AIDS Community Call to Action:
HIV WILL NOT DEFEAT US
Washington, DC * Thursday, May 20, 2004
BUSH, KERRY, CONGRESS:
TIME’S UP! END AIDS NOW! TAKE REAL ACTION!
PRESS KIT
Press release / coalition demands / endorsers
Background materials on: US announcement on generic AIDS drugs
59,000 in USA in need of AIDS treatment: new plan to close the gap
Update on AIDS drug assistance program
Criticism of condoms based on "pseudoscience"
and more
Click Here to Download PRESS KIT as PDF file
Click Here to read how THE WAR AGAINST AIDS CAN BE WON
PRESS RELEASES
PRESS RELEASE:
MAY 20, 11 am, Washington DC:
PEOPLE WITH HIV, ACTIVISTS AND CAREGIVERS MARCH ON REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC HQs BEARING 1000 ALARM CLOCKS, BLOCK STREETS AT CONGRESS DEMANDING ELECTION-YEAR ACTION ON HIV/AIDS,
THEY SAY "WAKE UP, TIMES UP" TO CANDIDATES, LEADERS: NEARLY 60,000 IN USA WITHOUT AIDS DRUGS; DELAYS COSTING LIVES IN GLOBAL EPIDEMIC
Crowd gathers at Folger Park (3rd and D, SE) at 11 am, marches past RNC and DNC, civil disobedience on W. side of CapitolMORE
Click Here to Download PRESS RELEASE as PDF file
MEDIA ADVISORY:
MAY 20: BIGGEST DC AIDS PROTEST IN A DECADE
ACTIVISTS, FRONT-LINE PROVIDERS DEMAND CANDIDATES, CONGRESS,
ADMINISTRATION "WAKE UP" AND ACT TO END AIDS:
ELECTION YEAR ISSUE FOCUS
Hundreds to march at Republican and Democratic HQs;
100+ in non-violent civil disobedience planned at Capitol
Major AIDS service and advocacy groups from around the country
are carrying out final preparations for an angry election-year march and
civil disobedience in Washington, D.C. next Thursday, May 20, representing
the largest effort in over a decade MORE
Click Here to Download MEDIA ADVISORY as PDF file
PRESS COVERAGE
WASHINGTON BLADE NATIONAL NEWS:
AIDS activists plan to be arrested during protest
May 20 event called largest ‘civil disobedience’ AIDS action in decade
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Friday, May 14, 2004
Dozens of AIDS activists, including the heads of prominent AIDS organizations, have vowed to take part in a peaceful, civil disobedience action leading to their arrest on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol on May 20 to demonstrate their disillusionment at the nation’s response to the AIDS epidemic. MORE
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PRESS RELEASE: May 18, 2004
*MEDIA RELEASE: May 18, 2004
Contacts: Michael Kink, Housing Works 518.527.2787 // Suzy Subways, ACT UP Philadelphia 215.681.5616
Mark Jason McLaurin, Gay Men's Health Crisis 410.935.7039 // Jennifer Cohn, HealthGAP 215.668.1646
MAY 20, 11 am, Washington DC:
PEOPLE WITH HIV, ACTIVISTS AND CAREGIVERS MARCH ON REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC HQs BEARING 1000 ALARM CLOCKS, BLOCK STREETS AT CONGRESS DEMANDING ELECTION-YEAR ACTION ON HIV/AIDS, THEY SAY "WAKE UP, TIMES UP" TO CANDIDATES, LEADERS: NEARLY 60,000 IN USA WITHOUT AIDS DRUGS; DELAYS COSTING LIVES IN GLOBAL EPIDEMIC
Crowd gathers at Folger Park (3rd and D, SE) at 11 am, marches past RNC and DNC, civil disobedience on W. side of Capitol
At least a thousand people living with HIV, family members and providers of AIDS prevention and treatment services are descending in Washington DC for an angry election-year march and civil disobedience action in the largest effort in over a decade.
Stressing that the 8% of voters in a tight election identify HIV/AIDS as their number-one health concern, the protesters pledge continued activity, demanding that elected officials and candidates alike commit to comprehensive programs to prevent HIV transmission, to bring treatment and support services to people living with HIV, and to redouble efforts for a cure, in the United States and around the world.
"Last week, the federally-funded Institute of Medicine gave our elected leaders a report that verifies what we’re dealing with every day in our neighborhoods -- at least 59,000 people here in the United States can’t get stable access to life-saving AIDS drugs," said Louis Jones of the New York City AIDS Housing Network, a member of the Still We Rise coalition planning events during the Republican and Democratic National Conventions.
"Over a thousand of us from across the country are coming to DC to say: ‘Wake up! Time's Up! Our lives depend on these medications and support programs, and we’re going to be everywhere you are, from here to the national political conventions to the voting booth until we see some real action on this thing. Your own committee tells you that we can fix this problem through strong national programs, and the time to act is now.’"
