This past July I had the honor of attending the International AIDS Conference in Washington, DC. The theme of the conference was Turning the Tide Together – a commitment displayed in the conference’s Global Village, in workshops and plenary sessions, in speeches by global leaders and in the people living with HIV/AIDS who had traveled from far and wide.
After returning to HARC, I was uplifted by the fact that we are also doing our part in Turning the Tide Together. With your support and involvement, we educate our community to understand the realities of HIV/AIDS today. That includes better access to HIV testing and an understanding of the importance of knowing one’s HIV status. It also means helping people who are living with HIV/AIDS get the medical care and treatment they need to take full advantage of the medical advances that are allowing people to live healthy and productive lives.
The fight against HIV stigma and discrimination continues to be one of our greatest challenges, both globally and locally. Through this newsletter, we hope to engage, inform and mobilize all of you to join us in Turning the Tide Together!