Harvard Alumni Allyship Series: World AIDS Day

The Harvard Clubs of Boston and Ireland in partnership with Harvard Clubs and shared interest groups (SIGs) from around the globe are honored and delighted to bring the next installment of our Harvard Alumni Allyship Series.

Following our successful events focusing on Anti-Racism Allyship (October) and Allyship with the LGBTQIA+ community (November), Allyship with Indigenous Peoples (February), Allyship with Asian Americans (May), Allyship with People with Disabilities (June) this month will be a conversation centered around World AIDS Day.

This Allyship event provides us with an opportunity to remember and honor the lives of all those that have been lost to this disease. It is also a remarkable story of partnership between Harvard and Botswana and also it is a story of the impact Harvard has had on that country’s efforts to fight HIV/AIDS. This is a story about which our entire global alumni community should know and feel justifiably proud.

Our event will feature three speakers:

**David Mixner**


David Mixner will talk to us about the emergence of HIV/AIDS in the 1980’s. His is a unique and personal perspective. He is often described as a political activist and author. In fact he is way more than that. It is safe to say that David has been at the forefront of political activism around rights for the LGBTQ+ community for his entire life https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mixner
He has been recognized for his work at a national and international level and most recently his advocacy was recognized when he was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame – the highest civilian honor that state can award one of its citizens https://njhalloffame.org/2021/07/new-jersey-hall-of-fame-announces-its-incoming-2021-class-of-inductees/

**Dr. Joseph Makhema** and **Dr. Mosepele Mosepele**



In 1996 the Harvard AIDS Initiative partnered with Botswana’s Ministry of Health to form the Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership (BHP). Twenty years ago, at a ceremony on World AIDS Day the BHP officially opened its state of the art laboratory and headquarters on the grounds of Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana.
Joe and Mosepele will talk to us about the impact of the BHP in Botswana and will also offer some perspectives on the future.

For a historical perspective on AIDS at Harvard please read the following Crimson article by Kevin Jennings (a previous Allyship speaker) https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2019/2/21/aids-crisis-at-harvard/

Registration is required for this complimentary event to ensure that you are provided with the log-in credentials for our Zoom Meeting. You will receive the login credentials approximately 3 hours prior to your event, they will not be included in the automatic confirmation email you receive upon registration.