Register Now: Iris House Hosts '11th Annual Women as the Face of AIDS Summit'

Free registration is now open for The 11th Annual Women as the Face of AIDS Summit, to be held on May 2, from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Bethel Gospel Assembly in New York City.

The Eleventh Annual Women as the Face of AIDS Summit will provide educational and networking opportunities for people living with HIV/AIDS, providers and professionals working in AIDS service organizations, community-based organizations and medical facilities.� Registration is open to all, regardless of HIV status or gender.�

The 2016 Summit's theme is "The Race to the End," and we are very excited about this year's theme and the opportunities it will present to examine how racial disparities, the social determinants of health, and a culturally competent approach are critical to our work, our world, and our efforts to End the Epidemic by 2020 in New York State.

We don't often talk specifically about race when thinking about HIV prevention, treatment and viral suppression. This Summit will allow us the opportunity to have open dialogues about how addressing race, specifically and contextually, will help us in our "Race" to End the Epidemic.

In this world where #BlackLivesMatter and our political climate is one in which multiple populations are being singled out for their immigration status, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or gender presentation, there is so much more that every one of us can do: for ourselves, our families, our environments, in our communities to help ensure that the barriers of racism and cultural discrimination are acknowledged and lowered, if not completely decimated, as we race to end the HIV and AIDS epidemic.

We are very excited this year to have a session on the Intersection of HIV, Poverty and Race with presentations by Maurice A. Lacey, M.S.W., M.S.ED, CASAC from the People's Institute and Latoya Small, L.M.S.W., Ph.D. and Jayson K. Jones, L.M.S.W. from NYU's McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research. A presenter to be announced will update attendees with current thoughts and trends on Women, Girls and HIV. To see the full daylong program, click here.

Nearly twenty sessions encompassing a broad range of topics on HIV, Race and other factors will be presented throughout the day. Featured sessions will include information on Hispanic women, trans populations, PrEP, and mental illness. To see the full list of breakout sessions, click here.

We are very excited this year to be honoring two very special women at our annual Summit luncheon: Ana L. Oliveira, President and CEO of the New York Women's Foundation and Susan Rodriguez, Executive Director of SMART University. Read their bios here Iris House has produced ten Women as the Face of AIDS Summits over the last decade.�Thousands of consumers, health care professionals, non-profit staff members, academics and policy workers have joined us to present, to listen, to learn and to share ideas on how to improve the lives of women and men living with HIV. �In some years, we've had specific themes, but the focus is always on women, girls and HIV. Every year our program gets stronger and addresses the broadest possible range of topics.

In addition, on May 21 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., there will be a Community Health Fair on the plaza at the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building, 125th and 7th Avenue in Central Harlem, New York City.