Organizing Spotlight:

LaTrischa Miles on Changing Missouri’s HIV Criminalization Laws

Missouri recently modernized the state’s HIV exposure laws–an effort that took over 10 years on the part of local advocates, legislators and other stakeholders. PWN Board Co-Chair LaTrischa Miles began her organizing efforts to reform Missouri’s HIV criminalization laws in 2011.

Q. You began organizing to repeal or modernize Missouri HIV laws in 2011 when you learned that people living with HIV could face prison time. As a woman with HIV, how did you make the decision to be a public figure in the HIV movement during such misunderstanding about HIV? Tell us about your experience educating law enforcement in the early days of your organizing?

A. Change happens when people call out injustices, violations of the basic rights of others. These laws were violating people’s fundamental rights. It was extremely difficult educating law enforcement about HIV transmission. We gained headway with prosecutors who now understand how unjust these laws were to people living with HIV. Some prosecutors testified that their hands were tied in enforcing the laws because they did not recognize the science behind HIV.

With regard to the police and other members of law enforcement, it remains a challenge educating them that saliva, urine, nor feces–though no one wants these bodily secretions thrown at them–actually transmit HIV. Our bill champion Rep. Phil Christofanelli spoke to them at length one-on-one and gave assurances that modernizing the law didn’t change their position.

So today, we still have this sentence enhancement as far as law enforcement is concerned, but science is also recognized in the modernization of Missouri’s HIV law.

Read the full story here!

Webinars You Won’t Want to Miss

Community Conversations – Storytelling Your Advocacy Love Letter

Monday, August 9 at 6 pm ET/ 5 pm CT/ 3 pm PT

The US PLHIV Caucus in partnership with AIDS United has been supporting organizations serving people living with HIV as they work to develop leadership opportunities and demand meaningful involvement of people living with HIV.

Many of us in HIV advocacy are asked to share our stories and experiences on deeply personal topics. Oftentimes, we relive traumatic experiences with no outlet for the emotions we experience as we share our most intimate moments.

Have you ever wondered how you can prepare to tell your story? How can you tell your story for the greatest impact? Do you want to share your story but learn ways to navigate through trauma? Do you want to tailor your personal story to highlight policy needs or funding priorities?

If so, this community conversation is for you !!!

Please join our conversation on August 9th from 6 pm to 7:30 pm ET. You can register at bit.ly/TELL-YOUR-STORY where you can access our conversation in English and Spanish, or you can watch from the HIV Caucus Facebook page.

Facilitator

Tiommi Luckett is the PWN communications and training assistant.

Panelists

Julio Fonseca is the senior program manager at AIDS United and has led storytelling workshops for AIDSWatch participants
Asha Molock is a PWN member, author, and documentarian in Philadelphia.
Renae Taylor is a nonbinary trans Black organizer in Memphis.

Nothing About Us Without Us –
True Meaningful Involvement

Aug. 25, 7 pm ET/ 6 pm CT/ 5 pm MT/ 4 pm PT

Meaningful involvement of people living in organizations, programs or groups with HIV is a cornerstone of HIV advocacy.

How do we ensure our community is prepared to demand involvement and expect partnerships? To achieve meaningful involvement, we must be prepared to demand it!

We do this by ensuring that PWN members, especially our chapter co-chairs, state leads and other leaders have a clear understanding of the history of meaningful involvement, how it developed, and how it demands engagement in any decision that impacts our lives. Specifically, we are including community advisory or planning groups, our chapters, and all federal and state legislative advocacy.

New Resources from PWN

PWN’s New Factsheet Will Get You on Your Way to Engaging in Federal Administrative Advocacy!

The executive branch of the federal government can often be a confusing space for both new and experienced advocates. Both the ways to participate in the regulatory process and the agencies making decisions about the lives of people living with HIV are complicated, making the process hard to navigate.

This factsheet provides a primer on what the executive branch and administrative agencies do, what the main agencies and policies affecting the lives of people living with HIV are, and what steps advocates can take to influence executive agency decision making.

Check out the new factsheet here!

Rooted & Rising: PWN’s 2019-2020 Impact Report

In 2019 and 2020, PWN moved beyond advocacy to support the urgent and emergent social, physical, and financial needs of our members and communities. We deepened and elevated our commitment to racial justice and trans liberation.

At the same time, we prioritized building long-term power in communities of women and trans people most impacted by the HIV epidemic. We nurtured and supported leadership development among women and trans people living with HIV; built powerful, ongoing integrated voter engagement campaigns in Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Texas; and advanced policy solutions grounded in the lived experience of our members and communities.

Check out our 2019-2020 Impact Report here!

August 2, 2021