HOUSING WORKS ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF
2006 KEITH D. CYLAR AWARDS FOR HIV/AIDS ACTIVISM

Hailing from China to South Carolina, awardees will speak in D.C. on April 25
and be honored in New York on April 26

Housing Works (www.housingworks.org), the nation's largest minority-controlled AIDS organization, has announced the recipients of its second-annual Keith D. Cylar Activist Awards, given to those who demonstrate extraordinary courage and commitment in the fight to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The award is named for the cofounder of Housing Works, a fearless AIDS activist who died of AIDS-related complications in 2004. Three of the four awards come with grants from the Keith D. Cylar Activist Fund that recipients can use in support of their activism.

2006 Cylar Awardee Cai

International Activist Award
Thomas Cai
Guangzhou, China

Since testing positive for HIV in 2000, Cai has been one of the few people living with the disease to step forward publicly in China, where some estimate the AIDS rate could reach 10 million by 2010 if not aggressively addressed. Braving stigma and government persecution, Cai has reached out to others in China with HIV/AIDS by founding a website, a residence and an advocacy group, AIDS Care China. Last year, Cai played a key role in convening people with HIV/AIDS from across the nation for a meeting to help ready patients for AIDS medicines to be provided by the Chinese government and the U.N. Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
2006 Cylar Awardees Williams & Bates

U.S. Activist Award
Karen Bates and Stephanie Williams
South Carolina

In South Carolina, HIV/AIDS has disproportionately hit women and African Americans in recent years. Best friends since they met in a support group for HIV-positive women in 1999, Bates, of Columbia, and Williams, of Bamberg, have advocated tirelessly for Medicaid and Medicare benefits for people with HIV/AIDS and other disabilities. In 2005, they organized their state's participation in cross-country caravans en route to D.C. for the new national grassroots movement The Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA). This year they are playing key roles in establishing a permanent C2EA structure in South Carolina.
2006 Cylar Awardee Peña

Housing Works Community Award
Julie Peña
New York, NY

Peña is a native New Yorker and ex-prisoner whose 1995 HIV diagnosis led her to Housing Works' Job Training Program. Upon completion of the program, Pena, who had never finished seventh grade, attained degrees culminating with her master's in social work. Today, she heads Housing Works' Women's Transitional Housing Program, where she works with women newly released from prison. After clearing her criminal record in 2004, she plunged into AIDS activism, participating in civil disobedience actions during the Republican National Convention in New York City and at Bush/Cheney campaign headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. She also played a key role in organizing Housing Works' Campaign to End AIDS walking caravan to Washington, D.C., last fall.
2006 Cylar Awardee Zeitz

Virginia Shubert Courage Award
Paul Zeitz
Washington, D.C. (Global AIDS Alliance)

Zeitz is cofounder and executive director of the respected and influential Global AIDS Alliance (GAA), which advocates for the political will and financial resources needed to halt the world AIDS pandemic. GAA has played key roles in the creation of President Bush's PEPFAR initiative against global AIDS. In fiscal year 2005, GAA helped ensure an unprecedented $2.9 billion in funding to fight AIDS, TB and malaria worldwide—a more than 240 percent increase over fiscal year 2003. A public-health specialist, Zeitz saw first-hand the devastation of AIDS while working in Zambia and is a vocal critic of trade agreements that threaten the availability of affordable, lifesaving medications in developing nations.

"Once again, Keith would be so proud of these awardees," said Housing Works cofounder and CEO Rev. Charles King of the late Cylar, who was King's life partner. "The Cylar Awards are meant to shine a spotlight on activists whose work is so fearless and uncompromising that it inspires others to work to end AIDS, too. Our five awardees this year do just that—with fierceness, intelligence and grace."

On Tuesday, April 25, after a day of visits to key congressional offices on Capitol Hill, the award recipients will speak at a public forum and reception from 4pm-6pm at a Capitol Hill venue Housing Works will announce in the weeks to come. On Wednesday, April 26, in New York City, they will receive their awards at the Prince George Ballroom at 6:30pm.

THE KEITH CYLAR ACTIVIST FUND

The Keith Cylar Activist Fund establishes a continuing legacy to the life and work of Housing Works co-founder Keith Cylar by creating a permanent endowment to support advocacy and activism by people living with AIDS and HIV in America and around the world. The Fund provides people living with AIDS and HIV with training and continued support to enable them to be effective advocates who are fully involved in policy and decision making. Now in its second year, the Fund has raised $1,548,277.43 in support of its goals.

To find out more about the Keith Cylar Fund click here

To make a contribution to the Keith Cylar Fund click here

For more information on the Keith Cylar Activist Awards and Keith Cylar Activist Fund, contact:
Christopher Sealey (sealey@housingworks.org)