We are the Fighters, the Mighty Mighty Fighters

by: Michael Emanuel Rajner National Secretary - Campaign to End AIDS Last night in South Florida, an army of courageous and inspirational young adults worked diligently to increase their knowledge in an effort to be effective educators and advocates. These same young adults often find themselves among the under-represented population of the HIV/AIDS community – the youth. This growing army understands science based education is among the most important protective factors easily sacrificed by the current Presidential Administration. Abstinence-only policies do not provide opportunities for interventions; they simply mirror the Reagan era drug policy of “just say no” and do not respond to the needs of marginalized populations with increased risk factors. The action and commitment demonstrated by the youth is a clear sign that they are ready to embark on a life defining journey - the fight to end AIDS! As evidenced this year, states, growing in numbers are refusing federal dollars for education with the over reaching “abstinence-only” mandate. States are slowly paving the way to ensure that our children are prepared for all of the potential risks an individual may encounter. “Study after study has shown that abstinence-only programs don’t work. Abstinence-only was an ill-advised experiment with young people’s lives at stake, and it has failed. It is time for us to stop paying for this fiasco,” concluded William Smith, Vice President for public policy at Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). http://www.siecus.org/ In June 1983 at the second AIDS forum convened in Denver, Colorado, a group of people fighting for their lives declared in The Denver Principles http://www.napwa.org/documents/denver.pdf we are people with AIDS and deserving of dignity. The Denver Principles are the founding document for the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA) At the time, federal funding for care, treatment and support services for HIV/AIDS were virtually non-existent. Support came from compassionate individuals that organized in grassroots efforts to help a population of individuals whose government willingly turned them away. At the time, the controlling forces in our government argued that AIDS was a deserving outcome for the affected populations. Twenty-five years later, the culture of the AIDS movement is riddled with apathy and complacency. As the nation celebrates Independence Day this week, the Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA), along with several national and regional partners, will host the third Youth Action Institute (http://www.campaigntoendaids.org/site/c.fnJMKLNmFmG/b.1613071/k.9DB8/Youth_Action_Institute_2007.htm) in Raleigh, North Carolina. At Youth Action Institute, young adults (ages 16 to 26) from all parts of the United States will learn from experts how to strengthen their leadership skills in the fight to end AIDS. These participants will proudly be among the players in the rebirth of the AIDS movement. After 25 years, it is time we return to The Denver Principles and grassroots organizing learn new ways to inspire people to do what is possible and take action! We must reclaim government for all people. Words chanted by Youth at the 2006 United States Conference on AIDS – Hollywood, FL: Everywhere we go, people want to know, who we are, so we tell them, we are the fighters, the mighty mighty fighters, END AIDS NOW!