Watkins-Hayes on the transformative power of HIV/AIDS activism

On World Aids Day, Celeste Watkins-Hayes participated in a discussion at The City Club of Cleveland, on the importance of activism and community leadership to confront the inequalities perpetuated by HIV/AIDS and useful lessons that can apply to many modern challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The remarkable conversion of HIV/AIDS from an inevitable death sentence to a manageable chronic illness is not only one of the most noteworthy medical achievements of the past forty years, but it is also a significant political and social achievement,” Watkins-Hayes said. 

Watch the discussion here.

Faculty Expert

Celeste M. Watkins-Hayes

Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of Public Policy; Director, Center for Racial Justice; Jean E. Fairfax Collegiate Professor of Public Policy; University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor; Professor of Sociology; Research and Community Impact Fellow, Anti-Racism Collaborative

Watkins-Hayes is an internationally-recognized scholar and expert on HIV/AIDS; urban poverty; social policy; and racial, class, and gender inequality. Her work illuminates social problems of great interest to scholars, communities, and policymakers. She works at the intersection of sociology, African American Studies, and public policy. Her work analyzes the impact of the HIV epidemic on women and the growth of the HIV safety net.

• Celeste Watkins-Hayes
• The City Club Of Cleveland
• HIV/AIDS
• HIV
• Health Activism
• activism
• community leadership
• COVID-19 insights and action
• public health