Distinguished Service Award to Cornelius Baker
Presented by GLAA President Kevin Davis
GLAA 34th Anniversary ReceptionRadisson Barcelo Hotel
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Greetings--
My name is Kevin Davis - I have the honor of serving as GLAA President. Congratulations to all GLAA Distinguished Service Awardees - well deserved.
I now have the pleasure of recognizing an individual who has served The Washington, DC Community over 20 years as a most effective and accomplished educator, advocate, leader and fundraiser for HIV/AIDS awareness, treatment and policy issues. I am speaking of Cornelius Baker.
Cornelius has served on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services panel on clinical practices in HIV treatment, the U.S. Public Health Service/Infectious Disease Society of America's Working Group on the Prevention of Opportunistic Infections, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on HIV/AIDS.
He has served as an aide to D.C. Councilmember Carol Schwartz; as Confidential Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the National AIDS Program Office.
I recently asked Cornelius what inspired him to become such a strong HIV/AIDS advocate?
His Reply: "simply put gay men were dying. I moved to Washington, DC in 1982, attended
Whitman Walker Clinic first AIDS Forum at the Lisner Auditorium and began fundraising.
Ladies and gentlemen the rest is history."
Cornelius has also served as policy director 1992-1996 and executive director 1996-1999 for the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA). He most recently served as executive director of Whitman Walker Clinic 1999-2004.
What is your proudest moment?
Cornelius replied: "Working with Brother Help Thyself really helped
build community and build lifelong friendships. And the AIDS WALK 2001 just six weeks
after 9/11 "We energized ourselves and our mission and did not let people with AIDS down."
Cornelius Baker is an extraordinary advocate who when called upon steps up to the challenge and gives it his all. Our community is fortunate to have Cornelius' stalwart efforts. We in GLAA could not imagine a greater ally and friend.
With great appreciation I present GLAA's Distinguished Service Award for 2005 to Cornelius Baker.
