The Difference That Makes a Difference: Dawn Averitt at TEDxCharlottesville 2013

Dawn Averitt is a change maker. As a strategic visionary, activist, founder of non-profit organizations, projects and initiatives, and as speaker and adventurer, Averitt makes things happen. For the past 20 years, Averitt has been a leader in the fight against HIV and AIDS, specifically as the disease impacts women and girls.



In 2002, Averitt founded The Well Project (www.thewellproject.org), with her brother Richard, to change the course of the AIDS pandemic by focusing on treatment and prevention for women. In 2003, she launched a think tank that became the Women's Research Initiative on HIV/AIDS to work for "more, better, faster" research in women. Averitt was the driving force behind The Grace Study, the first HIV treatment study to successfully enroll predominantly women, largely people of color.



As an advocate for social justice for people living with HIV and AIDS, Averitt has developed programs to increase awareness, accelerate testing, provide access to treatment, disseminate information and expand clinical trials. She has received awards and accolades over the years and is frequently featured in the media. In July 2007, Averitt received a Women Leading Global Change Award from the World YWCA for her leadership in the HIV/AIDS pandemic and in 2010 was named one of the top 100 most influential AIDS activists by POZmagazine. She was appointed to serve on the President's Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS in 2010. In July 2012, Averitt led the first National HIV Awareness Month in the United States. Averitt is passionate about travel, her family and ending AIDS.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

CREDITS:
Animations: www.joanhtobias.com
Film & Staging: www.theavcompany.net
Editing: MC2 Creative