Panel Discussion: Centering Black Voices: Building an HIV Decriminalization Coalition Rooted in Racial Justice
This panel discussion, hosted by the Center for HIV Law and Policy in recognition of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, brings together Dorian Gray-Alexander, Mandisa Moore-O’Neal, and Robert Suttle for a strategic conversation on coalition-based advocacy rooted in racial justice.
The discussion traces the origins of the Louisiana Coalition on Criminalization and Health and examines how centering Black and Brown voices strengthens efforts to decriminalize HIV. Rather than focusing on individual narratives, the panel explores coalition design, shared governance, and community-led action as essential components of sustainable reform. The conversation offers practical insight into how racial justice frameworks can guide coalition development, resource-sharing, and policy impact.
This entry supports leadership and capacity-building efforts by documenting coalition strategy as a systems intervention—demonstrating how power-building, not punishment, drives meaningful HIV decriminalization.
