The National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) is a left-leaning nonprofit organization that seeks to insert race into discussions of HIV/AIDS-related issues and to address what it considers racial inequalities in HIV/AIDS treatment and outcomes. ¹

Background

NMAC was founded in 1987 in protest of the first American Public Health Association AIDS workshop that was held the prior year and did not include a non-white panelist. ² The founders included Paul Kawata, who remains executive director. ³

In 2018, Kawata described the Trump administration as a “very difficult time” while acknowledging having engaged in discussions with Trump administration officials. ⁴

Activities

NMAC conducts various programming, including education about HIV treatment; a fellowship for young professionals; and a capacity-building effort for HIV-positive people to play a greater role in the design of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program. ^{5 6 7}

Along with other left-leaning AIDS-focused organizations, NMAC criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to scale back the Affordable Care Act. ⁸ In 2023, NMAC joined more than 200 other organizations in a letter to retail giant Target, in support of Target continuing to sell LGBT-themed merchandise to children. ⁹ NMAC condemned the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. ¹⁰

Funding

The organization’s total funding jumped from less than $4 million in 2019 to more than $7 million in 2020 before falling to approximately $5.4 million in 2021. ¹¹ Executive director Paul Kawata’s compensation totaled more than $400,000 in 2021. ¹² The organization offers memberships, with standard individual membership starting at $125 per year; and organizational membership costing $2,500 annually for the largest organizations. ¹³

1. “Why NMAC Must Lead With Race.” NMAC leads with race, January 31, 2018. https://www.nmac.org/nmac-must-lead-race/.
2. Taylor, Stephanie A. “AIDS: National Minority AIDS Council Helps Minorities with HIV.” Windy City Times, November 30, 2011. https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/AIDS-National-Minority-AIDS-Council-helps-minorities-with-HIV/35012.html.
3. Taylor, Stephanie A. “AIDS: National Minority AIDS Council Helps Minorities with HIV.” Windy City Times, November 30, 2011. https://www.windycitytimes.com/lgbt/AIDS-National-Minority-AIDS-Council-helps-minorities-with-HIV/35012.html.
4. Williams, Joseph P. “The Fight Against AIDS Continues.” U.S. News and World Report, September 28, 2018. https://www.usnews.com/news/healthiest-communities/articles/2018-09-28/paul-kawata-of-the-nmac-on-the-continuing-fight-against-aids.
5. “Coalition for Justice and Equality Across Movements.” NMAC leads with race. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://www.nmac.org/programs/coalition-for-justice-and-equality-across-movements/.
6. “NextGen.” NMAC leads with race. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://www.nmac.org/programs/thecenter/youth/.
7. “ELEVATE.” NMAC leads with race. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://www.nmac.org/programs/thecenter/elevate/.
8. “HIV and STD Organizations Denounce Trump Administration’s Actions to Degrade the ACA.” AIDS United, October 13, 2017. https://aidsunited.org/hiv-and-std-organizations-denounce-trump-administrations-actions-to-degrade-the-aca/.
9. “BREAKING: Over 200 LGBTQ+ and Allied Organizations Call on Target, Business Community to Speak Out Against Extremist Anti-LGBTQ+ Attacks.” Human Rights Campaign, June 5, 2023. https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/breaking-over-200-lgbtq-and-allied-organizations-call-on-target-business-community-to-speak-out-against-extremist-anti-lgbtq-attacks.
10. Kawata, Paul. “NMAC Statement on Overturning of ‘Roe V. Wade.’” POZ, June 24, 2022. https://www.poz.com/blog/nmac-statement-overturning-roe-v-wade.
11. National Minority AIDS Council, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2021. Accessed October 15, 2023.

    https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521578289/202212879349301791/full.

12. National Minority AIDS Council, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2021. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521578289/202212879349301791/full.
13. “Membership.” NMAC leads with race. Accessed October 15, 2023. https://www.nmac.org/support/membership/.