Organized by NMAC, the U.S. Conference on AIDSExit Disclaimer (USCA) is the largest community-led domestic conference on HIV/AIDS each year. It is a unique opportunity to strengthen the gap between our real and virtual connections.

NMAC and HIV.gov Social Media Lab

One of our goals is to demonstrate how digital tools can expand the reach of HIV programs and activities. At the Social Media Lab we shared our best practices with over 40 Lab training sessions and numerous participants, who shared their examples, such as how they are using Instagram to recruit young, gay men into an HIV-prevention program. Some participants learned to tweetExit Disclaimer led by our guest trainer, Benjamin DiCosta.

Assisting in the Social Media Lab were Federal media experts like Amy Schachner (HRSAExit Disclaimer, Lisa Steinhauer (HUD/HOPWAExit Disclaimer, Christen Geiler, Shawn Humphrey, Anne Rancourt (NIAIDExit Disclaimer. Community influencers @kenlikebarbieExit Disclaimer and @iamguyanthonyExit Disclaimer also stopped by to meet our lab participants. The people made the Lab “social”!

NMAC Social Media Fellows Program

Poets, activists, and influencers - 20 youth leaders from around the nation represented the importance of using digital tools. In partnership with NMAC and the Black AIDS Institute, HIV.gov shared ways for the Fellows to refine their social media engagement rolesExit Disclaimer at #2015USCA and beyond.

Highlights of the Fellows program included an opportunity to hear from (and take a selfie with) Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, Douglas Brooks, who happened to launch his new Twitter accountExit Disclaimer at the conference. The Fellows also did a 6-word exercise reflecting on how #2015USCA had refined their plan for social media engagement. For instance, Britni Danielle’s words were “More Women Need To Know This.” She plans to use Twitter to encourage women at risk for HIV to ask about PrEP.

Let’s Continue The Conversation

We are looking forward to more social media conversations during Virtual Office Hours.