On  November 26, 2013, IHP Director, Sandra Thurman, interviewed Congressman John Lewis as part of the AIDS Legacy series capturing the extraordinary history of the AIDS movement.

[slider source=”media: 1323,1322,1321″ title=”no”] [spoiler title=”Read the Interview”]”If we are to have a major effort to put an end to AIDS and have a society — national, worldwide — that is free of AIDS, then we all must participate in this battle.  None of us can be conscientious
objectors in this war or in this battle.

Not any of us can stand on the sidelines.  We all must be in the arena and fight the good fight – that means our government and governmental organizations, non-profit groups, worldwide organizations like the United Nations and others.  It’s OK to declare, and it’s good, that we have worldwide AIDS day – you’ve got to reward it with a day of celebration or a day of pausing and saying what we must do . . . but we’ve got to do something every single day.  Every single day.  

We’ve got to do more than wearing a ribbon or a pin if we’re going to have healing in our national community and our world community.  Business, yes.  Stars, yes.  But leaders — political leaders, religious leaders, the media, educators — we all must be engaged in this fight.  Not any of us, not one of us, can afford to stand on the sidelines . . . and we can win this battle.

I travel a great deal all over America.  I’ve traveled to different parts of the world and I’ve seen the impact of AIDS on families, on little children, left to struggle and struggle alone because of AIDS, and we all must be engaged.

Leaders must lead.  Leaders must get out front.

We must create the climate, the environment, so not a single person feels they’re in this battle all alone.”[/spoiler]