Stand Against AIDS loves Portland, Maine

Bossie addresses crowd at City Hall

The Northeastern caravan kick-off couldn’t have been better. Thanks to the fantastic organizing of Maine AIDS Alliance’s Andy Bossie; and Jeannemarie Celentano of the Frannie Peabody Center, a crowd of 70-strong turned up at at rally at Portland City Hall this morning to call for a National AIDS Strategy. Candidates running for office, the Portland DOH, people with AIDS, providers and tons of community-based organizers were all there, and the energy was high. Nearly all of Portland’s news outlets were in attendance.

And it wasn’t just preaching to the choir. A passersby asked, “What is HIV?” and C2EA organizer Larry Bryant explained. When the man understood about the deadly disease, he replied, “Someone’s got to do something about that!”

Everyone was supportive of the caravan coming through, even allowing caravan leader Dennis Weakley to park his car on the sidewalk. Thanks to Portland for some good-old New England hospitality!
Next stop for the Northeastern caravan is Boston!