Category: Official Statements

NMAC has announced Covid safety protocols for the 2022 Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit in Chicago April 20 and 21:

All conference attendees must be fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated for the Summit means that registrants have received both shots and a booster if the second shot was received more than six months prior to the conference.  Registrants must upload their vaccine card no later than Friday, April 8 to https://hosted-pages.id.me/health/2022-biomedical-hiv-prevention-summit. If we do not receive vaccine credentials by this date registrants will not be allowed entry to the conference.

Masks are encouraged but not required in the Summit conference space (plenary ballroom, foyers, workshop rooms, exhibit space). For updated information on the City of Chicago’s mask requirements, visit their website – https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid-19/home.html.

“We want to make sure that the 2022 Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit is as safe as possible for attendees,” said Paul Kawata, Executive Director of NMAC. “While there is no absolute guarantee, we want to take every reasonable precaution to prevent Covid transmission during the Summit, particularly for our attendees who are living with HIV. These protocols are based on guidelines recommended by the CDC and by requirements posted by the city of Chicago.”

NMAC has joined with Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings to build Congressional support for needed changes to the Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. Dr. Cummings will work with NMAC’s Strategic Partnerships and Policy division to advocate for improvements that are critical to the success of the federal plan to End the HIV Epidemic.

The MAI was created in 1998 in response to growing concern about the impact of HIV/AIDS on racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. It provides new funding designed to strengthen organizational capacity and expand HIV-related services in minority communities.

Dr. Cummings leads Global Policy Solutions, a policy firm that makes policy work for people and their environments. Her areas of expertise include health, social insurance, income security, education, women’s issues and youth civic participation.

A former adjunct professor in the Women in Politics Institute at American University, she has also served as the vice president of research and programs at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), senior resident scholar at the National Urban League, chief of staff to former Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY), professional staff on the House Ways and Means Committee, and as a CBCF legislative fellow in the office of former Congressman Melvin Watt (D-NC) among other positions.

“I’m delighted to work with NMAC to help them elevate the historic importance of the Minority AIDS initiative,” said Dr. Cummings. “We are now in the fourth decade of the HIV/AIDS crisis and black and brown people are a majority of all new HIV diagnoses. Because progress in prevention and treatment has been shamefully uneven by race and ethnicity, the racial equity strategy embedded in the original MAI remains a priority for the nation.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Dr. Cummings,” said NMAC Executive Director Paul Kawata. “‘Her expertise, experience, and familiarity on Capitol Hill will be a tremendous asset to NMAC as we work to make critical changes in the Minority AIDS Initiative. For the federal Ending the Epidemic plan to succeed, it must prioritize communities of color, as they still bear the biggest impact of HIV. Through increased funding of MAI and a return to its original mission to support HIV service organizations led by people of color, federal leaders can take a big step toward ensuring the plan’s success. That will be a big and potentially controversial step, so Dr. Cummings’s assistance will be a critical part of our efforts to make it happen.”

NMAC leads with race to urgently fight for health equity and racial justice to end the HIV epidemic in America. Since 1987, NMAC has advanced our mission through a variety of programs and services, including: a public policy education program, national and regional training conferences, a treatment and research program, numerous electronic and print materials, and a website: www.nmac.org. NMAC also serves as an association of AIDS service organizations, providing valuable information to community-based organizations, hospitals, clinics, and other groups assisting individuals and families affected by the HIV epidemic.

Following is a statement from NMAC Executive Director Paul Kawata on the new national HIV/AIDS strategy to end the epidemic:

“NMAC is very pleased by the White House’s new national HIV/AIDS strategy, particularly in its use of hard data to drive its tactics, recognition of the context of HIV prevention and care, and the willingness to treat HIV as an issue of social justice and equity.”

“Hard data is critical to an effective strategy to end HIV. Without knowing who is at risk, where they live, and what prevention and treatment approaches work, it’s impossible for any organization to reach those who most need to be reached. In an epidemic that has been marked by so many responses based on political ideology, this reliance on science is critical.”

“We are incredibly pleased that the administration recognizes that HIV care and prevention doesn’t occur in a vacuum. For those living with or at great risk of HIV, there are numerous other issues in their life that make HIV a low priority, housing being one of the biggest ones. The inclusion of numerous cabinet agencies in the new strategy, including Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs, shows that this administration understands that ending the HIV epidemic is not just about medications and condoms; it’s about addressing the critical issues in a person’s life.”

“Finally, we are also very pleased to see that the administration will treat HIV as an issue of social justice and equity. That’s the reason NMAC was founded more than 30 years ago and continues our mission to lead with race today. We know that HIV thrives due to racism, stigma, and inequities in health care and our economic system. We believe that fighting HIV in the context of social justice and equity means that this strategy will be far more effective than previous efforts.”

NMAC is pleased to announce Chairwoman Maxine Waters and U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge as the 2021 Capitol Hill Champions Awards recipients. The awards will be presented at a virtual event in December.

In honor of the late John Lewis and Elijah Cummings, NMAC will present awards in their names for their lifelong commitment to racial justice and creating equality for all.

