Held every two years, the International AIDS Conference (IAC) is the largest regularly-scheduled event addressing HIV and AIDS, providing extensive opportunities for sharing and networking across all levels of care and response to the epidemic. This year’s conference is held in Melbourne, Australia, from the 20th to 25th of July 2014. The theme of the conference is “Stepping up the Pace”.
The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) held an Interfaith Pre-conference from July 18-19, 2014 with the complementary theme: “Stepping up in Faith.” The pre-conference is designed to engage faith-based participants of the IAC in networking, skills building and exploration of challenges posed to the faith community by the HIV pandemic. The main sub-themes for the pre-conference are “Health, Dignity and Justice,” grounded in a faith context. The IAC will also offer a faith track comprised of workshops and sessions, some of which will be hosted at the EAA’s “Faith Networking Zone” in the Global Village.
Both events provide opportunities for the engagement of young adults. It is well known that young people ages 15-25 years old make up half of all new HIV infections. Understanding this to be a great learning and advocacy opportunity for young people, the IAC significantly reduces the registration fee for students and persons under the age of 26, urging the participation of young adults. At previous IACs young people have come together and formed their own caucuses, presented working papers, and met with leaders to advocate for policies that address their needs. Therefore, the International AIDS Conference has become an excellent avenue for the ELCA and the LWF to engage young adults and offer leadership opportunities in the fight against AIDS. The ELCA has been committed to the sponsorship of young adults to attend the IAC and related interfaith events and continues that commitment at AIDS2014. This exposure has enabled young adults to be a part of the global ecumenical movement touching not only people in their local communities but peoples of the world.
Furthermore, young adult participation at AIDS 2014 is a component of a larger vision within the ELCA to create a critical mass of social justice minded young people across a multitude of issues including HIV and AIDS. ELCA Young Adult Ministries in conjunction with World Hunger, Congregational and Synodical Mission, Young Adults in Global Mission (YAGM), Peace Not Walls Campaign, and others are working together to mold a collaborative way of lifting up and supporting young adults across units in areas of justice ministries. The International AIDS Conference, United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Peace Not Walls Young Adult Leadership Training in the Holy Land, and YAGM are all elements of the ELCA Young Adult Cohort designed to create platforms that allow young people to engage issues and create plans for advocacy and awareness in their local contexts. Young adults are a cross cutting commitment in the operational plan of the Churchwide organization and these collaborations strengthen this commitment.
So, without further ado, meet the ELCA young adults and staff present at AIDS2014 and follow our time together here and on social media via @ELCAAdvocacy, @ELCAYoungAdults, #ELCAAIDS2014, #faithAIDS2014 and #AIDS2014.
- Ulysses Burley. Ulysses is a clinical research associate at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a member of the Campaign for the ELCA Steering Committee. He was present at the development of the ELCA Young Adults Cohort at the UNCSW and will offer leadership to this event on behalf of that program.
- Richard Adkins. Richard was born and raised in Washington D.C. and recently graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor degree in accounting. He is deeply involved with HIV/AIDS through Children National Medical Center where he sits on their community advisory board. He also volunteers with Youth Haven, a program of LSS of the National Capital Area.
- Rachel Hunstad. Born in Fargo, but raised in Minneapolis, Rachel is a graduate in nursing at Concordia College in Moorhead. She has worked as a registered nurse in Fargo and served as a YAGM in South Africa, working with HIV/AIDS in her placement there.
- Elishua Greenwood. Recommended by Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, Elishua is one of the young adults from Lutheran Grace, and the youngest member of the delegation at the age of 18. Elishua says, “Often times it is the young people who are most reluctant to get treated or even tested for HIV. Having youth at the forefront of this fight may slow down the rate of infection because young people listen to young people.”
ELCA Staff include:
- Ms. Stephanie Berkas. Stephanie is the manager for the ELCA YAGM program. She will be offering leadership of the cohort experience, along with Ulysses and has experience-related to HIV/AIDS from her time as a YAGM in South Africa.
- Ms. Christine Mangale. Christine is the program coordinator at the Lutheran Office for World Community (LOWC) at the United Nations in New York—an office shared by the LWF and the ELCA. She is originally from Kenya where she worked with the youth program of KELC and is on staff with ELCA GM. She is featured in the Campaign for the ELCA video.
- Dr. Rebecca Duerst. Rebecca is program director for health care in ELCA GM. She is also a member of the group developing the next round of UN Sustainable Development Goals on behalf of civil society groups.
- The Rev. Dr. Chandran Paul Martin. Chandran is the consulting regional rep for south/south Asia in ELCA Global Mission. He has also formerly worked in leadership with the LWF.
“God’s work. Our hands.”
ELCA Young Adult Cohort AIDS2014 