Gratitude

Gratitude is the heart’s memory. Thank you for making so many memories for me. Your support of this year’s United States Conference on AIDS (USCA) during these difficult financial times is unprecedented. As a staff member told me, “Our constituents own USCA, we simply manage it for them.”

My Facebook page has been inundated with photos and kind words ( http://www.facebook.com/pkawata)

Gina Quattrochi of Bailey House commented

Congrats on USCA 2010 - you and your staff and all the volunteers did a great job! It was seamless!!! Thanks for your work. Did you know they gave me the Presidential suite cause they were out of reg. rooms? Who's Queen now?? LoL. oxo Ginq

From Tanya Leto: Thank you so much for allowing me to be able to come to this event for the first time! You Rocked!!! You should come to Key West and See the rest of us!

Paul A Kawata: Thank you so much for your kind words. They mean the world to me!

Tanya Leto: No...I speak from the heart and Although I'm still here I walked down pass where check in was and I still got goose bumps. I got a recharged this time. I can't wait to go back home in a week and share what I have learned, felt and seen this pass week. So I leave these words of many blessings!

Mark King shared his video blog http://tinyurl.com/375oul4 on HIV Stigma (and my fantasy husband Jack) at USCA @ My Fabulous Disease

This Year’s Videos

Its Your Move
Please help us make this video go viral. Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeC5prY1PhU&feature=recentf click on Share and sent it to the universe. Make this video a “favorite” and/or leave a comment. Embed this video on your agency’s web page. We need to keep HIV in the news! In the first 24 hours, we got 1300 hits!

USCA Opening Video “What Have You Done To Make Yourself Proud”

Thank you NMAC staff for creating the opening USCA video http://tinyurl.com/36z4j3p Feel free to steal it. Use your agency’s logo, programs, staff and volunteers. Its great for Walks, Annual Dinners, etc.

Topsy Foundation Video
http://www.youtube.com/user/thetopsyfoundation?feature=autoshare

We shared this video at the ADAP plenary. It shows the value of HIV medications.

Thanks to sponsorship by Gilead, this year’s conference bag was very special. They were made by low-income women in Chennai, India as part of a novel approach to providing sustainable income and HIV education. They make a wonderful gift https://www.pibags.org/index.php/contacts NMAC gets NO commission from any sales, we just think this is a cool project to support.

We got our USCA $25,000 challenge grant from Gilead! Join us on World AIDS Day 2010 for special Congressional Briefing that NMAC’s Women Of Color Program is co-hosting with Positive Women’s Network and National Women and AIDS Collective. The briefing will focus on the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Women. The funds will be used to bring speakers from these organizations to DC, including women living with HIV/AIDS.

Next Steps
The conference is over, but the fight is just beginning.

• Committed To Saving ADAP
• Interested In Providing Input To NHAS
• Willing To Build City and State Policy Networks

Don’t just talk about saving ADAP, do something. Keep up on the number of Americans on ADAP waiting lists at the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Director http://www.NASTAD.org Turn to Ann Lefert (alefert@nastad.org) for the latest information.

The only way we are going to control the costs associated with HIV/AIDS is to reduce the number of new infections. Stay in touch with Jona Mermin (jhm7@cdc.gov) from the CDC.

Keep up with the NHAS at Coalition For National HIV/AIDS Strategy http://nationalaidsstrategy.org Send comments to Ron Valdiserri (ron.valdiserri@hhs.gov) or Jeff Crowley (jcrowley@who.eop.gov).

Finally, join your local HIV/AIDS policy network. If you don’t have one, then its time to build one. Some of the best community organizers I know are David Munar (DMunar@AIDSChicago.org), Julie Davids (jdavids@CHAMPNetwork.org) and Dazon Dixon Diallo (ddiallo@sisterlove.org) Email them to get involved.

I am always in your corner. Email me at pkawata@nmac.org

I’ve learned that its the relationships that keep me going. USCA gives me that moment to reconnect. Its kinda like a big family reunion. Some family members you love, some you could do without, but it is the process of coming together that unites the family. It is the process of all of us coming together to tell our stories and to learn from each other that helps to build a stronger movement. Thank you for everything that you do to fight HIV/AIDS.