AIDSWatch is the largest constituent gathering of people living with HIV and their allies to educate members of Congress and the Administration about important issues facing people living with HIV, building capacity in the communities most affected by the HIV epidemic while responding directly to immediate and emerging political threats. 2018 will be the 25th anniversary of AIDSWatch, and it takes place March 26–27. From the very first AIDSWatch to now, people living with HIV have led the charge. The advocates hail from over 35 states and Puerto Rico and mirror the epidemic in terms of race, region, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Most importantly, however, is that a vast majority of AIDSWatch advocates are living with HIV themselves.

A two-day event, AIDSWatch brings over 600 grassroots advocates to Washington, D.C. and provides skills- and knowledge-building training on a variety of topics from experts in the fields. Strengthened with this advocacy preparation, AIDSWatch participants then arrive on Capitol Hill en masse and spend their second day in the District educating Congressional staff on the issues most important to people living with HIV. After AIDSWatch, advocates are encouraged and supported in their efforts to engage lawmakers in their local communities in order to expand the reach of AIDSWatch long beyond two days in D.C.

AIDSWatch and its organizers are committed to lifting the voices of those most impacted by HIV epidemic in the United States. The 2018 elections present an opportunity for the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities to impact the national political landscape by holding their local elected officials accountable, supporting voter engagement efforts, or by becoming elected officials themselves. This ability to affect political change, and the training and support to do so, are a central theme of AIDSWatch 2018.

Interested in joining us? Today is your last day to register for only $35 before the price increases. Click here to get started, and we’ll see you in D.C. soon!