Josephine Ayankoya, a long-time AIDS advocate at the University of California, Michael Eisman of the Impulse Group and Christopher Jackson of the In The Mix program in San Diego have been named to the POZ 100.
POZ magazine, an award-winning print and online brand for people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, this week announced the fifth annual POZ 100, also marking its 200th issue and 20th year of publication. This year, POZ asked individuals and organizations to nominate people under the age of 30 in their communities who are making a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
This year’s list honors a diverse group of 100 individuals from across the United States and around the world. The list includes both people living with the virus, such as youth activist Paige Rawl, as well as HIV-negative people, such as Miss America 2010 Caressa Cameron-Jackson and Ryan Lewis, half of the Grammy Award-winning hip-hop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. From the famous to the unsung heroes, all of the honorees are doing their part in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
“For more than three decades, HIV/AIDS has been fought mostly by those who were already adults when the epidemic began,” said Oriol Gutierrez, POZ editor-in-chief. “In that time, a new generation has entered adulthood having only heard stories of the early days and never knowing a world without HIV. This new generation of advocates is fighting HIV for a variety of reasons and are united by the common goal of finally putting an end to AIDS,” he continued.
“We are thrilled to honor the work of all the advocates celebrating youth power on the 2014 POZ 100, from the United States and around the globe, and the hope they are giving all of us as we begin to see the possibility of a world without AIDS,” he concluded.
Go to poz.com/100 to see this year’s full list.
