The International AIDS Conference (IAC) is less than 30 days away

The International AIDS Conference (AIC) is less than 30 days away and I just wanted to write a quick update on what is going on. There will be some amazing speakers at the Conference: 42nd President Bill Clinton, South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, Bill Gates, Sir Elton John, and Whoopi Goldberg just to name a few. Over 25,000 people are expected to attend IAC. I am counting the days to when I get to meet my fellow bloggers! There are also many wonderful events happening. Here are a few I will be attending:

• Friday, July 20, 2012 10:00 – 17:00 Renaissance Hotel, 999 9th St., NW, Washington, DC “Making Sex a Crime . . . " To register or for more information, contact: Nick Rhoades (nrhoades@hivlawandpolicy.org), Center for HIV Law and Policy, 319.961.5183.
• Friday, July 20th is the IAC Mandatory Kick-off Meeting for volunteers.
• Sat. July, 21st: Raising Our Voices at AIDS 2012: U.S. Positive Women’s Network Pre-Conference 8:30am-17:00pm Willard Hotel-Buchanan Room, Washington, D.C. 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
• Sunday, July 22nd Collaborating Across Borders to Advance the Health of Women at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 9 – 11.
• Sunday, July 22nd March on Washington: AIDS Healthcare Foundations (AHF) and over a thousand organizations from 78 countries are marching to remind governments around the world to keep the promise.
• Monday, July 23rd – 26th, 7:30 – 13:30 Volunteer at IAC Poster Area (stop by and see me)
• Thursday, July 26th, 11:45 – 12:45 Women’s Networking Zone in the Global Village. Panel of Bloggers (I hope I will be there!) from A Girl Like Me on "Women Supporting Women: The Power of Blogging".

I feel very blessed to be able to attend the conference and meet like-minded people. I am hoping that this conference and the media coverage will help to educate millions of people. HIV has been around for 30 years yet many people still lack the knowledge they need to protect themselves and others. The stigma and discrimination that still exist saddens me but also empowers me to keep going. It empowers me to continue speaking, to continue blogging, and to continue my own education in hopes that I can make a difference in my life and in yours.