NMAC adds VaShawn Mitchell, podcast guests and app for 2026 USCHA

NMAC unveiled new performers, speakers and attendee tools for the 2026 United States Conference on HIV/AIDS, set for Sept. 16-20 in Anaheim. The additions are timed to USCHA’s 45th anniversary and include a closing performance by VaShawn Mitchell, live podcast recordings and a new conference app.

Why it matters: - USCHA is the nation’s largest HIV-focused community gathering, so new programming and attendee tools can shape how advocates, officials and community members connect at a milestone 45th-anniversary event. - The conference is designed to spotlight HIV advocacy, community power and public health priorities at a time when engagement across affected communities remains central to the movement.

What happened: - NMAC announced new performers, speakers, special programming and attendee experiences for the 2026 United States Conference on HIV/AIDS in Anaheim, California, from Sept. 16-20. - VaShawn Mitchell will perform during the conference’s closing plenary on Sunday, Sept. 20. - The closing program, “Sunday’s Best,” will include NMAC CEO Harold Phillips, Dr. Cary L. Goodman of The Balm In Gilead, Inc., Dr. Geri R. Donenberg of the NIH Office of AIDS Research and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. - NMAC added new guests to “The Playbook,” a live recorded podcast hosted by Malachi Stewart. - NMAC is also launching the official 2026 USCHA mobile app for attendees.

The details: - Mitchell is a Chicago native best known for “Nobody Greater,” a gospel hit that spent nine weeks on Billboard’s Gospel Songs chart and earned two Grammy nominations. - Mitchell has won seven Stellar Awards and multiple GMA Dove Awards over a career spanning more than two decades. - “The Playbook” guests will include Tré Melvin, Miss Lawrence, Hope Giselle and Dr. Dora Martinez. - The podcast will feature candid conversations about sex positivity, community power, Black queer visibility, HIV advocacy and other issues shaping communities today. - The podcast is part of the conference theme, “United & Unbreakable: The HIV Movement at 45.” - Seating for the live recording will be limited, and NMAC said additional details on recording times, locations and audience registration will be announced later. - The USCHA app lets attendees explore programming, build personalized schedules, access event information and receive conference updates. - The app is available on Apple App and Google Play. - USCHA will also offer press access to keynote speakers, federal officials, community advocates and people living with HIV, along with plenary sessions, special programs, live podcast recordings and the exhibit hall. - Interview requests and press credentialing can be coordinated through NMAC’s Strategy Office at media@nmac.org. - Organizations interested in sponsoring or exhibiting can view opportunities at sponsorship and exhibit information.

Between the lines: - NMAC is using the 45th anniversary theme to widen the conference’s appeal beyond traditional plenary sessions and into culture-driven programming, digital tools and live media content. - The mix of entertainment, advocacy voices and policy-facing guests suggests USCHA is positioning itself as both a convening space and a public-facing platform for HIV movement visibility.

What's next: - NMAC said more details on “The Playbook” recording schedule, locations and audience registration will be released later. - Attendees can download the conference app now and use it to prepare for the September conference. - Press and exhibitors can follow up with NMAC as USCHA approaches in Anaheim.

The bottom line: - NMAC is expanding USCHA with a celebrity performance, live podcast programming and a new app as the conference marks 45 years of the HIV movement.