liz@ai.mit.edu (Liz A. Highleyman) (04/18/91)
Several of us in ACT UP/Boston are currently working with the planners of the VIII International AIDS Conference, to be held at Harvard Univ. in June 1992. As usual, the planners seem to be leaving out some of the people most affected by HIV/AIDS, and we are trying to push for more inclusivity and access. Currently, the planners are proposing people for the abstract review committees. There will be 4 tracks: A - Basic Science, B - Clinical, C - Epidemiology, and D - Social Issues. We would like to see PWAs, people of color, women, and community activists on all track committees (not shunted solely into Social Issues). We are interested in getting the names of people who would be interested in helping to plan the conference, whether by sitting on a track committee or helping in some other way. As mentioned above, we are especially looking for PWAs/PWHIV, people of color, and women, as these groups are currently very much underrepresented. There are two divisions of planning: the Local Organizing Committee, for Boston area people, and the International Planning Committee, for others. If you are interested, please contact ACT UP/Boston via Will Murphy (617-541-0511 or 617-522-2325) or call 617-49-ACTUP, or contact me via e-mail. -Liz Highleyman ACT UP/Boston liz@ai.mit.edu
cycy@isl1.ri.cmu.edu (Cowboy) (04/18/91)
In article <1991Apr17.195435.19739@cs.ucla.edu>, liz@ai.mit.edu (Liz A. Highleyman) writes: > Several of us in ACT UP/Boston are currently working with the planners > of the VIII International AIDS Conference, to be held at Harvard Univ. > in June 1992. As usual, the planners seem to be leaving out some of > the people most affected by HIV/AIDS, and we are trying to push for more > inclusivity and access. > > Currently, the planners are proposing people for the abstract review > committees. There will be 4 tracks: A - Basic Science, B - Clinical, > C - Epidemiology, and D - Social Issues. We would like to see PWAs, > people of color, women, and community activists on all track committees > (not shunted solely into Social Issues). I have a question. While I think it is great you are helping with the planning committee and all, I don't quite understand why specifically these groups you pointed out need to be represented in the first 3 tracks. I suppose the Clinical track might make sense if you considered contextual issues in clinical work on AIDS. However, I don't follow it for Basic Science and Epidemiology. Perhaps these tracks aren't quite what I think they are. I perceive these to be highly technical discussions in the scientific vein. Unless one is involved in the actual scientific work as a researcher, I don't know why one should participate such tracks (though clearly a non-technical summary would be a good thing). Could you (or somebody) please explain? (Also, as a so-called "person of colour", I would really prefer if you used the term ethnic minority or racial minority or something like that. I really dislike the term "people of colour". If you want to discuss it, send mail. I just wanted to make an aside since if noone says it, noone ever knows.) Thanks, -- -- Chris. (cycy@isl1.ri.cmu.edu) "People make me pro-nuclear." -- Margarette Smith