2017 FINAL REPORT
OPENING NMAC leads with race to urgently fight for health equity and racial justice to end the HIV epidemic in America. The United States Conference on AIDS is the largest AIDS-related gathering in the United States, bringing together thousands of participants from all segments of the HIV epidemic. This year was the 21st anniversary of USCA and the 30th anniversary of NMAC. We celebrated our theme “USCA Family Reunion,� and welcomed nearly 3,000 people to Washington, DC.
FORMAT USCA offered nearly 300 training sessions at three levels of instruction (introductory, intermediate, and advanced). Introductory levels were primarily didactic. Intermediate level sessions were didactic and interactive, while advanced level sessions were designed to maximize interaction between attendees and participants.
ATTENDEES Exhibitors - 143 Host Committee - 34 NMAC Staff – 22 Scholarship – 292 Volunteer - 46 Vendors - 65 Media/Press – 17 Grand Total – 2,869* (*Two hurricanes impacted the final number)
50+ LIVING WITH HIV This year, USCA launched the 50+ Strong and Health Scholarship Program. The initiative brought together 50 people over the age of 50 who are living with HIV to cross-train and network by building relationships to combat stigma and end isolation.
“Thank you so much for this wonderful experience at this year’s USCA! I will take with me all of the valuable info I learned and the connections I made with others from across the US and abroad.” - Scott Haitsuka (2017 50+ Scholar)
YOUTH SCHOLARS In partnership with ViiV Healthcare, the Magic Johnson Foundation, and Advocates for Youth, NMAC launched the 2017 Youth Initiative. This program focused on developing future leaders in the HIV movement by giving them skills to take action to end HIV/AIDS in their communities. “Know that words can never do justice to the gratitude I have for the Youth Program, it has truly changed my life. I never knew I could have such a family of choice.” - Joel Gray (2017 USCA Youth Initiative Scholar)
SOCIAL MEDIA FELLOWS In partnership with the Black AIDS Institute, and with funding from Gilead, USCA hosted 17 social media fellows from across the country. Their posts were featured with official USCA press coverage from media sponsor fhi360. “As a queer millennial of color... I understand the power of virtual/ social media…[it] has become the cost effective and proven method for combatting HIV stigma, connecting people to care, and mobilizing our communities to confront and act on the devastating impacts of HIV in the United States.” - Miguel Garcia (2017 Social Media Fellow)
HIV/STD ACTION DAY HIV/STD Action Day was held on Wednesday, September 6. Two hundred and twentyeight participants met with their elected officials to advocate for HIV/AIDS services in their districts and states. HIV/STD Action Day was sponsored by NMAC, AIDS United, NASTAD, NCSDDC & the AIDS Institute.
OPENING RECEPTION To kick off the official USCA, NMAC held a special opening reception at the Library of Congress. We welcomed Representative Maxine Waters and Representative Barbara Lee.
OPENING PLENARY A Celebration of Our Families The Opening Plenary was a celebration of the USCA family. There was also a special tribute to those agencies and people who were impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Broadway veteran Frenchie Davis sang a stirring rendition of “Home.”
Plenary Speakers : (TOP LEFT) Kerry Lessard and Family; (BOTTOM LEFT) Cecilia Chung and Family; (L-R) Charles Shazor and Family, Murray Penner and Family; Silvia Valerio and Family
U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi addressed the plenary.
Award-winning actreess Judith Light and Dr. Michael Gottlieb of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation presented the first Michael Gottlieb award to the Macy’s Foundation.
PLENARY SESSION Act Now: End AIDS This plenary offered an overview of the growing movement of U.S. jurisdictions planing to end their respective AIDS epidemics.
FEDERAL PLENARY Saturday was the Federal Plenary. Speakers discussed the current state of innovative treatment efforts and the importance of federal policies to end the epidemic.
Plenary Speakers (LEFT to RIGHT): Laura Cheever, MD,Sc.M., Associate Administrator for HIV/AIDS Bureau, Health Resources & Services Administration; Dr. Richard Wolitski, Director, Office for HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy at the US Department of Health and Human Services; Maureen Goodenow, PhD, Director, Office of AIDS Research; Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH, Director, National Center for HIV/AIDS Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Anthony S. Fauci, MD, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
RE+IMAGINE REIMAGINE: Reset. Refuel. Retool. Sponsored by Gilead RESET. The HIV community has been on a 35+ year journey of transformation and development. Regardless of the challenges, the community has consistently demonstrated a collective capacity to engineer change from science to policy to practice. REFUEL. Sustaining the movement to end HIV requires staying focused in a fast-moving, often distracting, environment. As in the past, the HIV community will adapt, innovate, and regenerate. RETOOL. Please join us to reflect on the state of HIV, explore what’s needed and celebrate the experience, creativity, and regenerative spirit of the HIV community.
Speakers included: Jeffrey S. Crowley, Program Director, O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law; Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, Found and Director, The Trauma Stewardship Institute; Dr. Derrick Butler, Associate Medical Director, To Help Everyone Health and Wellness Centers; and Darnell L. Moore, Editor-at-Large, CASSIUS/iOne Digital.
