Hey John,

When we set out to train young people to be leaders for sexual health and reproductive justice, we imagine them launching movements, creating change, and maybe one day advising The White House. For our youth activist Kayla Quimbley (age 22), that day has already arrived! MAJOR congratulations are in order, and we could not be happier for her success!

This week, Kayla, a member of Advocates’ Engaging Communities around HIV Organizing (ECHO) council and a National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day Ambassador, was sworn in to serve on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). This is incredible news!

If you haven’t had an opportunity to see Kayla’s work in action, let us share a little bit about her.

Over the past several years, we have supported Kayla as she leverages her creativity as a poet, her commitment to liberation for all, and her lived experiences to combat HIV stigma, decriminalize HIV, and raise awareness of the disproportionate impact of HIV on youth of color.

As an ECHO member, Kayla uses a social justice framework to shift culture and policy by elevating the voices of young people living with HIV. She has worked closely with fellow ECHO leaders and Advocates’ staff to increase the inclusion of young people living with HIV in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of HIV related programming and policies across the U.S.

We are so incredibly happy for Kayla. Can you help us congratulate her by resharing our congratulations graphics on social media? Use the buttons below:

When we allow young people to lead, they do amazing things. We can’t wait to hear what comes out of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS now that Kayla is making sure young people are at the table. We’ll be sure to keep you updated.