At the end of July, Francisco Ruiz, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, hosted The White House Rising Leaders Summit: Shaping the Future of HIV Today. The Summit convened young career professionals at the White House from communities of color and the LGBTQ+ community who are emerging leaders in public health.

The event provided an opportunity to promote new voices and center ideas that advance the vision and goals of the Administration’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS). During the Summit, seasoned and emerging leaders gathered; intergenerational conversations evolved about the rising leaders’ commitments to working in the public health and HIV and AIDS fields, as the younger generation cements their place as thought leaders of the future of the HIV movement.

Watch this video with Francisco, who is interviewed by OIDP’s Arielle Desir, to hear about the goals and importance of the Summit:

Also, check out this video with three of the Summit’s emerging leaders to hear about their lived experience and key takeaways from the event:

Several of OIDP’s rising leaders attended the Summit to cultivate, support, participate, and sustain the next generation of HIV leaders. Here are some comments about the Summit that they shared with HIV.gov.

Arielle Desir said: “I left the Rising Leaders Summit with a warm reminder of the importance of collective power. The Summit was an excellent opportunity to collaborate with young professionals across the country, share data, and uplift lived experiences to inform our efforts to equitably end the HIV epidemic. Throughout the day, we had the opportunity to collect timely feedback on the National HIV/AIDS Strategy that will help optimize the next phase of the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative. Attendees were encouraged to imagine, innovate, and collaborate, and I look forward to putting these ideals into practice while collectively building an inclusive, equitable, and healthy future for all.”

Catarina Kim shared: “There’s something powerful about being in a room with your peers who are passionate about seeing and being the change in our communities. I was able to hear and learn from many current leaders in the HIV community on how we as rising leaders can continue to find and create opportunities. It was inspiring to share our stories and see what can be done from my current position. Something that stood out to me from one of the speakers is that ‘the most important resource we have is our people,’ and it was invigorating to dream and take steps to better the future of HIV and to achieve health equity for all.”

Chloe Loving noted: “The White House Rising Leaders Summit was an inspiring opportunity for intergenerational learning within the HIV space. Seasoned leaders shared their insights on how they facilitate sustainable community change. As Louie Ortiz-Fonseca, Director of LGBTQ Health & Rights at Advocates for Youth, so nicely stated, ‘Imagination is the prayer we give ourselves.’”

Dorothy Oteng highlighted: “The Summit was a space to be re-inspired. Hearing from other emerging leaders, I realized the unique value of such gatherings for networking and collaboration.” Dorothy also noted, “Aligning our efforts with the NHAS’ goals of preventing new infections, improving health outcomes, reducing disparities, and achieving coordinated efforts among stakeholders will strengthen our overall HIV response.”

Allison Petkoff offered: “The Summit was a powerful representation of the continued fight to respond to HIV in the U.S. It showed that although advocates are in all corners of the U.S., we are all working toward the same goals to end the HIV epidemic and support those living with HIV. The true value of the Summit lies in the work that is still ahead of us and the renewed spirit we have in our shared mission. A panelist told the audience, ‘You are not just part of the future; you are the authors.’ It was a powerful, emotional, and unifying event!”

Lastly, Stephen Tellone noted: “Attending the Summit will forever be a key milestone in my career. It brought together incredible young experts dedicated to ending the HIV epidemic. During the Summit, I listened to participants share their personal and lived experiences, professional achievements, barriers, and thoughts about the future of HIV. The gathering renewed my commitment, both as a rising leader and in my role in government, to providing opportunities and support for emerging leaders so they can continue challenging and improving the existing system, advocating for a more inclusive and effective one for everyone.”

This blog post was originally published August 13, 2024, on HIV.gov.