DC TRANS HOUSE BALL A Magical Night of the Dancing Gowns: DC Trans House Ball Benefiting Casa Ruby This year, Casa Ruby hosted a Trans House Ball for USCA attendees. Casa Ruby is the only bilingual multicultural LGBT organization providing life saving services and programs to the most vulnerable in the LGBT community in DC. Participants from around the region came to “walk” in a safe, fabulous, and liberating environment. It was a magical night and one of the highlights of the conference.
CLOSING PLENARY The Power of Women For the closing plenary, USCA celebrated the leadership of women of color. Speakers addressed the importance of women’s leadership at all levels of our movement.
Plenary Speakers (LEFT to RIGHT): Linda Sarsour, Co-Chair, Women’s March; Linda H. Scruggs, Ribbon Consulting Group; Gina Brown, Southern AIDS Coalition; Tiommi Luckett, The Well Project; Grissell Granados, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
EXHIBITORS This year was USCA’s largest exhibit hall with more than 140 exhibitors.
ATTENDANCE By Demographic - Race 38% African American 34% Caucasian/White 15% Latinx 3% Asian 2 % American Indian/ Alaskan Native Native > 1%Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander
ATTENDANCE By Demographic Sexual Orientation > 1% Asexual > 1% Questioning > 1% Two Spirit > 1% Pansexual 1% Same Gender Loving 2% Bisexual 3% Lesbian 3% Queer 12% Prefer Not To Disclose 26% Gay 51% Heterosexual
ATTENDANCE By Demographic Gender/Gender Identity 52% Female 41% Male 2% Prefer Not to Disclose 2% MTF (Transwoman) > 1% FTM (Transman) >1% Gender Queer >1% Gender Non-Conforming > 1% Two Spirit > 1% Androgynous >1% Intersex
ATTENDANCE By Demographic - Age 28% were 25-34 25% were 35-44 25% were 45-54 14% were 55-64 3 % were 65+ 4% were 20-24 > 1% were Under 20
ATTENDANCE By Demographic HIV Status 68% were Negative 17% were Positive 14% were Undeclared 1% were Unknown
REPEAT ATTENDANCE USCAs Attended 1st Time (244) 2nd– 5th Time (172) 6th – 9th Time (36) 10th – 14th Time (25) 15th – 19th Time (8) Over 20 Times (8)
EVALUATION DATA Most attendees indicated they were well prepared with information prior to and during the conference. They noted happiness with the registration process and appreciation for the staff. Most promisingly, the majority of attendees felt USCA met their professional expectations.
EVALUATION DATA The majority of attendees felt they have received new critical data, professional skills, and networking opportunities that were important in helping them meet their professional goals.
MOBILE APP PERFORMANCE Over 2,000 mobile app users. 9.5 thousand users offering contributions making up for a total usage time of 98.7 thousand minutes. The majority used iOS devices with Android and Web users coming in second and third.
QUOTES & AFFIRMATIONS “NMAC is one of those pillar organizations that help keep the focus on the fight to end the spread of HIV in the United States and have become one of those forces that lead the fight around the globe….whenever a report or a publication or anything comes out regarding HIV/AIDS in the United States, NMAC is one of those organizations that I look to to either corroborate or refute the information. I look forward to NMAC continuing to be the leader it has become.” - USCA Attendee
THANK YOU SPONSORS Presenting: Gilead Premiere: MERCK, ViiV Healthcare Patron: Janssen, Walgreens Collaborating: Plus Colleague: Bristol Myers Squibb, Planned Parenthood, POZ Friend: Avita Pharmacy, Broadway Cares, EMD Serono, Human Rights Campaign, Magic Johnson Foundation Media: fhi360
NMAC BOARD Chair John W Hill Washington, DC Secretary Therese Rodriguez New Yor, NY Treasurer Valerie Rochester Bowie, MD Honoree Nancy Wilson Altadena, CA
Oscar De La O Los Angeles, CA
Mario J. Perez Los Angeles, CA
Brenda Hunt Lumberton, NC
Rev. Ed Sanders Nashville, TN
Monica Johnson Columbia, LA Kelsey Louie New York, NY Norm Nickens, San Francisco, CA Dr. Leonardo Ortega Indianapolis, IN
Lance Toma San, Francisco Evelyn Ullah Miami, FL Dr. Rodolfo R. Vega Boston, MA
NMAC STAFF Executive Office Paul Akio Kawata, Executive Director Kim Ferrell, Director of Operations Conferences Division Tara Barnes-Darby, Conferences Director Alison McKeithen, Conferences Manager Shanta’ Gray, Registration Coordinator Development Division Robert York, Development Director Communications Division Chip Lewis, Director/Consultant Daniel Pino, Communications Strategist Finance and Administration Division Bis Dhar, Director Ron Dorsey, Consultant
Capacity Building Division Kim Johnson, Capacity Building Director Tamara Combs, Program Manager Robin Kelley, Evaluation Manager Munir Ahmed, Evaluation Specialist Genoa Rucker, Program Coordinator Dustin Baker-Holley, Program Coordinator Treatment Division Moises Agosto, Treatment Director Matthew Rose, Policy and Advocacy Manager Fernando De Hoyos, Treatment Coordinator Sable Nelson, Policy Analyst Leadership Pipeline Division Linda H. Scrugges, Acting Director Charles Shazor, R&R Specialist