Aging with HIV at the US Conference on HIV/AIDS

staffConferences

Sep 17

OUTMemphis Trans Services Manager, TaMesha Kaye, attended the 2025 U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS [USCHA] in Washington, DC from Thursday, September 4 through Sunday, September 7, 2025. The conference overarching theme, Aging with HIV, aimed to honor people who have a full life living with HIV, the conference examined their challenges and learn from their life experiences.

Here's a few words about TaMesha's experience at the conference:

“This year’s United States Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA) reminded me why spaces like this matter so deeply. Being surrounded by leaders, advocates, and community members fighting for equity, healing, and justice in the HIV movement was powerful and affirming.”

Magical Moment at USCHA 2025 with Magic Johnson. (source)

TaMesha attended the USCHA conference to hear from different groups living with HIV including the pre & post-protease inhibitor (PI) generations, and dandelions. The pre-PI generation consists of long-term survivors who acquired the virus before 1995, before antiretroviral treatments were unavailable. While post-PI generation acquired HIV after 1995 and were able to benefit from the new at the time antiretroviral therapy. During this time HIV was transformed into a manageable chronic illness and improved quality of life and longevity. The third demographic participants heard from were “Dandelions” which is a term used often interchangeably with “lifetime survivors”, who are people born or acquired HIV in early childhood.

Ann Nesby closes out the 29th Conference on HIV/AIDS. (source)

“USCHA 2025 wasn’t just a conference—it was a call to action, a place of learning, and a reminder that we are stronger together in ending the epidemic and breaking down stigma.”