Jack Mackenroth, a former contestant on the hit reality television series Project Runway and HIV Plus magazine’s January/February 2008 cover story subject, will launch a national HIV education campaign this weekend called Living Positive by Design in partnership with community organizations across the country.

The launch event will take place September 20 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and in conjunction with the U.S. Conference on AIDS, sponsored by the National Minority AIDS Council.

The campaign seeks to help combat the stigma associated with HIV by engaging people in thoughtful conversation about the condition.

“I am excited to be launching Living Positive by Design in partnership with organizations that are committed to improving the lives of people living with HIV,” Mackenroth said in a press release. “Through Living Positive by Design, I will be speaking about my experiences living with HIV for nearly 20 years, addressing the stigma still associated with the disease, and highlighting the importance for people living with HIV to have a positive outlook on life while effectively managing their disease.”

Additional speakers at the Living Positive by Design launch event will include Gerald Pierone, executive director of the AIDS Research and Treatment Center of the Treasure Coast, Fort Pierce, Fla., who will discuss the current landscape of HIV treatment and the future of HIV research, as well as representatives from prominent HIV and AIDS community organizations, including the National Minority AIDS Council, SisterLove, and Care Resource, who will share updates on their organizations’ national and local HIV initiatives.

The campaign and launch event are supported by drugmaker Merck.

“One of the goals of Living Positive by Design is to educate people living with HIV that lowering the amount of virus in their blood to an undetectable level and boosting their immune response are priorities for disease management,” said Pierone in the press release. “In addition to this, with new advancements in HIV treatment, physicians should also factor in the tolerability of treatment regimens and consider their patients’ quality of life.”

After the campaign launch, Living Positive by Design will continue to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS during the next several months through events in Houston, New York City, San Francisco, and Atlanta.

For additional information on Living Positive by Design and participating cities, visit www.myspace.com/livingpositivebydesign.