Los Angeles -- On Saturday, March 11, 2000, AIDS Project Los Angeles will present Activate! U.: Educating, Training & Activating You, the annual grassroots skills building workshop where advocates learn everything they need to know to interact effectively with government in the policy-making process.
The workshop, which will be held at APLA, 1313 N. Vine Street, from 8:00 am to 5:00 PM and costs $20 per person, includes breakfast, lunch and a manual. No one will be turned away for inability to pay. For information on registration, call Rick Louis at (323) 993-1378 or e-mail at: rlouis@apla.org.
Participants will learn about the legislative process, as well as key policy issues relating to HIV and AIDS. Sessions will cover how a bill becomes a law, how to advocate before elected officials and other policymakers, and a variety of other skills vital to building coalitions and collective strategies, developing action networks and communicating for positive change at all levels of government. Activate! U. has trained over 2,000 advocates throughout the nation through fun, interactive workshops.
"Grassroots organizing is a powerful tool in establishing sound HIV/AIDS policy in this country," said Herb K. Schultz, APLA’s Director of Government Affairs. "This workshop will teach people the skills to impact public policy and make a difference in their community." Many attendees will put these skills to work during AIDS Lobby Day in Sacramento (April 3), AIDSWatch in Washington, DC (March 25-28) and in ongoing meetings with elected officials in their district offices.
In addition to skills-building sessions, this year’s workshop will focus on issues relating to reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act. It is essential that the CARE Act, which expires on September 30, be reauthorized this year.
AIDS Project Los Angeles, a non-profit community-based organization, provides direct services to more than 8,000 men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County. Services include a food bank, professional dental care, housing assistance, child care, transportation, mental health counseling, case management, home health care and Adult and Child Buddy support. APLA also provides extensive treatment and prevention education and advocacy on local, state and federal AIDS-related legislation and regulation.
MEDIA CONTACT: Nicole Russo-Okamoto (323) 993-1363