AIDS Action In Mississippi (AAIM) was created to battle the 20+ years this epidemic has affected the people in this state, across the country, and around the world. We have the knowledge and tools necessary to end HIV/AIDS and improve the quality of life of the individuals and families both infected and affected. AAIM is a statewide grass roots organization dedicated to advocating for the rights of all people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Utilizing the voice and experiences of persons living with and affected by this pandemic, we are committed to ending the effects of HIV/AIDS on Mississippi.

AAIM Highlights

On June 26, 2005 a community meeting about Medicaid and the need for AIDS policy reform in Mississippi spawned the grassroots organization-- AIDS Action In Mississippi (AAIM).

On June 30th, AIDS Action In Mississippi held a press conference at Mississippi?s State Capitol Building to demand that Mississippi remove a Medicaid drug cap that would negatively impact on people with disabilities, including Mississippians living with AIDS.

August 29th, 2005 Hurricane Katrina struck land in Mississippi.

On September 30-October 1, 2005, Housing Works, on behalf of C2EA and AAIM, coordinated and delivered emergency relief supplies to AIDS service organizations in Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Jackson, and Marks, Mississippi.

On October 10th, AAIM held its first community town hall to discuss C2EA and future plans post Katrina.

On October23rd, kicked off the San Diego-Waves Across the Nation Caravan for C2EA. This began the C2EA drive cross country, which connected through Jackson, to culminate with four days of HIV/AIDS advocacy action in Washington DC.

On November 4-8, 2005, eight Campaign to End AIDS caravans arrived in Washington, DC. AAIM led seven Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA) participants from Mississippi and twenty-two San Diego caravan participants to participate in a march and rally in Southeast Washington, DC, an interfaith service, advocacy and hill visit trainings and six Capitol Hill visits to the Mississippi congressional delegation, including Republican Senators Trent Lott and Thad Cochran, as well as Representatives Gene Taylor (D), Charles Pickering (R), Roger Wicker (R), and Bennie Thompson (D).

On December 15th, in the rotunda of the state capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, representatives from AAIM, Housing Works, AARP, Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, Mississippi Center for Justice, Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association and Mississippi Primary Health Care Association were among those who called a press conference to announce that eight plaintiffs had filed a suit against Mississippi's policy restricting Medicaid recipients to five drugs (with only two brand-name).

On December 29th, the C2EA National Steering Committee voted to accept Mississippi as the first state-wide C2EA chapter with voting representation on the Steering Committee.

On January 12th, AAIM held an open house at its offices in the Magnolia Towers at 809 North State Street, Jackson, Mississippi.

On January 13th, in a packed courthouse in Jackson, attorneys bringing the suit argued for an injunction against the policy while its permanent fate was decided. The attorneys argued that the policy violates a federal Medicaid law dictating what states can and cannot do to restrict their Medicaid programs, while attorneys for the state argued the opposite. Another hearing toward such an injunction will take place on January 27.

On January 18th, AAIM and Housing Works staff and clients conducted Hill visits to the entire Mississippi congressional delegation and to key members of the New York delegation?a total of 14 visits. Among the highlights was an actual half-hour face-to-face with Mississippi Senator Trent Lott (R).

On January 19th, AAIM presented feedback to the president's Ryan White CARE Act reauthorization recommendations to staff from the Senate HELP Committee and the House Energy & Commerce Committee.

On March 23-25, AAIM organized its first statewide planning summit in Jackson, MS to develop a plan of action to end AIDS in Mississippi.

On July 8-28, AAIM hosts a group from Volunteers for Peace and a participant from the C2EA Youth Action Institute to conduct grassroots organizing and advocacy to work towards ending AIDS in the state of Mississippi, in America and around the world.

September 26, 2006, moved to Jackson Enterprise Center 931 Hwy 80 West Suite 2A-5 Jackson Mississippi 39204