History

Efforts to shape and influence public policy have long been a part of the mission of AIDS Project Los Angeles.

In May 1983, APLA sponsored a candlelight march at the Federal Building in Westwood that drew a large crowd of more than 5,000 people. The march was a turning point for community involvement in the struggle against AIDS.

From its earliest years, APLA took an aggressive and far-sighted approach to public policy, recognizing that advocacy at all governmental levels is vital to protecting the rights of people impacted by AIDS and to increasing funds for care and research. In August 1985, APLA coordinated testimony before the Los Angeles City Council on discrimination against people with AIDS, and Los Angeles became the first city in the nation to bar such discrimination.

When the need for a stronger voice on AIDS issues at the national level became clear, APLA helped to support a number of new national organizations. APLA also played a leadership role in the creation of the Washington-based AIDS lobby now known as the AIDS Action Council, and remains one of the staunchest supporters of that organization.

In 1986, APLA established a Government Affairs Department. Its goals were to increase state and local resources for AIDS prevention, education and care, as well as to promote fair and humane AIDS legislation. More than 20 years later, the Government Affairs Division continues to face the challenge of influencing legislators and policymakers and mobilizing grassroots networks.

Today, AIDS Project Los Angeles is a leader among national, state and local organizations working to advocate for fair and effective HIV/AIDS-related public policy. APLA policy staff advocate on behalf of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, working with legislators, nonprofit agencies, clients and grassroots activists to addresses critical issues that impact the HIV/AIDS community at the global, national, state and local levels.

Recently, APLA's efforts have expanded to include policy work at the global level, working with partner organizations in Washington, D.C. to shape the reauthorization of PEPFAR — the highly successful President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. APLA has worked with other organizations to assure that the new bill includes provisions to address the needs of men who have sex with men (MSM) in PEPFAR countries. The current bill, which expires in September 2008, did not specifically address MSM in the first five years of program implementation.

From organizing L.A.'s first AIDS march to serving as the Secretariat for the Global Forum on Men who have Sex with Men and HIV/AIDS, APLA has a 25-year history of advocating for high-quality care, treatment and prevention services for people with HIV/AIDS and for those at risk for HIV/AIDS.

If you have questions about APLA, becoming a client or about any of the services we offer, call us at 213.201.1600 during normal business hours or send an e-mail. We are happy to help.

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