Raniyah Copeland, after less than a year in the position.The Los Angeles-based organization focuses on HIV education, prevention, and treatment among African-Americans, a group disproportionately affected by HIV.In a letter to the institute’s stakeholders and community on August 20, the chair of BAI's board, Grazell Howard, wrote, “Raniyah Copeland no longer serves as our chief executive officer.” There appears to be no current or interim CEO of the organization.HIV advocates, including several current or former BAI board members and former CEO Phill Wilson, responded by creating a petition on Change.org last week.
They condemned the dismissal of Copeland and demanded the current BAI board resign.“For 22 years, the Black AIDS Institute has.