The Time to Act is Now National Latino/Hispanic AIDS Leadership Summit

HIV/AIDS continues to devastate Latinos/Hispanics across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Latinos/Hispanics are the fastest growing population in the United States and the second most affected by HIV and AIDS in both incidence and prevalence. According to the CDC, by the end of 2005 more than 77,000 Latinos/Hispanics have died from HIV/AIDS.

Register for the Summit. Visit www.latinoaidsagenda.org

For the first time in the history of this epidemic, community based organizations, health departments, direct service providers, researchers, advocates, public health representatives, people living with HIV/AIDS and many others have come together to develop the Latino/Hispanic AIDS Action Agenda, a national health and prevention policy blueprint that responds to the emergency. The Agenda will serve as a framework for community efforts and will detail what members of the Latino/Hispanic community assert as the necessary strategies to reduce new infections, delay AIDS diagnoses and prevent death.  This past year, organizations and individuals from across the country have been meeting via conference calls and face-to-face to agree on a national response and the steps of how to respond to the AIDS crisis. During these meetings, identified facilitators from many cities and states have led in-depth working groups with discussions on key topics to begin drafting the Agenda. The key topics are: prevention, access to care, immigration/migration, epidemiology, data and surveillance, funding & resources, research, leadership and treatment, advocacy and education.
  
As a result of these efforts, several members of Congress including Representative Hilda L. Solis, Representative Nydia Velázquez, Representative Ed Pastor, and Latino/Hispanic community leaders released the CALL TO ACTION AND MOBILIZATION: Latino/Hispanic Communities Impacted by HIV/AIDS Emergency at the Capitol Building in Washington D.C. on September 26, 2007.  This two-page document was developed via an extensive and participatory group process to call the attention of local, state and federal leaders to the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS on our communities. Since its release, 135 organizations and individuals have signed on to the document declaring their commitment to working towards the creation on the Agenda. If you would like to sign the Call to Action please click here
Representative Hilda L. Solis and Representative Nydia Velázquez

On January 29-30, 2008 the National Latino/Hispanic AIDS Leadership Summit will for the first time provide a forum for groups to convene around the Agenda; create and prioritize our first action steps; and identify leaders for the different community strategies and action efforts. The Agenda will be our blueprint for action. The time to act is now. By participating in the Summit we will be committing ourselves to the crucial need for long-term mobilization and community response. Your commitment will help make a difference in our communities.