The AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania celebrated 25 years of excellence in 2013 and greeted this year with another accomplishment. On Feb. 28, the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania will receive the Alexander D. Forger Award for Excellence in HIV Legal Services and Advocacy from the American Bar Association AIDS Coordinating Committee at the ABA’s HIV/AIDS Law & Practice Conference in Atlanta. AIDS Law Project executive director Ronda Goldfein said she was notified at the end of last year about the honor. “Last year marked our 25th anniversary, and as we were spending the year reflecting over our work over the last 25 years, we were really gratified to have all of that effort recognized,” she said. “We know we are doing a good job with the work we do within our community but to be recognized by such a big organization means a lot.” The award will come with a plaque — and a sense of pride. “I think it shows that, beyond our little universe in Philadelphia, there is a recognition on a national level that what we do is really important work and that we are doing it well,” she said, noting that, while the organization’s work has evolved throughout the HIV/AIDS epidemic, its committed to empowering the community has remained. “Much of our work is about how are we helping people in a vulnerable and fragile time in their lives. We were helping people transition from a vital working person, to a sick person to their last days. Now, we are helping people build their futures — whether that future is going to a private boarding school or access to routine healthcare — we are having people think big.” Goldfein said she sees the organization continuing to play a pivotal role in the changing community. “I think that science and medicine have done a great job for people with HIV, and so the law needs to continue to do its part. Now that people have a possibility of a long and healthy future, we need to make sure rights are protected.” For more information, visit www.aidslawpa.org.
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