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Organizers have announced that their
new coalition Pozitively Healthy will assume the advocacy role formerly filled
by the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA), which closed its doors
in February due to bankruptcy. Pozitively Healthy will be the advocacy arm of
the Washington D.C.-based AIDS organization HealthHIV, which will assume all
responsibility for managing Pozitively Healthy’s finances and infrastructure.
Advocacy goals include access to prevention, care, and treatment in the context
of healthcare reform. The coalition also will include the Names Project
Foundation and AIDS-related publications. High-priority stakeholders include
African-American men who have sex with men, women, and transgender persons.
Pozitively Healthy will be an all-volunteer effort with no dues.
HealthHIV Executive Director Brian
Hujdich invited AIDS activists and supporters to apply for membership on the
nationwide steering committee that will set the agenda for the coalition. The
steering committee currently has 16 members, five of whom previously served as
NAPWA officials, including Frank Oldham, NAPWA executive director and chief
executive officer; Judi Billings, NAPWA board chair; and Stephen Bailous, NAPWA
deputy executive director. Billings and AIDS magazine A&U founder and
publisher David Waggoner will serve as Pozitively Healthy steering committee
co-chairs.
AIDS activists and bloggers voiced
concerns about NAPWA staffers and officials having leadership positions in
Pozitively Healthy, since NAPWA owed more than $750,000 at bankruptcy. Oldham
resigned from NAPWA in October 2012. According to Bailous, NAPWA was unable to
sustain fundraising during the recession.
Hujdich asserted that former NAPWA
staffers and officials are part of the Pozitively Health leadership because of
their experience and commitment. He stated that the steering committee will be
responsible only for policy and advocacy, with no infrastructure or money
management responsibilities.
Information about Pozitively Healthy
and membership sign-up are available at http://www.healthhiv.org/.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
