Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project

JOIN CHAMP at USCA 2009!
October 29-31, 2009
San Francisco
http://www.nmac.org/index/2009-usca

PROJECT UNSHACKLE's SEMINAR
Community Organizing is a Reentry Program!
Building a Grassroots Network at the Intersection of HIV and Imprisonment
Thursday, October 29th
2:30pm-5:30pm

HIV/AIDS and imprisonment are connected – in the lives of the individuals who pass through correctional facilities each year, and also in the very fabric of our communities. Addressing this connection between HIV and imprisonment is critical in our work together towards a world without AIDS.

Across the country, Project UNSHACKLE is uniting people with HIV, people who are formerly imprisoned, policy advocates, AIDS service providers, prison justice organizers and other community members. Together, we are working to address the ways that imprisonment makes our communities more vulnerable to HIV.

At USCA 2009, we will gather with seminar participants for an in-depth, strategic discussion on how we can further our work to reduce new HIV infections tied to imprisonment. The seminar will be led by Project UNSHACKLE grassroots leaders, many of whom connected to the project at last year's launch workshop during USCA 2008 in Ft. Lauderdale.

Following a discussion of lessons learned in the project thus far, seminar participants will have the unique opportunity to craft locally relevant prevention interventions and advocacy campaigns with the guidance of UNSHACKLE’s seasoned community organizers and service providers.

Who is really making the decisions on HIV prevention, anyway? And what does it take to have our voices heard? How can frontline service providers work alongside policy advocates to improve prevention policies, even if we can’t get to Washington DC?  

Join the members of two leading federal prevention networks for a stimulating blend of training, discussion and skills-sharing to build our capacity to change prevention policies. 

The HIV/AIDS Prevention Action Coalition (HPAC) is a coalition of national and community-based HIV/AIDS organizations that represent HIV medical providers, advocates, and people living with HIV/AIDS as well as community organizations that provide critical HIV related health care and support services. The HIV Prevention Justice Alliance (HIV PJA) is building an effective and unified movement for HIV prevention, calling for a paradigm-shift to address social determinants that are primary drivers of the epidemic; support for strategic behavioral, biomedical and social research; and greater cross-governmental collaboration in order to coordinate Federal, state and local efforts to prevent HIV.

CHAMP STRATEGY LAB

Next Strategy Lab Call
Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 23 (not September 16)

3:30-5:30 Eastern / 2:30-4:30 Central / 1:30-3:30 Mountain / 12:30-2:30 Pacific

Dial in: 866-740-1260, passcode 4272302#

Call Topics:

3:30 - 4:00: Moving Past the Individual to the Structural:

4:00 - 5:05: HIV Prevention Justice Alliance (HIV PJA) Spotlight Segment:

Reportbacks from the National HIV Prevention Conference

Is The Prevention Paradigm Shifting? Tantalizing Hints of Policy Change, Political Will at CDC: David Munar, AIDS Foundation of Chicago

CDC PRESENTS: Preliminary Analysis Reveals HIV Case Rate among Gay, Bi, MSM 50 Times Higher than Other Populations: Amy Lansky, CDC

So Gay, Bi Men 50 Times Are More Likely to Have HIV, Yet Resources Aren't Following the Data - What Now? A Call for Strategy and Solidarity: Walt Senterfitt, CHAMP

Biomedical Prevention = Hot Topic ... But Are We Moving Forward Towards Real-World Interventions?: Cindra Feuer, AVAC

5:05 - 5:20: Strategy Session: The National HIV/AIDS Strategy

Take Note: New Dates for This Fall's Calls:

Wednesday, September 23
Wednesday, October 28
Wednesday, November 18 (as previously scheduled)

JOIN TEAM CHAMP

For RideFAR

September 9-13, 2009

Every two years, twenty-five amateur cyclists bicycle one hundred miles a day for five days to raise money, awareness and compassion for children and adults living with HIV/AIDS. The Ride For AIDS Resources (Ride FAR) has operated since 1989 without a budget, corporate sponsors, paid staff or advertising. All of the proceeds support worthy groups, including CHAMP: 1/3 of your donation goes to CHAMP, a 1/3 to the Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and 1/3 to community-based HIV/AIDS service organizations designated by individual riders.

CHAMP is working to help the ride meet its $150,000 goal.

• Josh Thomas and Maxwell Ciardullo are already training for the 500 mile ride and recruiting sponsors.
• If cycling is your thing, join the RideFAR Team CHAMP also by contacting Josh.
• If a long ride in a van is more your speed, we invite you to join crew for the ride.
• To sponsor, ride or crew, please contact Josh Thomas, josh@champnetwork.org,
  212-937-7955, ext. 30.