​The Legacy Project works to increase the participation of African Americans and Hispanics in HIV prevention and treatment clinical research by building on the current efforts and successes of the ongoing HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) Legacy Project. We are committed to addressing the historic inequities to overcome the demographic and socio-economic disparities that threaten all Division of AIDS (DAIDS)-funded HIV clinical research and ultimately the communities and populations they serve. Extensive work on partnership and relationship development, both internal among DAIDS-funded networks and external will ensure that the work of the Legacy Project impacts DAIDS-funded HIV clinical research, while ensuring a commitment to capacity building and infrastructure development within the communities and populations most impacted by the domestic HIV epidemic.

The Legacy Project’s objectives are to build bridges of trust to overcome the misinformation that creates obstacles to research participation. To accomplish this objective it is necessary to address the abuse of people of color in research trials historically and build a new legacy of trust within these communities.

While the focus of the HVTN Legacy Project has been on vaccine trials, community commitment to fighting HIV is not limited to only one area of research. Building on the success of the HVTN Legacy Project and broadening the focus to all the DAIDS-funded HIV clinical trials networks amplifies the reach and efficacy of the Legacy Project. Additionally, due to the changing demographics of the HIV epidemic in the United States, it is more important than ever to enroll representative populations in all prevention and therapeutic trials. With HIV prevention trials likely incorporating multiple biomedical interventions, involving more than one network, including microbicides, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), vaccines, and/or behavioral interventions an all-inclusive and comprehensive approach is necessary.

The Legacy Project provides insight on the impact of historic health disparities, inequities and co-morbidities on HIV risk, and other diseases and co-infections that impact the US populations most impacted by the pandemic. The Legacy Project ensures continued efforts toward building collaborative relationships with community-based and national organizations in order to increase enrollment of African Americans and Latinos across all DAIDS-funded HIV clinical trials. The Legacy Project focuses on maintaining and developing relationships with key organizations/partners in and among the populations most impacted, private and public.

The Legacy Project has a national stakeholder engagement program which includes the following stakeholders groups: the Faith-based community, historical Civil Rights and political groups and organizations, social and fraternal organizations, academic institutions and professionals, diverse forms of media and the organizations and individuals that drive media, old and new, a host of professional and business organizations and individuals, and the arts and entertainment industry.

The Legacy Project collaborates with external and internal partners in development of creating culturally competent and responsive social marketing and other communication materials that enhance and support the current work of community education.