HIV/AIDS Advocates to Convene in Raleigh

PRESS RELEASE                                               CONTACT: Claire Hermann

April 4, 2013                                                                  (919) 533-9677, claire@ncaan.org

HIV/AIDS advocates from across North Carolina will gather in Raleigh on Tuesday, April 9, for a day of rapid-fire discussions and workshops with leaders in the HIV/AIDS advocacy community.

“I come to be encouraged, educated and inspired, and to lend my voice to the discussion,” said Savalas Squire, a minister from Winston-Salem who is living with HIV.

“Too many in our state are struggling to make ends meet, find quality healthcare, and find love and acceptance after being diagnosed as being HIV-positive,” said Squire.

The conference builds advocacy capacity among the community of people fighting for the rights of the 35,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in North Carolina and those at risk.

Many advocates will be meeting with legislators as well.

“Access to healthcare is the key to halting the HIV epidemic in North Carolina,” said Lisa Hazirjian, executive director of the North Carolina AIDS Action Network.

“As our elected officials make decisions that will have a profound impact on public health, it’s important that they hear from the people who are most affected,” Hazirjian said.

A key issue for advocates will be a looming $8 million cut to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which provides medication to thousands of low-income clients. Governor McCrory’s state budget proposal included the sharp reduction in funding.

Advocates say those cuts could bring back long waiting lists and severely restricted lists of covered medications. They have collected more than 3,500 postcards in support of the program, roughly one signature for every 10 people living with HIV in North Carolina.

Also on the policy agenda will be defending access to sexual health information and treatment for youth and decriminalizing syringes to prevent needle-stick transmission of HIV.

“Getting stuck by a needle was one of the scariest moments of my career,” said conference attendee Jen Earls, a former police officer. 

“I believe a combination of harm reduction programs and syringe decriminalization will make a vast difference by reducing needle-sticks to law enforcement officers and reducing HIV and hepatitis in the community," Earls said.

It will be a busy day in Raleigh. NC Women United and the Historic Thousands on Jones Street People’s Assembly Coalition will hold their advocacy days on Tuesday as well.    

“We will be standing in solidarity with the North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, Historic Thousands on Jones Street People's Assembly Coalition, and NC Women United in support of policies that value the voices and well-being of all North Carolinians,” said Hazirjian.

The North Carolina AIDS Action Network and the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition will host the conference.

Community Partners include the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina, Black AIDS Institute, Crape Myrtle Festival, Duke AIDS Legal Project, Equality NC, HIV-Hope Project, NC Fair Share, Rainbow Community Cares, Regional AIDS Interfaith Network, Southern Harm Reduction and Drug Policy Network, and Western North Carolina AIDS Project.

The conference is sponsored by AIDS United, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Bristol Myers Squibb, and PhRMA. For more information, visit www.ncaan.org.