Michael Melendez. Photo courtesy of Simmons College.

Cheers to New England’s Bay Window newspaper for this article about AIDS activist, social worker and National Association of Social Workers member Michael Melendez.

Melendez, PHD, MSW, LICSW, a social work professor at Simmons College in Boston, for years has been at the forefront of educating the public about HIV/AIDS and providing medical and mental care for people afflicted with the disease.

Melendez was diagnosed with HIV 16 years ago. Although the disease is more manageable today it is not easy to live with, he said. People with HIV and AIDS must deal with not only physical ailments but the shock of discovering they are infected, depression, and rejection, he said.

“This fight is nowhere near over, not with 56,000 new infections every year,” he said.

NASW is committed to social justice for all. To learn more visit the NASW’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues Web page by clicking here. Social workers also help people with HIV/AIDS. To read more visit NASW’s “Help Starts Here” HIV/AIDS Web page by clicking here.