The John Lewis Good Trouble Award will be awarded to Chairwoman Waters who embodies John Lewis’ dedication to racial equality on all fronts. Throughout Chairwoman Waters’s 40 years of public service, she has been at the foreground of tackling controversial and difficult issues. Whether it be her success on affirmative action legislation during her time as a California state legislator to spearheading the creation of the Minority AIDS Initiative, Maxine Waters has been a champion of human rights and embodiment of dedication to racial equality. The award will be presented by last year’s recipient, Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The Elijah Cummings Award for Minority Health Equality will be presented to Secretary Fudge, who dedicated her congressional career to fighting for healthcare equality and equity for minority communities. As Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus and Congresswoman from Ohio, Marcia Fudge successfully tackled issues spanning the political gamut. Through her leadership as HUD Secretary, she is working vigorously to solve issues such as the growing homelessness crisis and racial disparities affecting homeowners. The award will be presented by Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings.

NMAC strongly supports the White House’s request for a $670 million increase in funding for HIV prevention, treatment, and equitable access to care.

“This is fantastic news for the fight against HIV,” said Paul Kawata, Executive Director for NMAC. “The Biden/Harris Administration is living up to their word that the federal plan to end the HIV epidemic would be a priority under their leadership. This additional funding will help bring greater access to HIV care and prevention services to those communities bearing the greatest burden of the epidemic. We are also pleased to see that the administration is making a commitment to equitable access to services, something that is desperately needed in communities of color and among LGBTQ+ people of color. We could not be more pleased about this announcement and we urge Congress to approve the full funding requested.”

NMAC leads with race to urgently fight for health equity and racial justice to end the HIV epidemic in America. Since 1987, NMAC has advanced our mission through a variety of programs and services, including: a public policy education program, national and regional training conferences, a treatment and research program, numerous electronic and print materials, and a website: www.nmac.org. NMAC also serves as an association of AIDS service organizations, providing valuable information to community-based organizations, hospitals, clinics, and other groups assisting individuals and families affected by the HIV epidemic.

NMAC applauds the confirmation of Dr. Rachel Levine as Assistant Secretary of Health. Assistant Secretary Levine will be the first openly transgender person confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

“Dr. Levine, as the first transgender American ever to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, has become an historic figure in our country,” said Joe Huang-Racalto, Director of Government Relations & Public Policy for NMAC. “As a doctor with vast experience in public health, Dr. Levine brings a wealth of experience on both HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. She knows from personal experience the health care challenges of the LGBTQ+ community  -especially the transgender community- and her experience will lead to a better understanding of those challenges. As NMAC continues to address healthcare equity in the minority community, we will work with Dr. Levine to approach racism as a public health crisis. We also look forward to working with Assistant Secretary Levine on the Biden/Harris Administration’s commitment to ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.”

NMAC leads with race to urgently fight for health equity and racial justice to end the HIV epidemic in America. Since 1987, NMAC has advanced our mission through a variety of programs and services, including: a public policy education program, national and regional training conferences, a treatment and research program, numerous electronic and print materials, and a website: www.nmac.org. NMAC also serves as an association of AIDS service organizations, providing valuable information to community-based organizations, hospitals, clinics, and other groups assisting individuals and families affected by the HIV epidemic.

NMAC, formerly the National Minority AIDS Council, applauds the confirmation of Xavier Becerra as Secretary of Health & Human Services. Secretary Becerra will be the first Latino HHS Secretary.

“We are thrilled by Secretary Becerra’s confirmation and we look forward to him on not only ending the HIV epidemic but addressing racial inequities in health care,” said Paul Kawata, Executive Director of NMAC. “The country faces a number of challenges in health care at the moment, including ending the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that Secretary Becerra will be a voice for those who have been forgotten or overlooked by the nation’s health care system, particularly communities of color and LGBTQ Americans.”

NMAC leads with race to urgently fight for health equity and racial justice to end the HIV epidemic in America. Since 1987, NMAC has advanced our mission through a variety of programs and services, including: a public policy education program, national and regional training conferences, a treatment and research program, numerous electronic and print materials, and a website: www.nmac.org. NMAC also serves as an association of AIDS service organizations, providing valuable information to community-based organizations, hospitals, clinics, and other groups assisting individuals and families affected by the HIV epidemic.

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NMAC, formerly the National Minority AIDS Council, applauds the confirmation of Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior, the first American Indian confirmed to a Presidential cabinet position.

“Secretary Haaland’s confirmation is a wonderful milestone for the indigenous communities of the United States,” said Paul Kawata, Executive Director of NMAC. “For the first time ever, American Indians will have a voice at the highest levels of federal power. The American Indian and Alaska Native communities continue to be affected disproportionately by HIV and we look forward to working with Secretary Haaland to ensure that those communities are a vital part of the federal plan to end the HIV epidemic.”

NMAC leads with race to urgently fight for health equity and racial justice to end the HIV epidemic in America. Since 1987, NMAC has advanced our mission through a variety of programs and services, including: a public policy education program, national and regional training conferences, a treatment and research program, numerous electronic and print materials, and a website: www.nmac.org. NMAC also serves as an association of AIDS service organizations, providing valuable information to community-based organizations, hospitals, clinics, and other groups assisting individuals and families affected by the HIV epidemic.

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