Officials from Chicago-area HIV/AIDS organizations responded enthusiastically to President Obama's appointment of Douglas Brooks as director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy.
"AIDS Foundation of Chicago [AFC] thanks President Obama for appointing Doug Brooks as director of the Office of National AIDS Policy," said John Peller, interim president of AFC, in a statement."
David Munar, the new president of Howard Brown Health Center, said he was "thrilled" to see Brooks in the position.
"He's a superb selection," noted Munar, who was honored alongside Brooks at the Bayard Rustin Community Breakfast in Boston April 12. "He has been working, thinking and living with HIV for years, and has done a lot of work on the ground. He also has the policy gravitas for the job, and represents the populations most affected by the crisis as an HIV-positive African-American gay man."
According to Jeff Barry of Test Positive Aware Network, "The appointment of Douglas Brooks to head the Office of National AIDS Policy demonstrates that the Obama administration is committed to realizing the objectives of the National AIDS Strategy. Gay men, and particularly young, Black, gay men, continue to be among those communities that are hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic."
See related stories at:
www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/SIDEBAR-White-House-declines-Brooks-interview/47524.html
www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/White-House-AIDS-policy-director-raises-hopes-concerns/47515.html
www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/New-AIDS-czar-HBHC-CEO-honored-in-Boston/47528.htm
www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/New-AIDS-czar-HBHC-CEO-honored-in-Boston/47528.htm