This spring, Being Alive has started a new Advocacy Committee. The new committee is dedicated to ensuring that the voices of people living with HIV and AIDS are heard in relevant policy and public debates at the local, state, and national level. For over fifteen years, Being Alive has been the center for HIV/AIDS grassroots activism in Los Angeles County and this role continues to be critical to our mission.

What is there to advocate about these days? Plenty! As people living with HIV and AIDS, we will need to make sure that our voices are heard as long as:

• The county and state are slashing funding for healthcare and social services;
• A year's supply of HIV drugs costs more than a small car;
• The California state legislature is considering mandatory testing for vulnerable segments of the population and government names reporting for everyone who is HIV+;
• Other organizations treat us as numbers instead of people;
• There's someone named Bush in the White House; and
• As long as there is no cure.

Already, the Advocacy Committee has drafted letters opposing state legislation requiring mandatory HIV testing of inmates and pregnant women and a letter opposing a court case that seeks to prevent HIV+ inmates from working as barbers. [See articles: Being Alive Voices Opposition to Lawsuit That Discriminates Against Positive Inmates, Being Alive Opposes Mandatory Testing of HIV+ Inmates, and Being Alive Opposes Mandatory Testing for Pregnant Women regarding these issues.] The Committee is also working on drafting a new patients bill of rights for LA County health clinics and monitoring other state and federal legislation that could impact our health care and our legal rights.

Join us at our next Advocacy Committee Meeting and let your voice be heard. We meet every second Monday of the month at 7:00pm at the Being Alive office in West Hollywood. Food and drinks are served and the meetings usually last until 9:00 PM Our next meetings are on July 8, 2002, and August 12, 2002. If you have any questions, please call Brad at 310.794.5279.

Brad Sears is the President of the Board of Directors of Being Alive.

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