As the president and CEO of AIDS United, Carl Baloney Jr. knows that the fight against the HIV epidemic is about more than just science. His national organization wields the power of advocacy and community investment to fight the epidemic by addressing disparities in job attainment, housing, and access to care.
“The progress we have made against HIV proves what is possible when we invest in science, health care, and community. But progress is not the same as access, and no breakthrough matters if people cannot afford it or reach it,” he asserts. “As a Black gay man and a father, I want us to move beyond fighting for a place at the table and build a world where the next generation has the freedom, resources, and opportunity to live fully and authentically.”
In an era when public funds to fight HIV and bolster society’s safety net have been slashed, Baloney has his work cut out for him. But he reminds himself that “the HIV movement has always adapted and organized in the face of adversity.” And he credits his upbringing as a Black gay person in the South with allowing him to “recognize the doors that were opened for me, and then work to open them wider for others.” @aidsunited
