During the National Latinx Conference on HIV/HCV/SUD in El Paso, TX, we spoke with Adrian Juarez of the University of Texas Medical Branch about the unique needs of women at the southern border and the HIV disparities these communities experience.

Watch his conversation with Michelle Sandoval-Rosario, DrPH, MPH, CDR, U.S. Public Health Service, former Region 9 Program Director, Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy, HHS. You can view the video at the top of this article or on YouTube.

Adrian shared highlights of a session he presented during the conference about women at the southern border that included communities with low rates of HIV, such as cisgender, heterosexual Latinas. “Their HIV story needs to be heard,” Adrian said. “Their HIV experience is just as relevant as it is to every other group.”

The National Latinx Conference on HIV/HCV/SUD, also known as NaLa, aims to create opportunities to share information and efforts around health disparities that impact Latinx communities, such as HIV, hepatitis C, and substance use disorder by bridging education, advocacy, and clinical care to create better health outcomes. The conference was produced by the Valley AIDS Council, a non-profit organization that provides sexual wellness services in South Texas.

This blog post was originally published July 9, 2024, on HIV.gov.