The Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP) is a national initiative building a powerful community-based movement bridging HIV/AIDS, human rights, and struggles for social and economic justice. In an era in which HIV rates are rising and prevention efforts are under concerted attack, CHAMP mobilizes people living with HIV, community activists, researchers, academics and policy advocates in our country, and links them with allies around the world.

CHAMP arms a new generation of leaders with tools and resources to challenge and change HIV/AIDS prevention policies; to attack the root causes of the epidemic such as poverty, homophobia and racism; and to sustain and expand our movements for justice. We unite across communities facing high rates of HIV, through community organizing, strategy development, media efforts, and training in popular education, history, critical thinking, and data analysis.

Description:
CHAMP is building a vibrant and solid activist infrastructure. As an intergenerational, cross-community alliance, CHAMP is setting the stage for new victories in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

CHAMP’s Strategy Lab brings together an animated and insightful group of thinkers and troublemakers to craft the strategic pathways linking HIV research, policies and programs to movements for social change. We are dedicated to articulating realistic plans for action – not just reports on the problems.

Then, the CHAMP Academy unlocks the power of AIDS service and community-based organizations, through innovative training sessions designed to break through the myths and barriers to organizing in our hard-won service and advocacy groups.

These training sessions allow us to meet fantastic community leaders long frustrated by a lack of support for outright mobilization and grassroots activism. We invite them to join our Prevention Justice Course, an intergenerational, intensive organizer training program in which they share and learn skills in media, organizing and policy work. During the program, they work together as a part of CHAMP’s HIV Prevention Organizing Project (H-POP>.

CHAMP’s PowerGrid Project reaches beyond the self-identified “AIDS Community” to link experienced and emerging community leaders in areas such as low-income housing, community health, immigrant rights, racial and global justice, and youth activism. We are mentoring youth and student activists; deepening collaboration between AIDS activists focusing on the US and global epidemics; and bridging campaigns on HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, health care access and criminal justice.

History:
Founded in 2003 by longtime AIDS community leaders, CHAMP is ensuring that people living with, or at risk of, HIV today are at the forefront, collaborating with researchers and policy advocates to overcome obstacles to prevention progress. Our programs adapt successful models of education, service and advocacy from first generation efforts against HIV/AIDS, providing fresh approaches and harnessing the potential of new technologies to meet current realities and challenges.

In five years, CHAMP has established a powerful web of constituents and allies and is a trusted voice in HIV prevention issues. We have united an often-fractious HIV/AIDS community to speak in harmony on the need for sound HIV prevention research and programs, and have influenced both CDC and NIH policies to support community needs. And perhaps most importantly, we have built the capacity of women of color, gay men of all races, transgender people, current and former drug users and youth – the very populations most at risk of HIV infection – to articulate and influence the HIV prevention issues that are imperative in their lives and communities.

Contact people:

Josh Thomas, Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email) Julie Davids, Executive Director, (email)

Office fax number: (401) 633-7793

Address:

59 Bainbridge Ave Providence, RI 02909 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.champnetwork.org

Directions:

Bainbridge Avenue is located on west side of Providence between Broadway and Westminster, near Route 10.   Nearest Bus Stop: 27 & 28 - corner Tobey & Broadway, 2 minute walk