Over the past six months, AHF activists have been working diligently to keep HIV and AIDS at the forefront of the presidential candidates’ agendas.
There’s a dangerous attitude creeping into the American zeitgeist: HIV and AIDS are a thing of the past. This new attitude is one of malaise. HIV is seen as some faraway problem that effects people overseas. In today’s political landscape, there hardly seems room to remind the nation that HIV and AIDS haven’t gone anywhere.
When HIV stigma is rampant and American citizens are being diagnosed at epidemic levels, it is irresponsible and lethal to perpetuate a laissez-faire attitude about this disease.
That’s why AHF is working tirelessly to make sure that presidential candidates commit to action on HIV and AIDS. We’re also urging candidates to commit to action on the homelessness and housing affordability crisis and signing Medicare for All into law. Negative health outcomes have been directly linked to homelessness and those who can’t access quality care. As an organization, we’re committed to addressing barriers to care at every level and are asking presidential candidates to do the same.
The image of our mobilizer, David Alexander, and Senator Cory Booker is an exceptional example of our efforts to hold presidential candidates accountable. Candidates like Cory Booker need to assure the public that their connections to powerful pharmaceutical lobbyists will not sway their political agendas. We need candidates who will commit to fighting for those in need without letting campaign contributions and backroom deals cloud their judgment.
So far, AHF has met with 14 presidential candidates for the Democratic nomination, including Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, and Julián Castro. Click here to see the entire album of AHF mobilizers fighting for action on issues that matter.