Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958 or Jack Deacy (212) 788-2969
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani announced today that New York City will again host Poz Life Expo, the world's first quality-of-life consumer fair for people living with AIDS and HIV, which was first staged last year at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Based on the success of last year's Life Expo in New York City, the event has now scheduled a national tour in several other major cities throughout the country. This year's New York City event will be held on Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31 at the Javits Convention Center.
"New York City is proud to have hosted the first Poz Life Expo in 1996 and we welcome this important event back here this year," Mayor Giuliani said. "We are even prouder that the Life Expo will now travel to other major American cities where people with AIDS and HIV, their families, friends, caregivers and health professionals can take advantage of the broad array of services and products. The information and services available from the exhibitors at Poz Life Expo can assist people with AIDS and HIV to be active, healthy and well informed."
Joining Mayor Giuliani at a City Hall press conference were Sean Strub, Publisher and Executive Editor of Poz Magazine, the sponsor of the Expo; Steven Levenberg, of Robert Donnell Productions, who will produce the Life Expo National Tour; and Ronald Johnson, the Mayor's AIDS Policy Coordinator.
Like other trade shows, Poz Life Expos bring businesses that market products used by people with HIV/AIDS together with potential consumers. Exhibitors will include marketers of pharmaceutical products, nutritional services and travel, financial and information services used by people with HIV and AIDS, caregivers, and health and social service professionals.
"Nearly one million Americans are living with HIV, and they are informed, active consumers of a wide range of products, from prescription drugs to natural foods," said Sean Strub, organizer of the Expos and Publisher and Executive Editor of Poz Magazine. "The Poz Life Expos provide a wealth of information for people with HIV, and allow marketers and information providers to meet directly with the people they are trying to reach."
"As the Mayor's AIDS Policy Coordinator and a person living with HIV infection, I am proud of the Mayor's support of and the City's interest in the Poz Life Expo," Ronald Johnson said. "It sends a very important message that many of us living with HIV infection continue to be productive citizens who can contribute to the life of our City. Life Expo will help us to keep on contributing."
Last year's first Poz Life Expo at the Javits Center drew 7,000 consumers, including visitors from around the United States and overseas, as well as 140 exhibitors, including American Airlines, Gerber and Merck. The success of the event prompted the event's organizers to schedule Expos in five other major U.S. cities. The Expos will be held in Houston (April 25-26), New York City (May 30-31), Washington DC (September 5-6), Atlanta (October 17-18), Chicago (October 24-25) and Los Angeles (November 14-15). Over 125 exhibitors are expected at each event.
New York City is also home to Poz Magazine, which was founded four years ago to enhance the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS. It has a circulation of more than 90,000.