The CAEAR (Communities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief) Coalition is having it's annual strategy meeting this week in Miami Beach with about 50 national AIDS/HIV activists in attendance.
"We are a coalition of ... metropolitan areas hardest hit by HIV/AIDS," said CAEAR Chairman Ernest Hopkins of San Francisco.
Pat Bass of the Philadelphia Health Department said this year's meeting is extremely important "because [political] change is on the way and we don't know what change looks like."
About 120 guests attended CAEAR's partnership awards dinner Monday night at Miami Beach Botanical Garden. Local honorees: Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro, Frederick Down Jr., Dr. David Haltiwanger, Dr. Michael Kolber, U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Dr. Jorge Rangel, Daniel T. Wall and Dr. Michael Wohlfeiler.
From a CAEAR news release:
“We are pleased to recognize and celebrate these Miami community leaders for their extensive support and advocacy on behalf of those living with HIV/AIDS,” said Ernest Hopkins, Chair, CAEAR Coalition Board of Directors. “This event is our opportunity to show our gratitude to each of them alongside Miami Beach Community Health Center, a respected HIV/AIDScare provider and a longtime CAEAR Coalition member.”
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruno A. Barreiro continues his fight against HIV/AIDS in Miami Dade County with numerous initiatives such as the HIV Prevention Signage Program for Bars and Adult Stores. In 2002, he funded an HIV Think Tank in South Florida, an HIV/AIDS education program using bold and visible signage to inform the community about HIV prevention.
Frederick Downs, Jr. has been a member of the Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership since August 2007. He is known efforts with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS to high school students. Downs also conducts several local support groups and is always available for a community member in need.
Dr. David Haltiwanger has been involved in the fight against AIDS from the very beginning of the epidemic. He served as Mental Health Director and later as Director of Clinical Programs and Public Policy at Chase Brexton Health Services inBaltimore, MD, prior to his retirement in December 2011. In that role, Dr. Haltiwanger was also an active and engaged member of CAEAR Coalition, serving as a member of the Board of Directors for six years.
Dr. Michael A. Kolber is the Director of the Comprehensive AIDS Program for the University of Miami, Clinical Director of the Adult HIV Section for Infectious Diseases and Professor of Medicine. He has participated in the County Enhanced Comprehensive HIV Prevention Planning effort in order for the community to continue to move towards accomplishing the President’s National Strategy on HIV/AIDS.
Clarence William "Bill" Nelson is the senior United States Senator from Florida. In March 2010, Sen. Nelson voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Sen. Nelson has been a supporter of the legislation reauthorizing the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and has been an advocate for greater resources for the program, especially as related to the challenges facing the Florida’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program.
Dr. Jorge Rangel has been a vital part of Miami Beach Community Health Center since 1990. Given his long history at MBCHC, Dr. Rangel has been involved with the treatment of HIV patients basically since the onset of the epidemic and hopes to continue serving HIV patients until the end of his career.
Daniel T. Wall, Director of the Office of Grants Coordination, has helped secure millions of dollars in federal funds for a grant program that became a nationally recognized model for administration and fiscal management, the Ryan White Part A/Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) Program. In addition, Wall authored the ordinance that officially established the Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership, the county planning board for HIV/AIDS-related issues.
Dr. Michael Wohlfeiler is an HIV specialist and the Medical Director for Research at the AHF/WPA South Beach Healthcare Center. Dr. Wohlfeiler serves on Miami-Dade County’s Ryan White Medical Care Subcommittee and recently completed two terms as chair. He was the first chair of the Florida Academy of HIV Medicine and a member of the AAHIVM National Board of Directors
“HIV/AIDS continues to be a major health challenge and we remain committed to playing a leading role in its prevention and treatment,” said Kathryn Abbate, CEO of Miami Beach Community Health Center. “We applaud the CAEAR Coalition for their ongoing advocacy efforts to meet the care, treatment, support and prevention needs of people living with this disease.”
Entertainment was provided by the performers at Lips drag dining in Fort Lauderdale.
Click the photo to view a gallery from Monday's awards dinner. All photos by STEVE ROTHAUS / Miami Herald Staff.
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