The growing resurgence in ACT UP, this summer's International AIDS conference, and the growing conversation around HIV Criminalization made 2012 a watershed year for HIV remerging in the American public’s consciousness. Over a few blog posts Visual AIDS will look back at pivotal moments of AIDS in culture 2012. Email us what you think at info@visualaids.org.

AIDS Comes to Washington.

With the Obama administration's lifting of the HIV travel ban, the US was once again able to host the international AIDS Conference. Thousands of activists, artists, scientists and other gathered in the national capital to learn, debate, and party. POZ Magazine had the AIDS Memorial Quilt on the National Lawn, a hub of social justice AIDS action groups created in the We Can End AIDS March, and through out the city there was readings, exhibitions and talks about HIV/AIDS. Visual AIDS had the pleasure of participating. Our highlights included:

• Working with curator John Chaich, and partner galleries Transformer and Fathom to bring the ReMixed Messages exhibition to DC. The show was included in a thoughtful article by Philip Kennicot in the Washington Post entitled AIDS at a Nexus.
  

• Participating in the “We Can End AIDS” march along with groups such as QUEEROCRACY, HIV-PJA,VOCAL and Housing Works. The march was also a highlight for our friend and activist Che Gosset who said, “It was so memorable and moving to be a part of that march. It addressed everything from the criminalization of sex work, to the war on drugs, criminalization of HIV/AIDS, and the travel entry ban on drug users and sex workers. And it was so many poor people of color who were there marching together to end AIDS and these injustices.”

• Screening Jim Hubbard’s United in Anger to an over capacity crowd in the Global Village. Conference attendee Joy Spencer, wrote this honest take on the film and the conference: Beyond IAC 2012
  

• Dancing at the No Pants No Problem dance party as presented by AIDS ACTION NOW.

And, while in Washington Visual AIDS was part of the reading of names in front of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, made possible through the Names Project and Poz Magazine . Nelson Santos wrote this touching piece for the blog:The Weight of Sweat and Tears