Action Alert 12/4/2013: Call Your Legislators to Demand they Fight Against PEPFAR Budget Cuts
The President's Budget is in, and it isn't great for PEPFAR. While the President suggested funding for the Global Fund at $1.65 B (which we applaud), he suggested a drastic funding cut to PEPFAR. At the beginning of next week (April 15th) members of Congress and Senators will be submitting their funding "wish lists" to the Appropriations Committee - lets get them to include funding for PEPFAR at the needed level.
Call your Congress and Senate representatives today! You can find the phone numbers for your representatives here and the phone numbers for your senators here.
Use the following script as a guide:
"Hello, my name is ___________ from ____________ and I'm calling to ask that Representative/Senator _________ submit a request in response to the President's budget demanding increased funding for domestic and global HIV/AIDS programs. While the President's request of $1.65 Billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria is commendable, his request for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is severely deficient. PEPFAR must be funded at a level of at least $4.58 billion to continue our current investment in ending the AIDS pandemic.
Fighting HIV/AIDS is a fully bipartisan issue; at a time when we have the tools and expert consensus to foresee an end to the HIV/AIDS epidemic due to scientific breakthroughs, America cannot afford to go back on it's pledge to realize an AIDS-free generation. Scaling back on our cost-effective programs will cost thousands of lives, weaken global economic development, and threaten our national security. A decade of critical investement and American leadership cannot fail now after significant evidence-based progress. We ask that Senator/Representative ____________ include in their funding wishlist a commitment to fully funding these life-saving programs."
Email Amirah to let us know about the calls you make!
SGAC Spring Breakers Take over Capitol Hill #sgacSB13
Students from City College NY, Columbia, Harvard, Iowa State, and Yale University came to Washington, DC this spring break to fight for an end to AIDS. The students traded in swimsuits and tequila for suits and ties, and took to the hill to get their legislators to support full funding for Global AIDS Programs, the Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street to end AIDS, and lifting the federal ban on syringe exchange funding.
On Thursday, March 21st, the group took over Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office with a Spring Break beach party. Their message: "AIDS Doesn't Take Spring Break, Neither Can It's Funding". The students sung staffers their rendition of the hit song, "Call Me, Maybe", entitled "Fund AIDS, Harry!", and agreed to leave peacefully after securing a meeting with Reid's office.
Check out photos from Spring Break on our facebook page.
SGAC needs your support to continue the lifesaving advocacy work that took place this Spring Break,donate today to ensure we can continue our work to end the AIDS pandemic!.
Harvard SGAC Meets Eric Cantor: The Sequel
On March 11th, students from the Harvard SGAC chapter protested Eric Cantor due to his inaction on funding Global AIDS programs, and lifting the federal ban on syringe exchange funding. This is the second time that Harvard SGAC has met with Eric Cantor - the first took place in February 2011, when nearly 200 SGAC students from the northeast met up at Harvard to protest Eric Cantor's proposed cuts to global health funding.
Check out the coverage of the action in the Harvard Crimson: here.
SGAC House Party Fundraiser
The fundraiser party was amazing! Thank you to everyone who was able to attend and support our work.
Couldn't make the party? Celebrate the next generation of AIDS activism any time with a donation to SGAC here.
THE 2013 SGAC NATIONAL CONFERENCE WAS AMAZING!
Check out highlights from the 2013 SGAC National Conference! We will be adding all the conference materials and even a few videos of sessions for those who weren't able to join us. You can also look at our twitter feed to get a feel for how the weekend went (hint: lots of learning and TONS of fun)!
We can't wait to keep organizing and win our campaign this semester!
How to Survive A Plague Soundtrack Available Now!
Have you seen the award-winning documentary How To Survive A Plague yet? If you have, then you know that the soundtrack is great - and it just got even better! All proceeds from the sales of the soundtrack will be donated to the Student Global AIDS Campaign!
The soundtrack is now available for purchase on iTunes - for less than $10 you can buy fantastic music, and donate to support the lifesaving advocacy work of the Student Global AIDS Campaign. The score by brooklyn-based Superhuman Happiness features members of Antibalas, TV On The Radio, Iron and Wine, and The Phenomenal Handclap Band.
You can purchase the soundtrack here.
If you haven't seen How To Survive A Plague yet, or if you have and you'd like to set up a screening in your community or on your college campus, please email Amirah to schedule a screening. The film recently received the Gotham Award for Best Documentary of the Year, the New York Film Critic's Award for Best First Film, and has been shortlisted for an Academy Award. More than that, it tells the incredible story of ACT UP and the Treatment Action Group's fight for AIDS treatment in the 1980's and 1990's. The film is a wonderful tool to inspire new activists to get involved in the AIDS movement.
If you'd like to further support SGAC and the wonderful work of our student and youth activists, please donate here.
World AIDS Week 2012 is Almost Here!
SGAC chapters across the country are preparing for a week of action surrounding World AIDS Day 2012 (December 1st). We will be advocating against budget cuts to life-saving AIDS programs.
Do you need ideas for World AIDS Day events and actions to plan at your school? Want to learn how to most effectively advocate to your legislators? Check our our World AIDS Week 2012 Campaign Kit! We got together with the AIDS Advocacy Network of the American Medical Students Association, to put together this comprehensive guide to help you change history this World AIDS Day.
If you have any questions, or would like ideas or support for your advocacy efforts, email our National Coordinator, Amirah.
SGAC at the International AIDS Conference
SGACers had a busy week of activism and lobby meetings while in Washington, D.C. for the International AIDS Conference 2012! Check out our activism schedules to get an idea of all the events that SGAC helped to make possible. In particular, the We Can End AIDS March had tons of youth participation. Thank you, everyone, for showing the world that Youth Can End AIDS!
Also, there are tons of photos up on facebook. Be sure to check out our photo album!
