The PJM Rally & March Demands Unity & National AIDS Strategy at HIV Prevention Conference

Showing the “missing pieces” of HIV prevention puzzle in the United States, more than three hundred people poured into the downtown Atlanta streets for the PJM Unity Rally and March in Atlanta, GA, on Tuesday, December 4th, where the National HIV Prevention Conference (NHPC) ended on Wednesday. People from across different communities marched to demonstrate unity for a comprehensive HIV prevention in the US, not to be divided by community or issue.

In order to draw conference attendees from the hotel to the opening rally two blocks away at Hardy Ivy Park, a group of carolers sang an HIV prevention song to the tune of “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Other PJM folks were in the lobby, decorating marchers with the PJM sash—a white satin cloth with the red PJM Unity logo. Helping to sash people in the hotel was Miss Rhode Island 2007 Ashley Bickford, who was attending the conference as someone interested in HIV/AIDS issues.

The spirited marchers burst from the Hyatt onto Peachtree Street, blowing whistles and chanting, and made their way to Hardy Ivy Park to meet the crowd already assembled. The March MC Waheedah Shabbazz-el took the bullhorn and hyped the crowd to a frenzy, reminding the crowd, “HIV is more than a disease, It’s positive proof of injustice!” The marchers grabbed signs and flashlights from organizers and marshals, and the rally was in full swing.

Following Waheedah was CHAMP executive director Julie Davids, who spoke to CHAMP’s role in developing the PJM, and the reason for it. Sister Love founder and Atlanta resident Dazon Dixon Diallo, David Munar of AIDS Foundation of Chicago, followed with more messages of prevention justice. Dr. David Holtgrave of the Blomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins made an appearance, but didn’t speak, per se. He’d lost his voice and wrote his very brief statements which he held up, and Julie read aloud.

Helping to sufficiently amp-up the crowd, Atlanta Seditious Orchestra provided the marching band for the crowd to launch itself down Peachtree street, in the heart of downtown Atlanta during rush hour. As the band played and the march shouted chants, we were met with some honking horns and applause from bystanders.

As we winded our way into Woodruff Park, dusk was just beginning to settle for the second half of our rally. Waheedah once again guided the audience to chant, as the group holding the pieces of the puzzle together under the gazebo which served as our stage, and the crowd took their flashlights to illuminate each one, representing a full HIV prevention plan.

But the highlight of the event was the singing of Julie Davids’ brilliant HIV/AIDS Carol! Imagine the 12 rounds of the song in a gazebo with 300 people all holding flashlights, surrounded by holiday lighting on all the trees!

“In the AIDS epidemic, the gov’ment gave to me--NO NATIONAL PLAN, anti-gay bias, a decade of flat funding, a fast track to prison, no decent housing, roadblocks to treatment, silver virginity rings, censorship of science, discrimination, misinformation and a country full of H.I.V.”

Our rally was then closed out by several powerful and dynamic speakers including Jeff Graham of the Georgia Prevention Justice Alliance, Craig Washington of Positive Impact, Cheryl Courtney-Evans of TILT/Aniz, Inc., Greg Bautista of AIDGwinnett, Waheedah Shabazz-el and poet Cynthia Washington of AIDS Services Austin.

The PJM Unity rally and March was, by all accounts, and astounding success. View photos from the march & rally, and other PJM events on Flickr.