Media Contact:
Joe Hui
Director of Communications
jhui@aplahealth.org
213.201.1342
10.3.2023
In response to the passing of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died on September 29th, APLA Health CEO Craig E. Thompson issued the following statement:
“Last week, we lost an ally and longtime LGBTQ+ advocate. Sen. Feinstein fought long and hard to raise awareness of the AIDS epidemic in Congress and worked tirelessly to promote legislation protecting our community. We are comforted by the fact that Laphonza Butler will follow in her legendary footsteps when she reports to the Senate. Butler brings a unique and multidimensional perspective to the table, and we are excited to see her stand up at the national level.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom chose Laphonza Butler to fill Sen. Feinstein’s seat on October 1st. Butler will be the first Black lesbian to serve in Congress and the first openly LGBTQ+ senator to serve from California.
Throughout her career, Laphonza Butler has been a strong voice for working families, LGBTQ+ rights and a champion for increasing the number of women in elected office. Butler was also named a “Champion of Change” by President Barack Obama.
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APLA Health restores dignity and trust within underserved communities by providing world-class LGBTQ+ empowering healthcare, support services, and HIV specialty care. Since 1983, APLA Health has remained steadfast in its commitment to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic in our lifetime. The agency is a multi-site operation includes eight Federally Qualified health Center (FQHC) locations, serving more than 18,000 people annually in Los Angeles County, the nation’s most populous. We provide 20 different services including: medical, dental, behavioral health and HIV specialty care; PrEP counseling and management; health education and HIV prevention; and STD screening and treatment. For people living with HIV, we offer housing support; benefits counseling; home healthcare; and the Vance North Necessities of Life Program food pantries; among several other critically needed services. Additionally, we are leaders in advocating for policy and legislation that positively impact the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities and conduct community-based research on issues affecting the communities we serve. For more information on APLA Health visit https://aplahealth.org.
