Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of NAESM Conference in St. Louis, M.O.

Celebrate the 20^th Anniversary of
NAESM National African American Leadership Conference on
Health Disparities & Social Justice in St. Louis, Missouri

Atlanta, Georgia – The NAESM National African American Leadership Conference on Health Disparities and Social Justice, https://naesminc.org/leadership-conference/about-the-conference/ celebrates its 20^th anniversary in St. Louis, Missouri at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel May 29, 2024 – June 2, 2024 in partnership with Williams & Associates, Community Wellness Project, and the City of St. Louis Department of Health. This is the first time that the conference is being held in the Midwest!

The conference theme, “Reigniting Advocacy and Community Mobilization” recognizes the importance of pushing back against the wave of anti-LGBTQIA+ hate and violence that has quietly increased across the nation and around the world. It also recognizes the importance of educating voters and others living in the United States about the impact of anti-LGBTQIA legislation and rhetoric in fueling this hate and violence. At the conference, we will spotlight the connection between US-based funding and anti-LGBTQIA legislation, hate and violence here at home and across the world. And not coincidentally, as we seek to close in on Ending the HIV Epidemic, it is also timely to mobilize our community and exercise our advocacy in support of continued funding for HIV prevention, treatment, and care. This four-day educationally packed conference will provide an opportunity for gay and bisexual black men, their allies, and their providers to exchange information and strategies to address the full range of health disparities and other social justice issues faced by gay and bisexual black men here in the United States and around the world.

If you share our commitment to confronting the health, wellness, and social justice challenges faced by gay and bisexual men, please join us in St. Louis for the 20^th NAESM conference. Even as the lives of gay and bisexual black men are not siloed, so too must the approaches to ameliorating our lives be wholistic and integrated.

The registration portal is now open at https://naesminc.org/leadership-conference/registration/ so take advantage of the early bird rate of $300, available only until January 31, 2024. Consider submitting an abstract to present at the conference, which can be done at https://naesminc.org/leadership-conference/call-for-abstracts/. We have obtained the extraordinary rate of $109/nt. for rooms at the host hotel, so be sure to book your rooms early, before the conference block of rooms is all gone.

Opportunities exists for your business/company to join us in celebrating our 20^th anniversary by sponsoring the conference—https://naesminc.org/leadership-conference/sponsor/, exhibiting at the conference—https://naesminc.org/leadership-conference/exhibitor-form/, or advertising in the conference souvenir program book https://naesminc.org/leadership-conference/advertisement-form/.

The 2024 conference will also include two additional special evening events: a House Ball and a Legacy (Awards) Ball. These offer additional opportunities for sponsors to interact with the St. Louis community, as well as offering additional branding and messaging opportunities.

For more information or questions on the conference please reach out to Doug Anthony, at dsgardin1221@yahoo.com or Alvan Quamina at alvanq@naesminc.org.