The International AIDS Conference came to the U.S. for the first time in over twenty years! The U.S. Positive Women’s Network was extremely proud and honored to be one of two U.S. community partners, along with the Black AIDS Institute (BAI). PWN Platform for Action at AIDS 2012. Full list of PWN-related activities including videos & presentations. Full list of PWN-related AIDS 2012 media. Photos from AIDS 2012 on our facebook! Trainings & Tools: PWN created tools and in-person trainings to support and prepare women living with HIV to attend and participate at the conference.

PWN at AIDS 2012 & highlights on women and HIV:

Leadership of Women Living with HIV As a local host partner for AIDS 2012, PWN is committed to ensuring that women living with HIV, especially women of color and transgender women, are meaningfully involved in all conference planning, conference activities, and decision-making bodies. Below is a session featuring women living with HIV called “Activism Today: Reigniting the Spark” and Linda Scruggs’ plenary speech (1 hr 2 min mark) on turning the tide for women and girls.
Intimate Partner Violence & Women Living with HIV Breaking new research from the Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) revealed that intimate partner violence leads to death for women living with HIV. PWN hosted a press conference on this research and solutions to ensure violence against women policies and services are thoroughly and comprehensively integrated with HIV policies and services. Read more about the press conference and stay tuned for the recording! NBC News, July 24, 2012 “The female face of HIV: ‘We don’t have to care for ourselves’” by Maggie Fox POZ, July 31, 2012 “Domestic Violence Doubles Risk of Death for HIV-Positive Women” by Laura Whitehorn
HIV Criminalization Advocates from around the world discussed the devastating impact of HIV-related criminalization and criminalization of many others including people who use drugs, people who engage in sex work, LGBTQI communities, and people of color. PWN presented at the session “Get a Test, Risk Arrest” and was a part of the consultations for the Global Commission on HIV and the Law whose session is below.
Breakthroughs in HIV research for women and girls AIDS 2012 was full of HIV research breakthroughs especially in prevention and prevention’s relationship to care. PWN released Bringing Gender Justice to HIV Prevention: A Blueprint for Women’s Action – an action plan reviewing the gaps in HIV prevention for all women. Also check out Dr. Gina Brown’s interview with Dr. Ron Valdiserri on next steps needed for women including exciting developments coming down the pipeline and the need to address intimate partner violence.
PWN-related activities at AIDS 2012: Symposia Session: Turning the Tide of the Impact of HIV in Black Diaspora Communities [presentations] Community Skills Development: Speak Up! How to Go Viral… Safely: HIV-positive People and Advocates Using the Media for Change [presentations] The Global Commission on HIV and the Law: A Movement for HIV Law Reform [video] Plenary, 7/25/12: Turning the Tide on Transmission featuring Linda Scruggs [video] Turning the Tide in the HIV and AIDS Epidemic in Washington, D.C. [video] Regional Session on USA and Canada [video] Stigma: Breaking the Silences – Dealing with Stigma and Exclusion for PLHIV and HIV/AIDS Affected Populations [video] Regional Session: Connecting the Dots: HIV and AIDS in the Context of the Black Diaspora [video] Oral Abstract Session Track D:  Get a Test; Risk Arrest [presentations] IAS Policy: Towards an HIV Cure [video] AIDS Activism Today: Reigniting the Spark [video] Satellite Session: Choice Matters: Expanding the Method Mix of ARV-Based Prevention for Women in 2012 and Beyond [presentations] PWN-related Media Hits AIDS 2012 Trainings: PWN hosted 6 in-person trainings around the country to support and prepare women living with HIV to participate in and attend AIDS 2012. Historically, women living with HIV and women of color have been excluded from International AIDS Conference’s due to cost and lack of access. The trainings were created to inform participants about the decision-making process and structure of the conference, identify community organizing opportunities to engage other advocates to participate, build fundraising skills, and brainstorm post-AIDS 2012 activities including hubs. Trainings took place in:
  • Jan. 2012: Oakland, CA co-hosted with WORLD
  • Jan. 2012: Philadelphia, PA co-hosted with PWN – Philly
  • Jan. 2012: Burmingham, AL co-hosted with AIDS Alabama
  • March 2012: PWN Southern Summit in FL
  • April 2012: San Diego, CA co hosted with PWN- San Diego and Christie’s Place
  • June 2012: Washington, D.C.

AIDS 2012:  Hubs Call for Proposals due January 31, 2012

AIDS 2012 is doing a Hubs call  for proposals for an organization with a focus on people who use drugs and/or harm reduction programs that would be interested in organizing and hosting one large or five or six smaller conference hubs during July 2012 and sit on the AIDS 2012 Hub Working Group. The deadline for application submission is  January 31, 2012.  Email Meg Warren at meg.warren {at} aids2012.org to learn more.

PWN launches the Getting to AIDS 2012:  Fundraising Toolkit

This toolkit is designed to give you everything you need to reach your fundraising goals so you can participate in the International AIDS Conference in Washington D.C. (AIDS 2012). It includes:
  • a budget template you can use to set a fundraising goal
  • tips on how to stay motivated throughout your fundraising journey
  • how to craft an effective appeal that inspires people to support you
  • step-by-step instructions on setting up an online fundraising page (to view a sample, click this link)
  • strategies for how to reach a wide pool of potential donors
  • guidelines on creating an action plan to implement offline, in-person fundraising ideas to reach your goal
….and much more! The information is delivered through:
  • video tutorials
  • detailed handouts,
  • worksheets to help you begin implementing the information right away.
Click here for the Fundraising Toolkit! World AIDS Day 2011: Applications open for scholarships, abstracts, Global Village and more! Interested in participating in AIDS 2012? Want to organize a hubs conference in your home town? Learn about how you can participate in the conference and bring the conference to your area. Go to www.aids2012.org for more info!

Get Involved:

1) Monthly U.S. AIDS 2012 Outreach & Mobilization Calls open to all! Be a part of the movement to mobilize people living with HIV and community members to the conference. Join PWN and BAI’s monthly call series to get involved. Next Call: FridayDec. 9th 9:30-11am PT/ 10:30-12pm MT/ 11:30-1pm CT/ 12:30-2pm ET Register for the call: TBA. Join AIDS 2012 U.S. Outreach listserv, email [email protected]. 2) Women’s Mobilization Call Join with women across the country to dialogue about how U.S. women can maximize our participation and input at AIDS 2012. Next Call: TBA. E-mail us to stay updated!

Updates:

November 18, 2011: Fourth AIDS 2012 Community Call. Topic: Hubs organizing, Global Village and Youth Programme participation, abstract mentorship resources. October 31, 2011: Women’s Mobilization Call. Topic: How can U.S. women maximize our participation at AIDS 2012? October 21, 2011: Third AIDS 2012 Community Call. Topic: Getting your input and recommendations to take to the AIDS 2012 leadership. September 9, 2011: Second AIDS 2012 Community Call. Topic: we want your recommendations to take to the AIDS 2012 planning leadership for how you want to see the conference. Register here: http://www.anymeeting.com/PIID=E959DE80854C August 12, 2011: First AIDS 2012 Community Call with Positive Women’s Network and Black AIDS Institute! Community outreach calls will be monthly from now until the conference. We had over 70 callers nationwide! May 16, 2011: Make Women Count! Read the full letter sent to the Conference Coordinating Committee from women-servicing organizations worldwide requesting that women and girls in all our diversity be made a priority at AIDS 2012.