SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS IN LTLTF HISTORY

July 2002 - Our Beginning
LTLTF was formed from a private meeting of Black service providers, where it was determined that an organization was needed that would look out for their interests because they were unable to get resources that other communities were able to.

December 2002 - Ministers Joint Sermon
We arranged for 75 Black ministers to all do the same sermon on the same day. It was called "The Need for Compassion for Those Who Are Infected or Affected by HIV."

January 2003 - City Colleges of Chicago Testing
City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Wayne Watson asked us to test at City Colleges during Spring semester registration and we have tested students there during registration ever since.

March 2003 - Incorporated as a Non-Profit Organization

June 2003 - Held the 1st Annual African American HIV/AIDS Walk

July 2003 - Black Legislators & Black Service Providers Meeting
22 Black service providers and 9 Black members of the Illinois Legislature met at the Center for Inner-City Studies in Chicago. It was the first time the two groups had sat together in a forum like that to discuss HIV/AIDS. Service providers expressed their financial needs, and out of this meeting came the impetus to assist them legislatively. Legislators said they wanted to hold hearings about AIDS in the African American community.

November 2003 - Joint Legislative Hearing at Thompson Center
The very first meeting of the State Senate Appropriations Committee, House Health and Human Services Committee, and the Black Caucus to talk about AIDS and Black people. That ultimately led to the creation in 2005 and 2006 of the historic legislation known as the Illinois African American HIV/AIDS Response Act and Response Fund,

May 2004 - Second Annual Black HIV/AIDS Walk
First time the Walk was held on the West Side of Chicago. It now alternates each year.

Summer 2004 - Created the HIV/AIDS Research & Policy Institute at Chicago State University
This is an academic think tank to address the disproportionate incidence of HIV/AIDS in minority populations in Illinois, through policy and research. It was funded in its first year for $700,000 and has since been funded at more than $2 million.

May 2005 - 3rd Annual Walk
We host a free concert after each walk. After the 2005 walk, we had performance by Jennifer Hudson and singer/actress Drew Sidora, of Disney movie fame).

Held the first formal Voice of the People Awards Reception, to honor people doing extraordinary things regarding HIV/AIDS in the African American community. Awards were presented by Rev. Jesse Jackson and given to Rev. Willie Barrow and Sen. Barrack Obama, among others.

Summer 2005 - HIV/AIDS Fellow
Director Kelly was awarded a fellowship to the Black AIDS Institute at the African American HIV/AIDS University in Los Angeles, the only such entity and program of its kind in the country. The program consisted of 550 classroom hours on the science of HIV/AIDS.

August 2005 - African American HIV/AIDS Response Act passed
This historic act is designed to help establish an HIV prevention infrastructure in the Black community throughout Illinois. It was the first legislation of its kind in the nation.

November 2005 - Congressional Black Caucus
Participated in a panel with the United States Congressional Black Caucus based on the Response Act.

May 2006 - 4th Annual Walk

May 2006 - African American HIV/AIDS Response Fund passed.
It's a 10-year fund, with an initial $3 million-a-year appropriation in 2007 to fund the provisions of the Response Act.

May 2006 - United Nations AIDS Conference
Executive Director Lloyd Kelly was selected as a delegate to attend the United Nations Global Conference Meeting on HIV/AIDS at the U.N. in New York from May 31, through June 1. He was one of the few African American delegates present.

September 2006 - State AID Directors Workshop
Director Kelly was asked to give presentation to state HIV/AIDS directors from around the country on how to develop an HIV/AIDS Response Act for their states.