PJM Victory on CBO/NGO Village!

The Prevention Justice Mobilization, a national campaign calling for leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS and justice in prevention policies, is celebrating its first victory.

Working with local organizations and community co-sponsors of the National HIV Prevention Conference, the PJM overcame initial resistance of the conference chairs to win the right of 100 members of the Atlanta community to freely access the CBO/NGO Village, which had been closed to those not registered for the conference itself.

This event allows community-based and non-government organizations to set up outreach tables and network with peers. In addition, the CBO/NGO Village will feature light food and entertainment.

In a letter addressed to the PJM on November 7, NHPC co-chairs wrote:

On the behalf of the conference co-chairs, we are pleased to honor your request to open the NGO Village to members of the community who are providing HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, or care services to individuals living in the Atlanta metropolitan area. This will allow these important community members the opportunity to meet with others around the country engaged in similar work. We hope that they will be able to benefit from this experience.

The PJM organizers commend the NHPC for this action, and encourage them to continue to work with community-based organizations to ensure that those unable to attend the conference are able to access valuable information and resources without charge. Opening the CBO/NGO Village to the Atlanta community is a promising step in building bridges between the HIV prevention policy world and the communities they serve.

"We are heartened to see that CDC has recognized the literal and symbolic importance of opening this event to people at the forefront of the local struggle against HIV/AIDS," said Julie Davids, Executive Director of the Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP), initiators of the Prevention Justice Mobilization. "We also hope this is a sign of increased openness to community voices in CDC processes and events."