Eight caravans of family with HIV and their allies traveled cross-country to Washington.

Eight caravans of family with HIV and their allies traveled cross-country to Washington, DC for the Campaign to expiration AIDS' (C2EA) four days of action November 5 to 8 Organizers say about 500 clan made the journey, including 50 who walked from modern York City, and thousands attended facts organized by C2EA and local communities along the way. Charles King, CEO of the novel York City-based AIDS organization Housing Works, says the goal was to build a national manner of moving with strength in small towns and through every part of the country, including the southern and the Midwest as well as the coasts. "We ne to harness the might we've built for the last 11 month and solidify it at the even of states and territories," he says. "The nearest step is state-wide coalitions in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, DC"

The four days of action kicked against with a march through DC's Anacostia neighborhood, instead of the protest-as-usual option of taking it to the Mall or another landmark, ignoring the local reality of America's highest HIV rate. African-American residents welcomed the protester who were mainly people of color themselves, and asked for information. "This demonstrates the hard work of grassroots organizing at its best--which has been cast aside," said Scan Strub institutor of POZ magazine, at the march. He emphasized the lack of support from major AIDS institutions, many of which have scarcely any HIV positive board members. "People with HIV have to be at the table at all levels" he said.

King says C2EA is generally revamping its steering committee, which will be made up of representatives from statewide coalitions. "Each state and territory has to go on foot through an organizing process and cast over a C2EA web page, and democratically choice a representative to the steering committee," he says. "We'll be deciding in the nearest couple of weeks what the nearest big action will be--but we do know it will be based in the states and territories." Members of C2EA's youth caucus have propos organizing a national youth caravan nearest summer.

To be joined with C2EA organizers near you, visit http://www.CampaigntoEndAIDS.org or call 877-EndAIDS (1-877-363-2437)

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