Waste of the Day: Mississippi Fought HIV With DEI
Topline: Mississippi has received $2.5 million from the federal government since 2021 to reduce HIV infections by 75% before the end of 2025, but the state will fail to meet its goal “barring a major reversal,” according to a recent report from State Auditor Shad White.
Questionable spending decisions were likely a factor. White found that three nonprofits that received $853,575 from the federal money have conducted only 35 HIV tests since 2021. Instead, the nonprofits spent money on a “diva brunch,” a “Queer-ceañera” pride event and more.
Key facts: The Mississippi Health Department told White their approach to fighting HIV was based on “justice-oriented” and “whole-health foundational” principles.
On that note, the state sent $378,000 to Love Inside for Everyone “to focus on LGBTQIA+ persons” with HIV. The nonprofit used some of the funds on monthly “themed brunches,” including the diva brunch. Mississippi also spent $4,000 on “event space rental” for the brunches — which were held at Metro 2.0, a nightclub owned by Love Inside for Everyone’s executive director.
Another nonprofit, the Immigrant Alliance for Justice and Equity, received almost $335,000 “to ensure the [HIV plan] is informed by Mississippians who are immigrants.” The Alliance did not administer even one HIV test, but it did spend $327 on beer and $725 on gift cards.
The Alliance also spent $18,000 to host a “Queer-ceañera” — a pun on “Quinceañera,” the traditional Hispanic celebration for a girl’s 15th birthday — described as a “Latinx pride month event that highlights LGBTQ Latinx and Indigenous community members.” The cost included $3,400 for employee travel expenses, $750 for a DJ and $1,000 for photography.
The nonprofit Love Me Unlimited 4 Life also did not administer a single HIV test, despite receiving almost $141,000 to “provide rapid HIV testing” for “Black Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Mississippians.”
The entire $141,000 was used for salary costs, though Love Me Unlimited never submitted timesheets to the Health Department. When the State Auditor tried to find the timesheets, the nonprofit claimed its office had closed down and its executive director was “out on sick leave until further notice.”
There were five other nonprofits with a similar focus on DEI and events that received federal funds through the HIV program.
Mississippi has the 7th-highest HIV infection rate among U.S. states. The rates have not decreased since the Health Department’s program began, according to the audit.
Background: State Health Officer Daniel Edney was the fourth-highest paid public employee in Mississippi in 2024 with a $280,500 salary, according to data obtained by Open the Books. Three other Health Department employees earned more than $200,000, and an additional 52 people made six figures.
Search all federal, state and local salaries and vendor spending with the world’s largest government spending database at OpenTheBooks.com.
Supporting quote: The Health Department said in a statement that it “takes the findings of State Auditor Shad White seriously and recognizes that there were issues in the oversight of certain grants related to HIV/AIDS prevention. We agree that the lapses identified are unacceptable and not reflective of our agency's standards or mission.”
Summary: There is not yet a vaccine to prevent or treat HIV, but it doesn’t take a medical expert to realize that brunches and parties are not a suitable replacement.
The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com
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