The National Association of People with AIDS, a 501(c)(3) certified non-profit organization, was founded in 1983 by members of the Patient Advisory Committee of the Second National AIDS Forum, held in Denver, Colorado by what is now the National Lesbian and Gay Health Association. The committee members came from New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Houston to assure that people living with AIDS were officially involved in the deliberations and had a strong voice in the proceedings. The committee organizing was led by Bobbi Campbell of San Francisco and Michael Callen of New York City and resulted in the adoption of the term "people with AIDS" (PWA) as a rejection of "victim," which implies defeat, or "patient," which implies dependence on the care of others.
The committee’s work also resulted in a historic set of recommendations for a more humane response to the crisis which became known as the Denver Principles as well as the creation of NAPWA. Joining Campbell and Callen on the committee were Bob Bader, Bruce Brockway, Bill Burke, Bob Cocchi, Arthur Felson, Philip Lanzaratta, Michael MacAdory, Chuck Morris, Tom Nasrallah, Robert Reynolds, Dan Turner and Mark Feldman (who died one week before the forum). Their work was assisted by Jeff Richardson, Helen Schietinger and, later, Caitlin Ryan.
For three years, NAPWA existed as a loosely affiliated network of PWAs active in local coalitions; PWA Coalition of New York, Being Alive Los Angeles, Lifelink in Washington, DC and the PWA Coalition of Dallas are just a few of them. The need for a more structured, national organization soon became obvious. The members of NAPWA’s first Board of Directors consisted of Billy Burton of Houston, Luis Maura of Los Angeles, Bobby Reynolds and Richard Rector of San Francisco, Joseph Foulon, Michael Hirsch, and Grifford Gold of New York City, Allen Kuconiz from Dorechester, Massachusetts, John Lorenzini of Salt Lake City, Fred Garnett of Washington, DC and Michael Simanowicz of Chicago. NAPWA was incorporated as a 501(c)3 not–for–profit corporation in 1987 through the contributions of Jay Coburn, Paul Kawata and Stephen Beck, its first Executive Director, to be the voice of people with AIDS at the center of power.
Over the years, NAPWA has been a strong and consistent national leader for people with AIDS, ensuring that our voice is always at the table when decisions affecting our lives are being made. NAPWA has withstood financial setbacks and other serious threats to its leadership. Our Board of Directors and staff, however, have continued to grow in skill, commitment and determination to see an end to this epidemic. NAPWA remains committed that people with HIV and AIDS are neither silent victims nor passive patients as our lives are challenged. We have had a critical impact on the nation’s policies affecting us and changed the way policy makers work with all people affected by a disability or disease. We hope to do so until the last day of this pandemic.
