Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative

Harnessing the Strength of National Organizations to Reach the Communities Hardest Hit by HIV

The Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative (AAALI) is a $16 million, six-year partnership between CDC and leading national organizations representing the populations hardest hit by HIV.

CDC launched AAALI as part of its Act Against AIDS communication campaign in 2009. The initiative initially brought together some of the nation’s foremost African American organizations to intensify HIV prevention efforts in black communities. In 2010, CDC expanded AAALI to also include organizations that focus specifically on men who have sex with men (MSM), and the Latino community.

HIV takes the greatest toll among African Americans, Latinos and MSM of all races. The rate of new infections among blacks is seven times the rate among whites. Among Hispanics, the rate of new HIV infections is three times as high as that among whites. And according to a recent CDC analysis, the HIV diagnosis rate among MSM is 44 times that of other men.

AAALI partner organizations were chosen based on their demonstrated national reach, credibility and influence, as well as their ability to effectively reach these impacted communities through their existing communication channels and mobilization activities. The effort brings together a wide range of organizations, including civic, social, civil rights and professional organizations, as well as those in government, education and media.

While many AAALI partners have longstanding commitments to fighting HIV in their communities, the initiative provides the critical funding needed to allow each group to make HIV prevention a core component of its day-to-day activities. Each organization uses AAALI funds to support an HIV coordinator who works through the organization’s membership networks to disseminate Act Against AIDS campaign materials and HIV prevention services.

AAALI partners conduct a wide range of communication, mobilization and outreach activities. Examples include:

Holding education and training sessions on HIV prevention at national and regional membership conventions
Integrating Act Against AIDS and other HIV prevention messages into community forums
Prominently placing Act Against AIDS and other HIV prevention public service announcements (PSAs) and news stories in broadcast and print outlets throughout the nation
Working with celebrities to produce PSAs about HIV prevention
Training and funding local chapters to implement community-based HIV awareness campaigns
Working to educate national, state and local policymakers and community leaders about the role of HIV prevention in advancing the well-being of African Americans, Latinos and gay and bisexual men of all races
Extending Act Against AIDS campaign messages through organization publications, Web sites and public appearances

Accomplishments in the First Year of AAALI

Since the launch of AAALI in April 2009, AAALI partner organizations have coordinated more than 1,400 outreach events attended by more than 200,000 people, engaged nearly 400 local affiliates across the country in HIV prevention activities, and reached millions more with critical HIV prevention messages through conferences, advertisements and media stories. In addition, AAALI has generated approximately 170 million media impressions. Examples of accomplishments by AAALI organizations include:

A nationwide health and HIV education tour reaching 60,000 people in 25 cities across the country
A Physician Tool Kit providing information on HIV testing and risk-reduction counseling to more than 2,000 African American doctors
A nationwide “Summit Tour” to build HIV awareness in African American communities
Placement of an Act Against AIDS PSA in Times Square, reaching more than 1 million people in New York City
A series of articles and YouTube videos featuring African American leaders in the fight against HIV
Community town halls and forums led by congressional and local leaders in New York, South Carolina and Washington, DC
A series of radio inter views with key public health leaders on the importance of HIV testing, reaching more than 43,575,000 listeners.
Radio PSAs on HIV prevention featuring celebrities like Angela Bassett, Laila Ali and Jamie Foxx

Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative Partner Organizations

100 Black Men of America, a national alliance of leading African American men of business, industry, public affairs and government whose mission is to improve the quality of life for African Americans, particularly African American youth
American Urban Radio Networks, the nation’s only African American owned network radio company, which broadcasts programming to more then 300 radio stations nationwide
Aspira Association, the only national Hispanic organization dedicated exclusively to developing the educational and leadership capacity of Hispanic youth
Black Men’s Xchange-National, the oldest and largest community-based movement to promote healthy self-concept and behavior, cultural affirmation and critical consciousness among same gender loving, gay-indentifying and bisexual men of African descent, and allies
Black Women’s Health Imperative, the only organization devoted solely to advancing the health and wellness of African American women and girls
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, a nonpartisan, nonprofit, public policy, research and education institute to help improve the socio-economic circumstances of African Americans and other underserved communities
Farmworker Justice, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering Hispanic and other migrant and seasonal farmworkers to improve their living and working conditions, immigration status, health, occupational safety and access to the justice system
International Federation of Black Prides, a coalition of black pride organizers promoting a multinational network of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) and community-based organizations
National Action Network, a leading civil rights organization devoted to the fight for civil rights, social justice and justice for all people regardless of gender, race, religion or national origin
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization with more than half a million members and supporters nationwide
National Council of Negro Women, a national membership organization connecting nearly 4 million women worldwide to lead, develop and advocate for women of African descent around issues of human welfare and rights through public education, community service and advocacy
National Hispanic Council on Aging, a constituency-based organization dedicated exclusively to the welfare of Hispanic older adults, their families and their caregivers
National Medical Association, the largest and oldest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients in the United States
National Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation, a 69-year-old federation of more than 200 black community newspapers from across the United States
National Organization of Black County Officials, a coalition of black elected and appointed officials within county government focusing on economic and community development
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, an organization with over 3,000 members that aims to administer justice equally and eliminate racism and bias within law enforcement
National Urban League, the nation’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, an international, nonprofit community service organization with over 500 chapters comprised primarily of African American women providing public service, leadership development and education
Southern Christian Leadership Foundation, one of the oldest and most influential civil rights organizations in the United States