Welcome TO THE 24TH ANNUAL UNITED STATES CONFERENCE ON HIV/AIDS
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elcome to the United States Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA). This will be a meeting like no other. NMAC had to pivot USCHA to respond to COVID-19. Prior to March of 2020, I had never done a Zoom call, let alone put on a virtual conference for nearly 6,000 people. This year’s meeting will have four plenaries, 85 workshops & institutes, an exhibit hall, and a jobs fair. We decided to make the conference free for community because everyone is hurting and access to USCHA is particularly important right now. Our world is in a tailspin and it is easy to feel lost and overwhelmed. That’s why we returned to the theme of a “Family Reunion.” Right now, we need our family more than ever. I look forward to sharing NMAC’s Unity Quilt at the Opening Plenary. While we can only be together virtually, there will be a time when we can meet again in person. This year’s meeting sits at the intersection of HIV, COVID-19, and Black Lives Matter. NMAC believes that racism is a public health challenge that must be addressed if we want to end the HIV epidemic in America. The fight for racial justice and health equity are key pathways to ending HIV. I worry that attendees will not be able to sit in front of their computers for six hours to watch plenaries, attend workshops, and visit the exhibit hall. NMAC decided to keep most of the materials online so that attendees can access this information anytime over the next 12 months. The conference website will host the largest and most diverse set of HIV trainings for people working on the frontlines. We encourage everyone to use it as a resource long after the meeting is over.
Our world is in a tailspin and it is easy to feel lost and overwhelmed. That’s why we returned to the theme of a “Family Reunion.” Right now, we need our family more than ever.
Finally, I ask for your patience and understanding. This is our first time hosting a virtual meeting and we have nearly 6,000 attendees. We will make some mistakes. It’s not personal. Finally, I want to thank all of our sponsors: Gilead, ViiV Healthcare, Janssen, Merck, Theratechnologies, the National Native HIV Network, and POZ. Without their continued support we could not do this meeting for free. Enjoy the meeting, but more importantly, fight like hell to end the HIV epidemic. Yours in the struggle,
Paul Kawata, Executive Director, NMAC
#2020USCHA
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