HIV/AIDS LONG-TERM SURVIVOR * YOUTH EDUCATION * ADVOCACY * ACTIVISM * RESOURCES
Houston, Texas - United States
the Campaign to END AIDS (C2EA)
The Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA)
In 2005, I had the honor of helping lead one of the most powerful grassroots movements of my lifetime—the Campaign to End AIDS. C2EA wasn’t just about policy papers or polite conversations in back rooms. It was about bodies on the line, banners in the air, and voices demanding justice.
Our Goal
To end the AIDS pandemic by increasing political will so that scientific tools and treatments weren’t just locked up in labs or for the privileged—they were available to everyone, everywhere.
Our Approach
C2EA was built from the ground up—state by state, city by city, person by person. We mobilized both seasoned HIV/AIDS advocates and fresh voices stepping into activism for the first time. Together, we formed a national movement with one message: Enough is enough.
Key Demands
- Universal access to HIV treatment and care.
- Science-based prevention strategies rooted in truth, not stigma.
- Increased funding for research.
- An end to the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.
- Global solidarity—because AIDS has no borders.
What We Did
In October 2005, we converged on Washington, D.C. for five unforgettable days of action:
- Rallies and lobbying visits that shook the halls of Congress.
- Caravans traveling from every corner of the country (I literally drove one of them—the Northern Tier Caravan—van packed with warriors, banners, and pure grit).
- A national organizing summit to sharpen our strategies.
- A concert on the Mall that gave joy and power back to the people.
- A prayer breakfast reminding us of faith, resilience, and community.
Who We Were
We weren’t lobbyists or politicians—we were people living with HIV/AIDS, caregivers, loved ones, and allies who refused to stay silent. I’ll never forget standing shoulder to shoulder with my brothers and sisters, veins bulging mid-speech, roaring at the top of my lungs for justice. Those moments nearly killed me with passion, but they also gave me life.
C2EA showed the world that ending AIDS isn’t just about medicine—it’s about willpower, courage, and the relentless voices of those who refuse to disappear. We carried banners, we carried each other, and we carried the fight. And I’m proud to say: I was there, and I will never stop speaking that truth.
silence = death
A new campaign seeks to empower AIDS activism by organizing networks in every U.S. state and territory; already it has trained at least 100 volunteers. Seven caravans will travel to Washington, DC to raise awareness across the country, and take part in five days of action in Washington, October 8-12, 2005.
Exercise while living and thriving WITH HIV/AIDS
movement is good medicine!
work out for QUALITY, not quantity of life!
work out for QUALITY, not quantity of life!
Long-term HIV/AIDS survivor, Bob Bowers, exercising at the gym with dumbbells.
work out for QUALITY, not quantity of life!
work out for QUALITY, not quantity of life!
work out for QUALITY, not quantity of life!
Exercising while living with HIV/AIDS for the last 42-years has been such good medicine for my body, mind, and soul. Exercise doesn't guarantee quantity of life, but it certainly improves the quality of your life.
Move it or lose it!
THE CAMPAIGN TO END AIDS (C2EA)
ACT UP - fight back
end the waiting lists for hiv medication
ACT UP - fight back
We carried banners that still live today: ACT UP. FIGHT BACK. END AIDS.
silence = death
end the waiting lists for hiv medication
ACT UP - fight back
Silence = Death. Action = Life
end the waiting lists for hiv medication
end the waiting lists for hiv medication
end the waiting lists for hiv medication
We were a coalition of survivors, advocates, caregivers, and families demanding an end to stigma and inequality.
youth need the truth
youth need the truth
end the waiting lists for hiv medication
We can help you plan and execute successful events that will help you engage with your target audience and achieve your business goals.
healthcare for all
youth need the truth
healthcare for all
History isn’t just written in laws—it’s written in the streets where people refused to be silent.
end aids
youth need the truth
healthcare for all
We weren’t lobbyists. We were warriors with nothing left to lose—and everything left to fight for.
straight men living with hiv/aids
📢 EDUCATING WHILE SLAYING STIGMA
What You Think You Know About HIV Is Wrong — Meet a Straight Long-Term Survivor Who’s Lived It All
Exercise living with hiv/aids
Strength is survival. My workouts are more than fitness — they’re a message: You can live a full, fired-up life with HIV.
HIV long-term survivor Bob bowers
Over four decades living with HIV — and still riding strong. I’m not just surviving, I’m showing up, breaking stereotypes, and shifting gears in the fight against stigma.
the Campaign to END AIDS (C2EA)
Key Aspects of (C2EA)
- Goal:To end the AIDS pandemic by increasing political will to make existing scientific tools and treatments available to everyone who needs them.
- Approach:C2EA was a grassroots effort focused on building state-level networks and mobilizing both new and experienced HIV/AIDS activists.
- Key Demands:
- Universal access to HIV treatment and care.
- Science-based HIV prevention strategies.
- Increased funding for research.
- An end to the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.
- Activities:The campaign organized national actions in October 2005, including:
- Rallies and lobbying visits in Washington, D.C.
- Caravans traveling to the nation's capital from various parts of the country.
- A national organizing summit.
- A concert on the Mall.
- A prayer breakfast.
- Key Players:The movement involved a diverse coalition of people living with HIV/AIDS, advocates, care providers, and concerned citizens.
C2EA aimed to bridge the gap between scientific advancements and political action, arguing that the tools to end the epidemic already existed but the commitment from leadership was lacking
silence = death
A new campaign seeks to empower AIDS activism by organizing networks in every U.S. state and territory; already it has trained at least 100 volunteers. Seven caravans will travel to Washington, DC to raise awareness across the country, and take part in five days of action in Washington, October 8-12, 2005.
NO SHAME! NO SURRENDER!
Bob's life story
long-term hiv survivor Bob Bowers
long-term hiv survivor Bob Bowers
I lived this shit. For decades, I’ve spoken to youth, to crowds, to anyone who would listen—not because I wanted recognition, but because I had to. Because HIV/AIDS wasn’t just some distant crisis to me; it was my life. My reality. My battle.
~ Bob Bowers
long-term hiv survivor Bob Bowers
long-term hiv survivor Bob Bowers
long-term hiv survivor Bob Bowers
I’m not just living with HIV—I survived the ‘80s.
Back when a diagnosis was a death sentence and hope was in short supply, I kept breathing, fighting, rising.
42 years later, I’m still here—proof that strength outlives stigma.
Bob Bowers' Tattoos
long-term hiv survivor Bob Bowers
Bob Bowers' Tattoos
My tattoos speak when I can’t.
They carry the names, the battles, the prayers, and the promises.
Each one marks a moment—of pain, purpose, faith, and fight.
They remind me where I’ve been, what I’ve lost, and who I refuse to become. This skin is my armor, my journal, my battle flag.
