In response to extreme budget cuts at federal health institutions, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health—not to mention the threat of cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and the Ryan White.

 

HIV/AIDS Program—health advocates continue to do what they’ve been doing since the start of President Trump’s second term: fighting back!

 

Under the direction of Trump adviser Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of automaker Tesla, and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), public health is under attack in ways that directly affect the most vulnerable among us, namely low-income people, individuals living with HIV and other chronic diseases, and folks over 65.

 

On March 29, the movement known as Tesla Takedown organized national protests targeting Tesla showrooms and service shops to protest Musk and encourage folks to trade in their Tesla cars and stocks. And from March 31 to April 2, the annual AIDSWatch, the largest constituent-led HIV federal advocacy event, gathered together hundreds of advocates on Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to protect HIV and other health programs. As these actions demonstrate, creative, long-haul activism must be the order of the day.

Takedown protests aimed to surround all 277 of Tesla’s showrooms and service centers in the U.S.

Takedown protests aimed to surround all 277 of Tesla’s showrooms and service centers in the U.S. In San Francisco, takedowners partnered with the youth-led Planet Over Profit.@pop4climate_bayarea/instagram

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