The coalition demands include:
o Full funding of domestic and global efforts to provide lifesaving HIV medications to millions
o Full funding of the domestic and global HIV/AIDS public health infrastructure;
o Support of real-world, comprehensive and honest HIV prevention efforts;
o An end to politically-motivated attacks on scientific research on HIV/AIDS; and
o Full funding for AIDS housing programs.
"Compassion without action equals death," said Charles King, CEO of Housing Works, the nations largest community-based AIDS group. "We have the roadmaps to ending AIDS, from the World Health Organization right down to the frontline-efforts of local AIDS organizations, and we are blocked by funding gaps, moralistic attacks, and bureaucratic delays. In an era of so much doubt and uncertainty, why are we ignoring proven methods and promising plans to shut down this epidemic?"
"Theres been a death toll through every presidential administration while we continue to block funding for needle exchange or put up roadblocks to getting AIDS drugs to poor nations," said Waheedah El-Shabazz of ACT UP Philadelphia. "Believe me, those of us who continue to bury our friends and loved ones, here and around the world, are wide awake and ready to do what it takes to stop this epidemic. If youre running around saying stuff like condoms dont work, or cutting funds for the programs our lives depend upon, or even just refusing to talk about AIDS out loud and often, youre dreaming if you think you are fighting AIDS."
A full set of information, demands and background documents related to the May 20 demonstration are posted at:
www.champnetwork.org * www.housingworks.org * www.nycahn.org
The AIDS community's recommendations for the presidential candidates are posted at www.aidsvote.org
____________
MEDIA ADVISORY: May 14, 2004
Contacts: Michael Kink, Housing Works 518.527.2787
Suzy Subways, ACT UP Philadelphia 215.681.5616
Mark Jason McLaurin, Gay Men's Health Crisis 410.935.7039
Jennifer Cohn, HealthGAP 215.668.1646
MAY 20: BIGGEST DC AIDS PROTEST IN A DECADE
ACTIVISTS, FRONT-LINE PROVIDERS DEMAND CANDIDATES, CONGRESS,
ADMINISTRATION "WAKE UP" AND ACT TO END AIDS:
ELECTION YEAR ISSUE FOCUS
Hundreds to march at Republican and Democratic HQs;
100+ in non-violent civil disobedience planned at Capitol
WHAT: Major AIDS service and advocacy groups from around the country
are carrying out final preparations for an angry election-year march and
civil disobedience in Washington, D.C. next Thursday, May 20, representing
the largest effort in over a decade.
WHEN: Thursday, May 20, 2004, 11:00am
WHERE: This rally will begin at Folger Park (3rd and D, SE), move to the
Democratic National Headquarters, continue to Republican National
Headquarters and end with civil disobedience on the steps of the Capitol.
WHY:
"Every 11 seconds, someone dies of AIDS, said Charles King, CEO of Housing
Works, the nation's largest community-based AIDS group.
"This relentless tide of death could be prevented with real leadership and
real resources. My anger at this senseless loss is echoed by voices
across the country and worldwide -- eight percent of voters say that
HIV/AIDS is their number-one health
issue and that could swing the election."
Organizers say that the Executive Directors, Presidents and Chairs from
leading AIDS groups will join other people living with AIDS and HIV, their
family members and supporters in non-violent civil disobedience.
"The history of the AIDS movement is marked by direct actions that have
galvanized public and private responses to the epidemic,"
said Terje Anderson, Executive Director of the 21 year-old National
Association of People with AIDS. "It's time to put our bodies on the line
again -- we've got to wake these folks up."
Marchers will urge the presidential candidates and Congress to take action
on specific global and domestic initiatives including:
* Full funding of domestic and global efforts to provide lifesaving HIV
medications to millions
* Full funding of the domestic and global HIV/AIDS public health
infrastructure;
* Support of real-world, comprehensive and honest HIV prevention efforts;
* An end to politically-motivated attacks on scientific research on
HIV/AIDS; and
* Full funding for AIDS housing programs.
Organizers will urge action on the full set of global and domestic
recommendations included in the AIDSVote platform
(www.aidsvote.org/platform.html), endorsed by 187 AIDS groups from around
the country and around the world. AIDSVote.org has requested that
presidential candidates give them a statement on HIV/AIDS issues; they
have received a statement from Senator Kerry and have not received
anything from President Bush.
"Our next President and Congress must take action to end the AIDS epidemic
and we know what it takes to save millions of lives,"
said Waheedah El-Shabazz of ACT UP Philadelphia.
"There are concrete steps within our reach that will save millions of
lives. People need medication, supportive services, housing and
real-world prevention. If they get these things, they live; if they
don't, they die. It's that simple."
