarcos el espectáculo “La Travesia” bajo el sello de producción de su creación The Latin Bolero Show en sociedad con el productor Jesús Fuenmayor y han logrado reunir en un mismo escenario a estrellas internacionales como lo son: Ednita Nazario, Oscar de León, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Neguito Borjes, Huascar Barrada y el humorista Nando de la Gente. También se idea el espectáculo Diveana “de cerquita” donde la merenguera internacional interpreta grandes temas de la generación 80, 90 y 2000.

En la actualidad Enrique Salas escribe y dirige los espectáculos: Pecadoras, Los hombres casados quieren… Y los solteros también. Para la apertura de Paseo Wynwood a mediados del 2018 en la ciudad de Miami. Y trabaja para la campaña cultural de “Francis Suarez” alcalde de Miami Dade.

 

 

 

USCA is Next Week!

It’s next week!!! Part of me is excited to see everyone and part of me is worried because it will be the largest United States Conference on AIDS. Interest in the Federal Plan to End the Epidemic has super-sized attendance. This year there are 160 workshops, four plenaries, program book (110 pages long), and lots of information. The best way to stay informed is to download the conference app. Go to Google Play or Apple app stores and search for “2019 USCA .” Thank you for joining us.

2019 USCA Program Book
This year’s USCA program book is 110 pages and will not be printed. You can download it to your computer or smartphone here. The 2019 meeting will focus on the federal plan to end the domestic HIV epidemic. As we work to end the HIV epidemic, NMAC does it in memory of the family,  friends, and lovers we lost. Too many were taken too soon.
USCA Registration Bar Codes E-Mailed on August 30th and September 3rd
Emails go out August 30th and September 3rd with USCA registration bar codes.  Please bring the bar code with your ID to register. Registration will open on Wednesday, September 4th at 4 PM to 7 PM on Meeting Level Four of the Marriott Marquis.Since the meeting is sold out, there will be lines. We ask for your patience and understanding. The USCA Conference Office is located in Marquis Salon 15 on Meeting Level Two.I want to apologize in advance. With this many people, NMAC is bound to make mistakes. Given the diversity of our movement, making one constituency happy sometimes makes another group mad. In this no-win situation, someone will get upset. If there is a problem, please speak to me at pkawata@nmac.org. Ultimately, I am responsible. Since this is my 30th year at NMAC, I’ve come to understand the importance of listening to constituents. If any group wants to meet, I will make time on my schedule.

From the beginning, NMAC has said that ending the epidemic will be one of the biggest tests of our leadership. Can we see beyond the difficult politics to find common ground? We are trying to accomplish something that has never been done, to end an epidemic without a cure or vaccine. If that wasn’t difficult enough, we are doing it at a time when the country is deeply divided.

Make no mistake about it, the HIV community is angry. Daily, people living with HIV face stigma, discrimination, and even violence. Two hundred and fifty thousand PLWH have fallen out of care. One hundred and fifty thousand are unaware of their HIV status. Most are people of color who live in a world that minimizes their value because of the color of their skin. These disparities must be addressed if we are to reach the communities that have fallen out of care or who could benefit from PrEP.

Over 70% of the jurisdictions do not expect to have their plans done by December 2019.
NMAC is very concerned that some 57 targeted jurisdictions are not ready for the task in front of them. NMAC’s recent needs assessment confirmed our fears.

 

 

 

 

 

Gathering of the 57 Jurisdictions
The federal government has targeted 57 jurisdictions to build plans and implement programs to end the domestic epidemic. NMAC invited administrators from these regions to attend USCA and 43 will be joining us. Our goal is to give them an experience of USCA and the communities that are hardest hit by HIV. While many have previously attend USCA, this year is different because the federal government has set a date to end the epidemic and we hope they will come with answers to the many questions about the process.

2019 USCA Exhibit Hall
Below is a map for half of the exhibit hall. Located next to registration, the exhibit hall takes up both the Liberty and Independence Ballrooms. Dessert will be served in the exhibit hall on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday after the plenary sessions.
Flu Shots
Walgreens will give out free flu shots at USCA during exhibit hours. You can find them in the exhibit hall in booths 615 & 616.2019 USCA T-Shirts
NMAC will give away t-shirts again this year. Since everyone does not want or need a t-shirt, we only printed 1,000. T-shirts will be available at the NMAC exhibit booth. Please wear the T-shirt to the Saturday plenary where the conference will celebrate People Living with HIV and U=U.Sessions with Spanish Translation
USCA offers a full track of workshops with Spanish translation. Pages 104-107 of the program book have more information.
Noah’s Arc
You may have heard the rumors about a potential reboot of “Noah’s Arc.”  While we don’t have any inside information, USCA invited Rodney Chester, who played Alex Kirby, to the meeting.Rodney will show the Noah’s Arc movie, “Jump the Broom.”  He will also host a Q&A with audience members. Join him on Saturday in Georgetown room, Meeting Level 1. USCA uses culture to educate our movement about the communities that are hardest hit by HIV. 

Grief Counselors
We are a movement that suffers from discrimination, prejudice, and violence. Many of us are isolated and depressed. Unfortunately, there are things that happen at USCA that can trigger those issues. Listening to plenary talks, watching the documentary 5B, learning of colleagues who passed. The meeting has many potential triggers and we want to help. USCA is working with the local host committee to have counselors on site. We all need help sometimes and there is nothing wrong with asking for support. If you think this might be helpful, please ask conference staff to make the connection. Counselors will be on site and available to talk.

Thank you for joining us for this historic meeting. Hopefully, USCA builds real pathways for collaboration and cooperation. NMAC is ready to work. We know it will only happen when we work together.

Yours in the struggle,
Paul Kawata
30 Years of Service