The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded ASPIRA $600,000 over five years ($120,000 per year) to increase HIV-related knowledge and action within the Latino community as part of its recently-expanded Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative (AAALI), a partnership of leading national organizations designed to increase HIV prevention efforts in communities hardest hit by the disease. 

As an AAALI partner, ASPIRA will focus specifically on Latino youth, parents and limited English proficient individuals and organizational networks serving the Latino community at the local and national levels to decrease the number of persons at high risk for acquiring or transmitting HIV infection.

CDC is increasing AAALI’s funding from $10 million to $16 million over six years and broadening its scope to include additional organizations that will integrate HIV prevention strategies into their existing day-to-day activities that have traditionally impacted the lives of African-Americans, Latinos, and gay and bisexual men.  The ASPIRA Association is one of these organizations.

The expanded initiative represents CDC’s ongoing commitment to increase access to HIV prevention for those who are most vulnerable to this disease. CDC estimates that about 56,000 Americans become newly infected with HIV every year – one new infection every 9 ½ minutes.  

ASPIRA’s program objectives focus on meeting and educating national and local leadership from ASPIRA’s Boards on the impact of HIV/AIDS on the Hispanic community and facilitating a commitment to integrate HIV/AIDS into their strategic plans.

Through the program, ASPIRA will develop an HIV/AIDS prevention communications campaign and education materials for dissemination to ASPIRA’s nine (9) associate networks across the nation. The project will be led by Hilda Crespo, VP for Public Policy and Federal Affairs.