In honor of the late John Lewis and Elijah Cummings, NMAC will present awards in their names for their lifelong commitment to racial justice and creating equality for all.
The John Lewis Good Trouble Award will be awarded to Chairwoman Waters who embodies John Lewis' dedication to racial equality on all fronts. Throughout Chairwoman Waters’s 40 years of public service, she has been at the foreground of tackling controversial and difficult issues. Whether it be her success on affirmative action legislation during her time as a California state legislator to spearheading the creation of the Minority AIDS Initiative, Maxine Waters has been a champion of human rights and embodiment of dedication to racial equality. The award will be presented by last year's recipient, Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The Elijah Cummings Award for Minority Health Equality will be presented to Secretary Fudge, who dedicated her congressional career to fighting for healthcare equality and equity for minority communities. As Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus and Congresswoman from Ohio, Marcia Fudge successfully tackled issues spanning the political gamut. Through her leadership as HUD Secretary, she is working vigorously to solve issues such as the growing homelessness crisis and racial disparities affecting homeowners. The award will be presented by Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings.
“NMAC’s mission is to lead with race to end racial inequities in health care that prolong the HIV epidemic,” said NMAC Executive Director Paul Kawata. “Chairwoman Waters and Secretary Fudge have dedicated their years in public service to those same goals. It is a great honor to recognize these amazing women for their commitment and service to our nation and to our goal of ending the HIV epidemic.”
NMAC leads with race to urgently fight for health equity and racial justice to end the HIV epidemic in America. Since 1987, NMAC has advanced our mission through a variety of programs and services, including: a public policy education program, national and regional training conferences, a treatment and research program, numerous electronic and print materials, and a website: www.nmac.org. NMAC also serves as an association of AIDS service organizations, providing valuable information to community-based organizations, hospitals, clinics, and other groups assisting individuals and families affected by the HIV epidemic.
