The Ontario AIDS Network (OAN) stands in solidarity with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples and with Two-Spirit, trans, and gender-diverse community members during Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week (IAAW), observed each year beginning on World AIDS Day. This week is a time to honour Indigenous leadership, recognize the strength and resilience of communities, and reaffirm our shared commitment to ending HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
We acknowledge the ongoing impacts of colonialism, systemic racism, intergenerational trauma, and inequitable access to healthcare, all of which contribute to disproportionate HIV outcomes for Indigenous Peoples. These experiences reflect longstanding failures in health and social systems that have been clearly documented in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.
In this context, Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week is not only about HIV, but it is also about advancing reconciliation in practical, concrete ways. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action on health and justice remind all of us, including HIV-sector organizations, of our responsibility to support Indigenous self-determination, uphold the right to equitable, culturally safe care, and address the legacy and ongoing reality of colonial policies and practices.
The OAN is committed to aligning our work more deeply with the Calls to Action by supporting Indigenous-led HIV and harm reduction initiatives, amplifying Indigenous knowledge and leadership within the sector, and advocating for systems that are accountable to Indigenous communities. This includes encouraging our member organizations to integrate cultural safety, trauma-informed approaches, and anti-racist practice into all aspects of HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and support.
Recently, the OAN hosted an Indigenizing and Decolonizing the Workplace gathering, bringing together Indigenous leaders, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community workers to share teachings on how organizations can move beyond symbolic gestures and into meaningful change. Participants spoke about centring Indigenous voices in decision-making, recognizing and addressing power imbalances, creating safer spaces for Indigenous staff and service users, and honouring Two-Spirit and gender-diverse leadership as essential to this work. The insights from this event continue to inform how we support our network to challenge colonial structures, build culturally grounded practices, and create workplaces that reflect Indigenous values, strengths, and laws.
Not just during Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week, but throughout the year, we call on partners, service providers, and allies to deepen their commitment to reconciliation by building and sustaining relationships with Indigenous communities, supporting Indigenous-led HIV and harm reduction initiatives, and embedding cultural safety, humility, and accountability into everyday practice.
OAN expresses deep gratitude to Indigenous leaders, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ community members, community workers, and people living with HIV whose strength, courage, and guidance continue to shape our shared path forward. We remain committed to walking alongside Indigenous communities in advancing health equity, cultural safety, and meaningful, lasting change.
