AIDS United team is excited to attend this year’s the United States Conference on HIV/AIDS in New Orleans from September 12-15, 2024.
With a host of activities, including institutes, poster presentations, workshops, and events, as well as our presence at the USCHA exhibit hall, please check out our detailed schedule below. Be sure to check back next week as some details are subject to change.
Next week, be sure to follow our social media channels @AIDSUnited for on-the-ground content and more.
Wednesday, September 11,2024
EVENT
6:30pm-8:30pm – AIDS United’s USCHA Reception – CANCELLED
For emergency updates, text NOLAREADY to 77295
For Spanish updates, text “ESP” to 77295″
Thursday, September 12,2024
INSTITUTE
8:00am-11:00am (Strand 1, Level 2) – Transforming the South’s HIV Landscape through Capacity Building, Strategic Communications, and Advocate Empowerment.
This institute will explore innovative strategies to enhance the effectiveness of HIV prevention and care in the Southern United States. Attendees will gain practical knowledge in capacity building to strengthen organizational infrastructure and resources; learn the art of strategic communications to raise awareness and combat stigma through real-world examples; and develop techniques to empower advocates, fostering a powerful network of informed and passionate voices in the fight against HIV.
Presenters: Jacobi Hunter-Wright (Senior Program Manager), Drew Gibson (Director of Advocacy), Alicia Downes (Director of Federal Programs), Christopher Cuevas (Senior Project Manager).
LISTENING SESSION
1:45pm-3:45pm – Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) Listening Session (Strand 11, Level 2)
Keynote speaker: Jesse Milan Jr, JD
PACHA chair and committee co-chairs will hear from the community about issues and ideas for addressing the domestic and global HIV epidemic. AIDS United’s Jesse Milan Jr. as co-chair of PACHA’s committee on Aging with HIV, Long-term and Lifetime Survivors will deliver an overview of the work of that committee.
Workshops
1:45pm-3:45pm
Presenter: Drew Gibson, Director of Advocacy at AIDS United
US drug policy in the 21st century has been characterized by movement away from the punitive approaches of the war on drugs towards a more empathic and evidence-based approach to drug user health rooted in harm reduction. Unfortunately, the increased public profile of harm reduction has increased attacks on these interventions, leading to a new wave of reactionary sentiment seeking to limit access to harm reduction services and return to a carceral approach to addressing substance use. This workshop will review how harm reduction interventions are being undermined across the country and will examine the underlying social conditions leading many politicians and community members to embrace regressive approaches to drug use that increase the risk of fatal overdose and the spread of HIV and hepatitis. Finally, the workshop will review strategies advocates can use to address the harm reduction backlash and create new avenues for political and community buy-in.
4:00pm-6:00pm
Panelist: Jesse Milan, Jr. CEO of AIDS United
AIDS United’s Jesse Milan will participate on a moderated panel to delve into the unique risks and challenges that people aging with HIV face.
Friday, September 13,2024
INSTITUTES
8:00am-11:00am – U=U University Institute – The Good News Strategy to End the HIV Epidemic
(Bolden 1, Level 1)
AIDS United will present this institute in partnership with the Prevention Action Network, Global Network of People Living with HIV, The Well Project, International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
Opening Remarks and Panelist: Jesse Milan Jr., JD
AIDS United’s Jesse Milan, Jr. will deliver opening remarks and be a featured panelist on the importance of U=U for ending the HIV epidemic.
8:00am – 11am – The Impact of Court Decisions on Sexual Health Care Access
(Imperial 12, Level 4)
AIDS United will present this institute in partnership with American Academy of HIV Medicine.
Presenters: Leslie McGorman, MPPA, Director of Policy and Strategy at AIDS United, Chauncey McGlathery, Scott Brawley
The institute explores the intersection of recent court rulings and their profound impact on sexual health care, with a focus on HIV treatment, prevention, and care. Dubbed “The Perfect Storm,” we will examine the state of policy in the current HIV landscape and how judicial decisions are reshaping the patient-provider relationship, access to essential medications, and the rights of LGBTQ communities. The discussion will cover landmark cases such as Dobbs, Braidwood, and Skrmetti and their broader implications for the future of ending the epidemic.
Workshops
2:00pm-4:00pm
Panelist: Carl Baloney, Jr., AIDS United’s Vice President for Public Affairs & Chief Policy Officer at AIDS United
Hosted by Merck and Rabin Martin, will explore the future of HIV prevention and treatment priorities in the context of the upcoming 2024 state and federal elections. Carl Baloney, Jr., AIDS United’s Vice President for Public Affairs & Chief Policy Officer will participate in a moderated panel with other HIV and Social Justice Leaders.
4:15pm-6:15pm
Presenter: Clifford Castleberry, Program Associate at AIDS United
This workshop will explores the pivotal role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLOs) in combating the HIV epidemic, particularly in the U.S. South, where Black/African Americans and youth/young adults (ages 13-24) are disproportionately impacted. As these institutions are predominantly situated in the South and primarily consist of Black/African Americans, they are uniquely positioned to drive significant change.
The workshop will focus on three to four HBCUs and BGLOs that have been at the forefront of innovative HIV interventions in the South. We will discuss their groundbreaking approaches and share key insights and lessons learned from their efforts, underscoring their impact as crucial conduits of resources and services needed to address and eventually end the epidemic in these highly impacted communities.
Saturday, September 14, 2024
EVENT
6:30pm – 9:00pm – USCHA 2024 HIV 50+ Dinner Event
AIDS United will present this event in collaboration with the U.S. People Living with HIV Caucus.
Workshops
2:00pm-4:00pm
Presenters: Alfredo Smith, Program Manager at AIDS United and Mark Lockwood Program Manager at AIDS United
Party-n-Play (also known as PNP, or “chemsex”) is a term used to refer to sex under the influence of drugs. While men who have sex with men are generally the focus of studies about the intersections of drug usage and sex, conversations about HIV and harm reduction culture have proven that individuals of any gender may participate in PNP activities, including those who may not use drugs. This calls for a deeper conversation about Biomedical HIV and overdose prevention education and services in spaces both common and uncommon where drugs and sex interact. This interactive dialogue style workshop will provide a space for participants to discuss all thing party-n-play and prevention. Participants will be assigned a “dating” profile in the beginning of the workshop. The discussion will progress as details are revealed about the person behind the profile.
2:00pm-4:00pm
Presenter: Laura Gerson, Program Coordinator at AIDS United
We can’t wait to see you on the ground in Louisiana. You can get more information on USCHA 2024 please the conference official website, and join the AIDS United email list for our organization’s updates from NOLA.
