On 35th Anniversary of HIV/AIDS, Black AIDS Institute Primes New Activists

Graduates of the African American HIV University, Class of 2016, surrounded by (standing, left) Dr. Darrell Wheeler, (seated, center) Phill Wilson, Rebekah Israel and Professor Dr. Jeffrey Klausner

As we mark the 35th anniversary of HIV and AIDS in the United States, the Black AIDS Institute is proud to announce that it is launching a new cohort of AIDS activists into the world, including its latest graduates of the African American HIV University (AAHU) and five Black Treatment Advocate Network (BTAN) fellows who will join its biannual delegation to the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban, South Africa, next month.

In May, 20 activists graduated from AAHU, a nine-month training to build HIV/AIDS science literacy in Black communities, including closing the HIV/AIDS science-literacy gap. AAHU includes a 30-day boot camp on the science of HIV/AIDS and instruction in program planning and implementation, community mobilization, and more. Building science literacy among frontline staff workers is vital, since they require the most up-to-date and accurate information about essential subjects such as PrEP and treatment as prevention, in order to serve their clients. This year's cohort includes:

• Joshua Agee, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS;
• Christopher Barnes, My Brother's Keeper, Inc, Jackson, MS;
• Lee Brown, LinQ For Life Inc., North Little Rock, AR;
• Jaasiel Chapman, IVCHARIS, Cincinnati;
• Camryn Crump, AIDS Project of the East Bay, Oakland;
• Aaron Davis, Maryland Department of Health; Baltimore;
• Cheryl Davis, Faith Community Baptist Church, Richmond, VA;
• Adeline Douanla, Walgreens/University of Minnesota; Minneapolis;
• Keith Hughes, AIDS Partnership Michigan, Detroit;
• George Jackson, AIDS Project of the East Bay, Oakland;
• Mukamtagara Jendayi, The Afiya Center, Dallas;
• Marxavian Jones, NAESM, Inc., Atlanta;
• Krystle Kirkland-Mobley, Broward County Department of Health, Ft. Lauderdale, FL;
• Carleisha Murry-Anderson, Jefferson Comprehensive Care Systems, Inc., Little Rock, AR;
• Charles Pettiford, Georgia Department of Public Health, Albany, GA;
• Donna Powell, Fredericksburg Area HIV/AIDS Support Services, Fredericksburg, VA;
• Yolanda Price, BTAN Melbourne, Melbourne, FL;
• Quintin Stroud, Wayne State University Adult HIV/AIDS Program, Detroit;
• Andrea White, Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., Washington, DC;
• Jeffery Edwards-Knight, Mecklenburg County Department of Health, Charlotte.

Additionally, five BTAN fellows have been awarded scholarships to attend the International AIDS Conference:

• John Curry, Unconditional Love, Inc., Melbourne, FL; BTAN Melbourne
• Krystle Mobley, Florida Department of Health, Broward County, FL; BTAN Broward
• Lauren Gauthier, Crescent Health Care, New Orleans, LA; BTAN Louisiana
• Joshua Agee, My Brother's Keeper, Inc., Jackson, MS; BTAN Mississippi
• Darrin K. Johnson, PowerHouse Project, Charlotte, NC; BTAN Charlotte

In addition to attending the Conference, the BTAN fellows will participate in a two-day preconference put on by the Black AIDS Institute, where they will receive a full day of science and treatment training, one-half day on the epidemic among MSM, and instruction on how to navigate the conference itself. After the Conference ends, these fellows will host post-conference updates in their local BTAN cities and conduct in-service training during the monthly meetings of their BTAN chapter.