NMAC’s annual U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA), often described as a family reunion for the HIV community, brought together thousands of attendees representing hundreds of nonprofits at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans from September 12 through 15.

 

The theme of this year’s event, “Southern Joy,” underscored the importance of centering the South in efforts to end the HIV epidemic nationally. Workshop topics included confronting racism, smashing stigma, boosting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) among people of color, driving equity through patient-centered interventions for people of trans experience and expanding access to doxyPEP for sexually transmitted infections, among dozens more. Given the link between injection drug use and hepatitis C and HIV infection, numerous workshops also highlighted the need to ramp up access to harm reduction methods. Throughout it all, joy and hope were very much on display at USCHA, as evidenced by these photos from social media.

Stacy Abrams

Two-time Georgia gubernatorial candidate and voting rights champion Stacy Abrams delivered the keynote speech at a plenary luncheon and urged attendees to speak up, stand up and show up to bring about change.@hanc_legacy/Instagram

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