LOS ANGELES — Eric Paul Leue, the Free Speech Coalition’s executive director, was elected today to co-chair the Los Angeles County Commission on HIV’s Public Policy Committee.
The HIV Commission represents 50-some individuals originating from all sectors, geographies and populations of Los Angeles County. The commission, whose focus is to ensure access to healthcare, treatment and prevention options within the county, advises the Board of Supervisors as a community advisory mechanism for HIV-related matters.
Leue will co-chair its Public Policy Committee, which is charged with advocating and initiating policy relative to HIV services and prevention. Leue has been an appointed commissioner with the group since 2014.
The Public Policy Committee reports its findings and makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on issues that could affect HIV/STI healthcare, treatment and prevention.
Leue told XBIZ that he joined the HIV Commission in 2014, after seeing "the rise in dangerous anti-scientific rhetoric against new prevention options like PrEP and similar rhetorical attacks on sex workers and other marginalized groups."
"I only moved to the U.S. in 2013 but have been dedicated to raising awareness about HIV/STIs since I was 18," Leue said. "If we are serious about improving health outcomes, we need to give affected populations a voice and work with them on solutions that make sense for their lives.
"I felt that as a community stakeholder representative on the HIV Commission I could help effect that change."
Pictured: Eric Paul Leue
