From September 21-24, thousands of Americans, elected officials, business and industry leaders, and media will gather for the 41st Congressional Black Caucus FoundationExit Disclaimer (CBCF) 2011 Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) in Washington, D.C. This year’s theme of the four-day event is "iLead | iServe", highlighting the value and impact of leadership and services within the community.

The conference features more than 80 workshops, seminars and forums that will cover a range of topics including health and wellness, civic engagement, education, and entrepreneurship to name a few. HIV/AIDS related issues will also have a noteworthy presence during the conference.

On Wednesday, September 21, the National Council of Negro WomenExit Disclaimer (NCNW), the National Action NetworkExit Disclaimer, I Choose Life Health and Wellness Center, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus will present The Women’s Health Summit: “Harnessing Our Power: Mind, Body, and Soul” with a special focus on “HIV/AIDS and African American Women: The Forgotten Population.” This summit is sponsored by Act Against AIDS Leadership Initiative, Office of Minority Health, Office on Women’s Health, and Vitas.

The Women’s Health Summit will take place from 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm at the National Headquarters of NCNW, 633 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20004. To RSVP please send an email to ncnwprograms@gmail.com.

On Thursday, September 22, a session commemorating 30 years of HIV/AIDS, entitled “A View of HIV/AIDS at 30” will be hosted by the Honorable Barbara Lee, California, 9th Congressional District and founding Co-Chair of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus.

On Friday, September 23, the conference will feature the session “HIV Criminalization: Why Should it Matter to You.” This panel will highlight the use of HIV-specific criminalization statutes and prosecutions, the public health challenges that these laws and policies create, and the current evidence of their impact. Panel speakers will include:

• The Honorable Barbara Lee (CA-09)
• Catherine Hanssens, Esq. Executive Director and Founder, Center for HIV Law and PolicyExit Disclaimer
• Vanessa Johnson, JD, Member, U.S. People Living With AIDS Caucus
• Terrance Moore, Associate Director, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS DirectorsExit Disclaimer
• Monique Moree, HIV Advocate and Author of “Living Inside My Skin of Silence”
• Allison Nichol, JD, Chief, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice
• Patrick Packer, Executive Director, Southern AIDS CoalitionExit Disclaimer

Session partners include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC who will be providing social media coverage. Follow the discussion with hashtag #CBCFHIVExit Disclaimer on Twitter.

Free HIV testing will be available in the Health Pavilion in the Exhibit Hall area for the duration of the conference.

For more information on the conference, visit the official websiteExit Disclaimer and follow the updates on Twitter via @CBCFIncExit Disclaimer (hashtag #41stALCExit Disclaimer).