Held from September 4 through 7 in Washington, DC, this year’s United States Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA) marked the 29th such annual gathering organized by NMAC (formerly the National Minority AIDS Council), whose executive director of 36 years, Paul Kawata, this year passed the torch to incoming CEO Harold Phillips, a former director of the Office of National AIDS Policy who is living with HIV.

 

This year’s theme, “Aging with HIV,” honored people growing old with the virus by examining their challenges and acknowledging their lived experiences. The program highlighted those who had HIV before the advent of effective treatment in the mid-1990s, those who benefited from such treatment, and “dandelions” (those born with HIV). Plenary speakers included Anthony Fauci, MD, the former longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NBA Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Representative Maxine Waters (D–Calif.) and activist Jeanne White-Ginder, Ryan White’s mother.

 

Proposed cuts to HIV funding and Medicaid and the potential end to subsidies for those covered by insurance through the Affordable Care Act imbued the conference with a sense of urgency. On September 3, to coincide with USCHA, the “Save HIV Funding” campaign organized the Protect the HIV Community rally outside the Capitol. Speakers included Representative Mark Pocan (D–Wisc.), cochair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, actor-singer Javier Muñoz and reality TV star Peppermint.

 

Despite these potential looming setbacks, USCHA celebrated progress made in the fight against HIV with such plenaries as “Survival and Legacy,” “Sisterhood & Survival: Our Lifelong Legacy of Power and Perseverance” and “Timeline of Innovation: Moments that Changed HIV.”

U.S. Representative Maxine Waters

U.S. Representative Maxine Waters addresses attendees at the Protect the HIV Community rally outside the Capitol protesting federal funding cuts to HIV prevention and care services.NAMC/Facebook

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