Everything you need to know you will learn in Iowa.

This conference is for those of you who want to show your willingness to do more to help raise awareness and mobilize grassroots action to change HIV-specific criminal statutes. This is your opportunity to TAKE ACTION.

I’m happy to announce registration is open for the first-ever national HIV is Not a Crime conference. The gathering will be held from June 2nd to 5th, 2014, at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa.

It is a great opportunity for those of us who are grassroots community organizers, HIV, LGBTQ, social justice advocates, experts in law and policy, and most importantly individuals living with HIV from across the country, to gather for a common cause to end the inappropriate use of criminalization laws against people with HIV--we are gathering to end this injustice.

The conference will feature three days of workshops and practical trainings on state advocacy, grassroots organizing, activism, and familiarity with the legal, medical, media, and public health issues related to HIV criminalization.

As a result of the conference, individual and organizational participants will be better equipped to initiate or advance advocacy in their home states addressing HIV-related criminalization, stigma and discrimination. The conference will help to rebuild and reenergize state-based HIV advocacy efforts.  

Lastly, I’m grateful for the opportunity to be one of the conference organizers, planning along with other allies and advocates eager for reform. As someone who was prosecuted under Louisiana’s HIV criminalization statute, and served six months in prison in that state, this conference is both important and personal to me.  As a person living with HIV, I never forget that my voice and participation has a profoundly important impact.

Registration information can be found on the Conference Website.

You can also LIKE the conference Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/HIVisNotaCrimeConference?

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