NMAC and Advocates for Youth to collaborate with the White House Office of National AIDS Policy for inaugural 'Rising Leaders Summit'

WASHINGTON, DC, USA, July 31, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- NMAC, a 37-year old community organization that “leads with race” to end the HIV epidemic in the United States, and Advocates for Youth, that works alongside young people in their fight for sexual health, rights, and justice, are proud to be invited as collaborators by the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) for its first “Rising Leaders Summit - Shaping the Future of HIV Today.” Today’s summit convenes seasoned and emerging workforce leaders from people of color and LGBTQ communities that continue to be most-impacted by the racial inequities driving the HIV epidemic in the United States. The Rising Leaders Summit has been conceptualized by recently-appointed ONAP Director, Francisco Ruiz, a gay, Latino man who is living with HIV.

“NMAC has advocated for visibility and funding, as well as, supported the capacity building needs of young leaders of color to elevate their voices in the HIV movement. It is, in fact, where I started my journey in the HIV workforce, and have returned to, after 31 years of leading federally HIV programs. Because it is vital for the HIV movement to grow and nurture emerging leadership, we are honored to support Director Ruiz’s efforts to create this dialog with Black, brown, and LGBTQ workforce leaders about how we can institutionally support their ideas and efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the United States, said Harold Phillips, Deputy Director, NMAC.

“Young people are leading the movement to combat stigma, decriminalize HIV and ensure that everyone has access to HIV-inclusive sex education and culturally-specific treatment and care,” said Louie Ortiz-Fonseca, Director of LGBTQ+ Health and Rights at Advocates for Youth. “We are proud to stand alongside the next generation of Black and brown LGBTQ+ advocates working to dismantle barriers to health care that disproportionately impact young people of color.”

About the Rising Leaders Summit: The Rising Leaders Summit will gather over 50 emerging leaders from across the United States and Puerto Rico to energize the next generation dedicated to ending the HIV epidemic and advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy. The agenda will spotlight innovative approaches in HIV testing, prevention, care, treatment, and education, and aim to cultivate and sustain leadership within diverse communities.

About NMAC: Formerly known as the National Minority AIDS Council, NMAC is a 37-year old community organization that “leads with race” as the only sustainable way to end the HIV epidemic in the United States. We offer educational and capacity building programs, advocacy and mobilization efforts, and a range of national events to support people of color impacted by HIV. We host the Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit - the nation’s largest gathering focused on PrEP for HIV prevention and the U.S. Conference of HIV/AIDS - the nation’s largest gathering for community building and advocacy mobilization.

About Advocates for Youth: Advocates is a 501(c)3 organization that champions efforts that help young people make informed decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates boldly advocates for a more positive and realistic approach to adolescent sexual health, focusing its work on young people ages 14-25 in the U.S. and around the globe.

Press Contacts: NMAC
Pavni Guharoy
Acting Director of Communications, NMAC
pguharoy@nmac.org or 240 372 8394

Karen Addis
Media Consultant, NMAC
karen@addispr.com or 301 787 2394

Press Contact: Advocates for Youth
Eleanor Naiman
Media Relations Manager, Advocates for Youth
eleanor.naiman@advocatesforyouth.org

Pavni Guharoy
NMAC
+1 240-372-8394
email us here