White House Hosts Summit on HIV in Hispanic/Latino Communities

Last month, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) convened the ¡Adelante! Summit: A White House Convening to Accelerate Our Nation's HIV Response in Hispanic/Latino Communities, bringing together hundreds of in-person and virtual participants to foster multidisciplinary collaboration, coordination, and commitment to strengthen multi-sector efforts addressing the HIV epidemic in Hispanic/Latino communities. Miguel Gomez, Director of HIV.gov, spoke with Francisco Ruiz, Director of ONAP and host of the summit, at the conclusion of the September 24 event. View their conversation below:

The Summit comes at a pivotal moment. While Hispanic/Latino people make up approximately 19% of the U.S. population, they accounted for nearly one in three (32%) of all new HIV diagnoses in 2022. Notably, Hispanic/Latino gay men – designated a priority population in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy – now represent the highest number of new HIV cases in the country, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Other CDC reports reveal suboptimal rates of knowledge of HIV status, linkage to HIV care, and viral suppression, as well as high rates of HIV stigma among Hispanic/Latino people.

Summit participants included leaders of community-based organizations, healthcare professionals, members of civic and social organizations, representatives from the private sector, and individuals with lived experience from communities across the nation.

The Summit reaffirmed the Administration’s ongoing work to advance the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and its commitment to strengthening the response to HIV in Hispanic/Latino communities. White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee provided remarks during the event. Secretary Becerra announced the launch of CDC's new PrEPared/PrEParado campaign which seeks to increase demand for PrEP among Latino and African American gay and bisexual men while also encouraging healthcare providers to actively increase PrEP prescriptions. Representatives from CDC, HRSA, NIH, SAMHSA, and the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Education, and Agriculture also joined the convening.

The meeting was moderated by Octavio Pulido, National News Anchor/Correspondent for Noticias Telemundo, and featured a presentation about the latest data on HIV among Hispanic/Latino people from CDC’s Dr. Angela Hernandez. Additional discussion, analysis, and opportunities to improve HIV outcomes in Hispanic/Latino communities were provided by Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos of Johns Hopkins University. Rounding out the presentations, a panel of leaders at the forefront of community-driven HIV programs and initiatives serving diverse Latino communities across the country shared their experiences and perspectives.

Summit attendees identified and discussed actionable ways they can leverage their organizational structures, communication channels, and networks to expand and strengthen a whole-of-society response to HIV in Latino communities. They emphasized the importance of taking new steps to expand awareness about HIV as well as access to HIV testing, prevention, and treatment services in Hispanic/Latino communities. These collective commitments are essential complements to federal efforts and, together, will accelerate progress in reversing recent HIV trends among Hispanic/Latino populations nationwide.

View the video of the Summit presentationsExit Disclaimer.

“The name of our summit, ¡Adelante!, calls us to press onward—toward a future where the HIV epidemic in all of our communities is met with urgency and visibility,” observed Director Ruiz. “We cannot afford to stand still.”

View a video short from Dr. Guilamo-RamosExit Disclaimer. View another video short from presenter Maria Roman of the Translatin@ CoalitionExit Disclaimer.

Checkout #AdelanteHIVSummit on social media for stories from participants.