A national grassroots effort, the Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA), is under way to mobilize government at all levels about HIV/AIDS. C2EA will hold an introductory community lunch forum on Saturday, April 9, noon to 1:30 pm, hosted by AIDS Services of Austin. Campaign co-chair Charles King of New York City’s Housing Works will be the guest speaker.
C2EA bills itself as “people living with HIV/AIDS and individuals, coalitions and organizations, all united in action to demand a … response by our government to end the pandemic and to help people living with HIV/AIDS.”
The Campaign’s focus is “local, statewide, national and global. We … demand that our government use its massive resources and our best science to educate about and prevent HIV infection, to eliminate stigma and discrimination against HIV-positive people, to ensure comprehensive care, treatment and housing are available for those living with HIV/AIDS and to find a cure to end AIDS.”
C2EA will join with the well-regarded National Association of People With AIDS in NAPWA’s quasi-annual events. First, AIDS Watch will mount three days of training and congressional lobbying, May 2-5, followed by state organizing over the summer. Then, a massive march and advocacy rally will be held in Washington, D.C., Oct. 8-12.
All those interested in HIV/AIDS – especially HIV-positive people, their allies and service providers – are encouraged to attend Saturday’s free lunch forum. ASA is located at 7215 Cameron Rd., just north of St. Johns.
For more local information, contact Jennifer Herrera y Nava at 406-6165. For additional information about C2EA, see www.aidsvote.org.
This article appears in April 8 • 2005.