Finding Aid to the Women's AIDS Network (WAN) Records, 1985-1992 MSS 95-04
Finding Aid written by Julia Bazar
Funding for processing this collection was provided by The National Historical Records and Publications Commission
University of California, San Francisco Archives & Special Collections
© 2007
530 Parnassus Ave
Room 524
San Francisco, CA 94143-0840
libraryarchives@ucsf.edu
Contributing Institution:
University of California, San Francisco Archives & Special Collections
Title: Women's AIDS Network (WAN) records
Creator:
Women's AIDS Network
Identifier/Call Number: MSS 95-04
Physical Description:
1 carton
1.25
Date (inclusive): 1985-1992
Abstract: This collection contains minutes, correspondence, drafts and published articles, bylaws, and other legal documents illustrating
the work of the Women's AIDS Network (WAN) from 1986-1992. WAN was the first women's organization among the community service
organizations that sprung up around the AIDS crisis.
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's online catalog:
http://www.library.ucsf.edu/ .
Language of Material: Collection materials are in English
General
- Finding Aid Written By:
- Julia Bazar
- Date Completed:
- April 2007
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the Library & Center for Knowledge Management. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Archives & Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Library & Center for Knowledge Management as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Women's AIDS Network (WAN) Records, MSS 95-04, The UCSF Library and Center for Knowledge Management,
Archives and Special Collections, University of California, San Francisco.
Alternate Forms Available
There are no alternate forms of this collection.
Related Collections
MSS 2000-06 Nancy (Shaw) Stoller Papers
MSS 94-60 San Francisco AIDS Foundation Records
MSS 96-31 Angie Lewis Papers
Acquisition Information
The Women's AIDS Network (WAN) Records were donated to the library in 1995.
System of Arrangement
Arranged to the folder level.
Processing Information
Julia Bazar, June 2005
Organizational History
The Women's AIDS Network (WAN) was informally established in June of 1983 at the second National AIDS Forum in Denver. In
March of 1984, women involved in AIDS services in the Bay Area began meeting as a support group. From this initial support
group, WAN evolved into an advocacy organization and informational resource, both for women affected by HIV and for the providers
who serve them. WAN provided a forum for information exchange among members who included women in the medical, mental health,
and social services fields, along with community activists and social and political advocates and women living with HIV. WAN
held regular information sharing meetings for Bay Area members and sent regular informational mailings to members.
WAN sponsored major educational forums and numerous speaking engagements; advocated and organized to support a legislative
climate responsive to HIV-affected women's needs; provided informal technical assistance and review to other agencies; distributed
information worldwide in response to hundreds of direct requests; developed a model policy on perinatal AIDS antibody testing;
sponsored social events; and maintained a resource library and referral service. WAN advocated for public policies, educational
materials, and comprehensive services for all HIV-affected women, including women with children, women of all ethnic and economic
backgrounds and sexual preferences, women working in the sex industry, and incarcerated women. A special Women's Fund provided
small grants to women living with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco. Still, in their own words WAN was "foremost, ... a support network
for our members." Members of note include: Sue Williams, treasurer; Eileen Hansen, 1995 Board President; Susyn Almond, 1992
Board President; Angie Lewis (UCSF - Nursing School); Gloria Lockett (CAL-PEP); Ruth Schwartz (AIDS Foundation); Nancy Stoller
(UC Santa Cruz); Moher Downing (PHEDRA); Elise Parker (Consortium); Barbara Garcia (CPC Board); and J. D. Bensen (AHP), some
of whom are mentioned in the collection.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection contains minutes, correspondence, bylaws, grant information, project files, and educational files of the San
Francisco chapter of the Women's AIDS Network (WAN). WAN started out meeting under the auspices of the San Francisco AIDS
Foundation and then reorganized as its own non-profit agency. This collection documents the activities of this organization
from its founding in 1984 through 1991, with a few documents from 1992. Additional information on WAN, through 1998, can be
found in the Nancy Shaw Stoller Papers (MS 2000-06).
These records document early and continuing advocacy work for women with HIV infection. WAN activities represented in this
collection include: development and dissemination of educational materials, consulting, and advising other agencies and non-profits
on the needs of HIV positive women, including creating a model policy statement on perinatal AIDS antibody testing.
The first four folders contain bylaws and other structure documents, as well as the "Relationship with San Francisco AIDS
Foundation" folder and correspondence. Minutes of the monthly meeting often include flyers for events, articles, and other
materials of interest. A membership list is included with the July 1986 minutes, and attendance sheets with names and organizations
can be found with many of the later minutes. The October 1986 minutes include an article, "Women and AIDS" by Julie Murphy.
