AEGiS-BALA: AIDS Lobby Day: Make Your Voice Heard!!!


AIDS Lobby Day: Make Your Voice Heard!!!

Being Alive Newsletter - April 1999
Robert Dal Porto

For years now, people with HIV/AIDS, our families, loved ones and supporters have participated in an annual AIDS Lobby Day, providing an opportunity for scores of HIV advocates from across the state to meet with their legislators about pending bills and critical issues that impact the HIV-affected community. This year's AIDS Lobby Day is Monday, April 19, and hundreds more will gather in Sacramento. Being Alive wants to increase the visibility of people living with HIV and AIDS by making appointments to meet with our legislative representatives locally, here at home. For many of us, the time, expense and use of limited energy makes traveling to Sacramento almost impossible. Local visits, however, will take just a couple of hours and will let our elected officials know that we, their constituents, care about the issues being echoed in Sacramento on that same day.

For many people, talking with your elected officials seems intimidating and scary. It really doesn't have to be, for that is how they get the information that allows them to truly represent "us".

"Constituent" is a powerful word to your elected official. We are the ones who put them there, and we as their constituents, are the ones who should be telling them our concerns and needs.

Steps to Participating Locally in AIDS Lobby Day

(1) Call the League of Women Voters (in Los Angeles) at 323.939.3535 to get the names and phone numbers of your State Assembly and State Senate representatives. For other areas, just call Information to get your local League of Women Voters number.

(2) Call your California Assembly and Senate Representative's office and make an appointment with his/her Aide for Monday, April 19 (your representative will most likely be in Sacramento that day). Let them know this appointment is to discuss issues relating to AIDS Lobby Day.

(3) On the day of the appointment, just tell your story of what it is living with HIV/AIDS, how it affects you and others whom you know. Also include in your discussion the major points being discussed in Sacramento by our fellow AIDS-activists (please feel free to bring this list with you to help you remember these talking points):

* The State of Emergency of HIV in Communities of Color;

* Non Names-Based HIV Reporting;

* Work Entry/Re-entry and Benefits for persons living with HIV and AIDS;

* Decriminalization of Needle Exchange Programs; and

* California's Budgetary Contribution to HIV Programs.

Another valuable tool is by having your parents, your siblings, your friends and loved ones follow these same steps above in getting their voices heard. They each have their own story of how HIV and AIDS has touched their lives, and like us, their elected officials need to hear their concerns

To learn more about the talking points listed above, or for help in participating in AIDS Lobby Day locally, please call Kevin Kurth at Being Alive: 310.289.2551. If you would like to get information on AIDS Lobby Day in Sacramento, please call Greg Smith at APLA: 323.993.1366. An additional way to reach your elected officials Being Alive is making possible is called "Virtual AIDS Lobby Day". For information on this, please check out our web page at www.BeingAliveLA.org.

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ÆGIS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Roxane Laboratories, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1999. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

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This information is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
©1990,1999. ÆGiS.