AIDS ACTION NOW! is a community-based group engaged in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. Our work is fundamentally driven by the needs of people living with AIDS and HIV infection (PLWA/HIV). While our work comes primarily from the gay/ lesbian community, we are committed to the empowerment of all PLWA/HIVs and all communities affected by the AIDS crisis. AIDS ACTION NOW! welcomes all PLWA/HlVs as well as other individuals who are in basic agreement with this list of principles.
We recognize the potential for HIV infection to be a chronic manageable illness.
We stand by the demands of Le Manifeste de Montreal, A Declaration of the Universal Rights and Needs of People Living with HIV Disease. This is a document prepared by AIDS ACTON NOW! in Toronto and ACTUP in New York for distribution at the Vth, International Conference on AIDS held in Montreal in June 1989.
In confronting institutional inaction and mismanagement around AIDS, we are committed to an activism which includes, among others, such activities as lobbying, direct action, demonstrations, civil disobedience, and education aimed at solving the AIDS crisis.
We recognize that the politics of AIDS raises profound questions about the way our society is organized. For our work to be relevant to PLWA/HIVs, it is necessary for us to deal with issues of social inequality around race, sex, class, sexuality, ability, both inside and outside our organization. Therefore our work incorporates an anti-racist, anti-sexist and anti-heterosexist perspective.
We are committed to working in a coalition with other groups to fulfil the needs of PLWA/HIVs.
We are committed to democratic process within our organization.
MANDATE
To improve the availability of drugs mid treatments for people who are living with AIDS or HIV infections;
To improve the standard of care for people living with AIDS or HIV infection to meet their health-care needs;
To support progressive AIDS related initiatives launched by other organizations and individuals;
To undertake any other activities that AAN! thinks will improve the quality of life for persons living with AIDS or HIV infection.
