Yet We Persist: A Statement on the Elimination of the Office of Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS Policy, Transgender Day of Visibility, & AIDSWatch 2025

Dear Supporters,

On Friday we received word that the Office of Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) has been eliminated by Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy and the Administration. The elimination  of OIDP is only a drop in the bucket, as the Administration has announced a reduction of 20,000 full-time employees across HHS–and cutting the number of regional offices in half.  All of this will have disastrous consequences, especially for Southern communities, which already bear the highest burden of HIV and other infectious diseases in the U.S. 

Without a dedicated office to coordinate national efforts, funding and resources will become more fragmented, affecting prevention, treatment, and research. Southern states, where healthcare disparities are already pronounced, will face setbacks in tackling HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases, exacerbating health inequities, among the most marginalized communities.  This is just the latest–and sadly not expected to be the last–of unfathomable cuts and eliminations that will come from the Administration at the cost of many lives.  And to that end, our resolve must be stronger than ever.

And yet we persist… Beginning today, many of us are assembling in Washington, DC for 7C******@so*******************.org%7Cf261425e493b4353133c08dd707cd314%7C624f580760054ad493a3e7eace941f29%7C0%7C0%7C638790403694248885%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NlFvIYIWd0OJrj4NPS8EXZ1QK85HvxSZ5CUypiTI1d4%3D&reserved=0″ originalsrc=”https://u47231955.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.QEBSSfYtIRAsHoYMyQXQ-2BaAevhicvMYJczP89RHj2sBuFqkN1efuNBp3WfMqVEjYyNHWn-2BXnX5V8vht0UHrEmA-3D-3DmqOc_MxrJq03KOffZtOlD8lGi-2FemvSWhy6n4dDxd5aVL9PdizVFxS1YMxyV5H7EWOgXV9NxDzImTuufoInJ9Y5KXR5Zn3ZjyglO3y7aAcArw9Bye5MZ7lJKbF1mXyrc5qYcrarIBgwxn36xYrWIzhfHD0iFpDMsoTyFITvOZeOzr2FQ5qHB6KK7OeF2bT9vo7Fd3EWjjjbFYf88GvzdOWAtMpp0i6CnQ6K3BGSjeNpiCw5Os-3D” title=”https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fu47231955.ct.sendgrid.net%2Fls%2Fclick%3Fupn%3Du001.QEBSSfYtIRAsHoYMyQXQ-2BaAevhicvMYJczP89RHj2sBuFqkN1efuNBp3WfMqVEjYyNHWn-2BXnX5V8vht0UHrEmA-3D-3DmqOc_MxrJq03KOffZtOlD8lGi-2FemvSWhy6n4dDxd5aVL9PdizVFxS1YMxyV5H7EWOgXV9NxDzImTuufoInJ9Y5KXR5Zn3ZjyglO3y7aAcArw9Bye5MZ7lJKbF1mXyrc5qYcrarIBgwxn36xYrWIzhfHD0iFpDMsoTyFITvOZeOzr2FQ5qHB6KK7OeF2bT9vo7Fd3EWjjjbFYf88GvzdOWAtMpp0i6CnQ6K3BGSjeNpiCw5Os-3D&data=05%7C02%7Ctorrie%40southernaidscoalition.org%7Cf261425e493b4353133c08dd707cd314%7C624f580760054ad493a3e7eace941f29%7C0%7C0%7C638790403694248885%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=NlFvIYIWd0OJrj4NPS8EXZ1QK85HvxSZ5CUypiTI1d4%3D&reserved=0″ style=”text-decoration: underline; color: #30b6b0;”>AIDSWatch 2025 coordinated by AIDS United.  Over 500 advocates will take to Capitol Hill at this crucial moment to demand that our elected officials do something. It is also a time for our own learning, strategy, and support. A necessary reminder that we are a movement, with a track record of transformation in the face of adversity. A vital reminder that we have a history of winning bi-partisan support, both in Washington and in our states. A motivating reminder that we have the power to mobilize our communities for this moment.

Everyone shines when the lighting is right… The launch of AIDSWatch today, also marks Transgender Day of Visibility. This is the day to shine a light–amplifying and celebrating the power, beauty, and brilliance of our transgender communities, During a time when transgender, nonbinary and gender diverse people are being targeted by attempts to literally erase their humanity (which is a form of violence that renders them invisible), we must make a deep commitment to move beyond performative platitudes and seek justice that includes every person. 

Ways to Honor TDOV:

I owe so much to transgender and gender diverse leaders who I have had the honor of working closely with in this movement. Colleagues who have become family, who I feel fiercely protective of in this moment. This TDOV, know that even in the midst of dark times, we see you. I honor you, appreciate you, and will stand with you.

Sending Hugs and Hope,
Dafina Ward
Executive Director

Hundreds Will Convene in Washington, DC, To Demand Protections of CDC HIV Prevention Funding and Other Critical Health Services

Washington, D.C. — Public health advocates are issuing an urgent call to action as cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) remove HIV prevention funding across the country. These cuts will dismantle critical services, reverse decades of bipartisan progress, and disproportionately harm Southern states, where HIV rates are highest, and healthcare systems are already strained. 

Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC) will be at AIDSWatch on March 31–April 2, joining more than 500 advocates from across the country to demand that lawmakers protect HIV prevention funding and critical public health infrastructure. AIDSWatch, which is organized by AIDS United, the largest annual HIV advocacy event in the U.S., provides an opportunity for individuals and organizations to meet directly with policymakers, share lived experiences, and fight for policies that support the health and well-being of communities affected by HIV. SAC’s presence ensures that the unique challenges of the South remain a focal point in national discussions about HIV policy and funding. 

Share AIDSWatch!
March 31 – April 2, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Help spread the word about AIDSWatch 2025, happening Monday, March 31, 2025, through Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Learn more and register at aidsunited.org/aidswatch. Use the sample messages in AIDS United’s Social Media Kit here.

Join SAC representatives Dafina Ward, Executive Director, and Will Ramirez, Director of Public Policy & Advocacy, on Day 2 for plenary and workshop sessions.

You can create your annual membership easily on our website! Your organizational membership in SAC makes a powerful statement about your commitment to ending the HIV and STI epidemics in the South. Join a unique coalition of government, community, and business partners that are working together to prevent new infections and to build a better South for people living with HIV.

Support the South!

Want to support our efforts to transform the South? Donate today! Your contribution will support our efforts to mobilize and inform communities, as we work towards ending HIV disparities in the South.

Stay connected with us and add so*******************@ma*****.com to your address book or whitelist us.