NAESM National African American Leadership Conference on Health Disparities
and Social Justice Early Bird Registration Ends January 31, 2024

For the first time in its twenty-year history, the NAESM National African American Leadership Conference on Health Disparities and Social Justice will take place in the Midwest from May 29 – June 2, 2024, in St. Louis, MO. The conference theme this year is “Reigniting Advocacy and Community Mobilization.” In addition to its usual offerings of health and wellness institutes, workshops and posters, focused particularly on black gay and bisexual men, this year’s conference will address the wave of anti-LGBTQIA+ hate and violence that has quietly increased across the nation and around the world. In particular, the conference will spotlight the connection between US-based funding and anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, hate and violence here at home and across the world. And as we seek to close the gap between Blacks and other racial groups in terms of “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. And as always, 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.
The 2024 conference will include an opening reception at the St. Louis City Museum. Located in a former shoe-manufacturing warehouse, this museum and adventure park has something for everyone. With multiple floors of fascinating, educational and fun-filled rooms, it is one of St. Louis’ most popular downtown attractions. The 2024 conference will also include two additional special evening events: a House Ball and a Legacy (Awards) Ball. These offer additional opportunities for participants to interact with the St. Louis community.
The conference will be held at the majestic but fun-filled Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel. Register today at www.naesminc.org/leadership-conference/registration to take advantage of the three-hundred-dollar early bird registration rate of the Leadership Conference. The early bird rate ends on January 31, 2024.

The Leadership Conference is now accepting abstracts at www.naesminc.org/leadership-conference/call-for-abstracts/. The conference has prioritized the following areas, but abstracts outside of these subject areas will be considered as well:

  • Advocacy and Community Mobilization
  • Using the Arts to Heal & to Advocate
  • Advocacy and Programming for Trans Communities
  • Syndemic Approaches to HIV Prevention & Care
  • Community-Led Research
  • House Ballroom Culture

NAESM is also pleased to announce recruitment of the next cohort of CRIBB Fellows. The CRIBB Fellowship is a yearlong leadership development course for up to 10 young Black gay and bisexual men between the ages 19 to 30 who are actively involved in, or wish to become involved with, addressing HIV/AIDS services, other health disparities, or social justice issues that affect Black gay and bisexual men. The fellowship program provides Black gay and bisexual men with leadership training and mentoring support that will strengthen their capacity to contribute to local and national efforts at reducing and ending the epidemic of HIV/AIDS, other health disparities, and other social injustices, impacting Black communities. The Fellowship program provides a small monthly stipend to program participants. Eligible applicants can access the Fellowship application at https://naesminc.org/da-cribb/application/.

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.