September 5, 2017
This post originally appeared on Poz.com
It’s been a challenging time in Washington. That is why this year’s meeting—#2017USCA, starting Sept. 7—is so important.
This is my final communication prior to seeing everyone at the United States Conference on AIDS. The 2017 meeting has already surpassed the registration numbers from both the 2015 and 2016 conferences. In other words, there will be lots of people. Please be patient and use your time standing in line to meet your colleagues from across the country.
If this is your first time attending USCA, you may be surprised by the diversity of attendees. Typically, 60% of the participants are people of color, 55% are women, 30% are people living with HIV, 75% of the men attending are gay men, and there is a significant delegation from the trans community. USCA strives to have representatives from all 50 states and the territories. In other words, this is a community conference that reflects the full scope of the epidemic. If you’ve never been to USCA, you will quickly see the difference from other conferences. We are proud to offer a safe space for people to be themselves without judgment or discrimination. The 2017 meeting will be a USCA Family Reunion, and our family values are built upon diversity, inclusion, and acceptance.
It’s been a challenging time in Washington. I believe that is why this year’s meeting is so important. People are fearful about the future. Between health care reform and the possibility of cuts to the federal HIV budget, attendees are seeking answers and community. While we may not have all of the answers, we will definitely have community. This year’s USCA is structured to not only train, but also to remind us why we do the important work that must be done. For many of us, this movement is more than just a job; it’s our life and the lives of our communities. In a world that can be very mean to people who are different, USCA celebrates our strange and wonderful family.
©Crowd360 brought to you by
