This afternoon I attended the World AIDS Day Friday Forum at the City Club of Cleveland where Jeffrey Crowley, the Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, spoke about national HIV policy.  Mr. Crowley noted that in this time of unprecedented challenge, we face many opportunities in confronting the AIDS epidemic.  He described how the Obama administration aims to refocus the country's attention to the domestic level of the AIDS epidemic, and looks to reduce the number of new HIV infections, care for individuals with HIV and AIDS, and reduce HIV health disparities.  He shared that, so far, efforts have been made to expand access to HIV screening, eliminate discrimination of immigrants with HIV, and transfer funding to benefit comprehensive sex education programs that are evidence-based.

As a young college student, I can say that listening to Mr. Crowley was a refreshing experience.  As a government official in a position of power, he seemed genuinely interested in addressing the HIV epidemic.  I am impressed by his willingness to travel the country in order to provide American citizens the opportunity to share their insight through community discussions.  As Mr. Crowley returns to Washington D.C. to rework the policies that exist, it is my hope that he will remember the suggestions we, the Ohio Advocates, made in regards to comprehensive sex education.