A program for the National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference can be found with the September 1987 minutes.
Testimony to the Democratic Party Platform Meeting can be found with both the December 1987 minutes and the "Testimony of
WAN Members" folder later in the collection. Other material in that folder includes testimony to the SF Human Rights Commission
[and an unidentified piece]. Two more folders document WAN's suggestions to the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
WAN's Legislative activities are represented by the Legislative Summary with the February 1988 minutes, as well as the "Legislative
and Public Policy" folder with the correspondence.
Financial information includes a folder from the Finance Committee and grant requests. The first folder of RWJ Foundation
grant request includes the original Letters of Support; the copies that were attached to the actual application are found
in the second folder. WAN's own small grant program, the Special Women's Fund, is represented by a single page describing
the project. The articles and information files consist primarily of copies of journal and magazine articles, but some files
also include original information. There are also a few folders of information on other WAN chapters/WAN activities in other
cities and other related Women's and AIDS organizations. These organizations include Perinatal HIV Reduction and Education
Demonstration Activity (PHREDA), a project associated with WAN member Moher Downing, flyers for Project AWARE, and educational
materials from the Women's Action Alliance.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
AIDS (Disease) in women--United States
AIDS (Disease)--Social aspects
AIDS( Disease)--Political aspects
AIDS (Disease)--Patients--Services for
AIDS (Disease)--Law and legislation
Women's AIDS Network. San Francisco
carton 1, folder 1
"Strategizing and Structure" - founding and review of purpose documents
1984-1988,
1990
carton 1, folder 2
Structure Committee
1988,
undated
carton 1, folder 5-47
Membership Meeting Minutes
carton 1, folder 5
September, October, December 1984
carton 1, folder 6
February - October, December 1985
carton 1, folder 8
February - March, May - September 1986
carton 1, folder 45
January - March, May - December 1990
carton 1, folder 48
Board Meeting Minutes
February - April 1992
carton 1, folder 49
Membership Retreats
1988-1991
carton 1, folder 50
Board Nominations
1986-1988
carton 1, folder 51
Board Election - Final Ballots
1988
carton 1, folder 53
Meeting Time Survey
January, 1988
carton 1, folder 54
Official
1986-1990,
undated
carton 1, folder 56
Relationship with San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF)
1987
carton 1, folder 57
Cross-Cultural Training - Polaris Research and Development
1988
carton 1, folder 58
Legislative and Public Policy Correspondence
1988
carton 1, folder 59
Descriptive Literature
1991,
undated
carton 1, folder 60
Policy Statement - Perinatal HIV Antibody Testing
1988
carton 1, folder 61
Testimony of WAN Members
1986-1987
carton 1, folder 62
Input to San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) Reports
1986,
1987
carton 1, folder 63
SFDPH - Five Year Plan Questionnaire
1987
carton 1, folder 65
Special Women's Fund
1992
carton 1, folder 68-69
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2 folders)
1988
carton 1, folder 70
Administrative Assistant Job Description
1989
carton 1, folder 71
Resources for HIV Positive Women
undated
carton 1, folder 72-73
Women and HIV Resource Materials Packets
carton 1, folder 75
Photographic Shows and Cleis Press Call for Submissions
1987
carton 1, folder 76-87
Articles/Information Files
carton 1, folder 76
Breastfeeding - What are the Choices
1987
carton 1, folder 77
Childcare Issues and AIDS
1987
carton 1, folder 78
AIDS in Children (technical)
1986
carton 1, folder 79
Perinatal Transmission - Mother & Infant
1987
carton 1, folder 80
Pregnancy and AIDS (Question and Answer)
1987
carton 1, folder 81
Prostitutes and AIDS
1987
carton 1, folder 82
AIDS and Lesbians
1986-1991
carton 1, folder 83
Impact of AIDS on Women
1986-1987
carton 1, folder 84
AIDS and Women at Risk
1987-1991
carton 1, folder 85
Women and AIDS Books
1988,
1990
carton 1, folder 86
Health Care Workers and Their Patients
1986
carton 1, folder 87
Family Planning Clinics and AIDS
1986
carton 1, folder 88-90
Other WAN chapters/activities
carton 1, folder 88
Sacramento, California
1986,
undated
carton 1, folder 89
Seattle, Washington (Health Information Network)
1988
carton 1, folder 90
New York and New Jersey
1987
carton 1, folder 91
PHREDA (Perinatal HIV Reduction and Education Demonstration Activity)
undated
carton 1, folder 92
Project AWARE (Association for Women's AIDS Research and Education), UCSF at San Francisco General
1989,
undated
carton 1, folder 93
Women's Action Alliance - Educational Materials (Catalog)
1988
