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Dear Friends,
As summer winds down, our focus turns to a milestone event: Our 20th Annual Asbestos Awareness and Prevention Conference (AAPC), on September 12–13, 2025, in New York City. This year’s theme, “Building on Dr. Selikoff’s Legacy in Asbestos Science, Prevention & Justice,” underscores our shared commitment to advancing research, prevention, and policy. It is more important now than ever before to come together in a united front in the name of asbestos prevention. If you’re as excited for the conference as we are, you can learn more about our speakers, sponsors, and honorees in our new 7-week blog series: Meet the Speakers.
The conference will bring together more than 30 world-renowned experts who, over the course of two days, will share cutting-edge information about asbestos-related diseases, exposure prevention, and justice for affected communities.
Conference Highlights:
- Friday, September 12
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4:30 PM – Candlelight Vigil at the World Trade Center Memorial
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6:00 PM – ADAO Awards Dinner, honoring leaders in asbestos prevention and policy, with a special performance by ADAO spokesperson Jordan Zevon
- Saturday, September 13
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9:00 AM – 5:00 PM – Full-Day Academic Conference at Mount Sinai Hospital, featuring dynamic sessions and keynote presentations
During the conference, we will re-release our powerful book, Shared Stories: How Asbestos Impacted Our Lives Forever, which features over 200 personal journeys from individuals and families whose lives have been forever changed by asbestos. Their voices remind us why our work matters and why we will not stop fighting. I was also able to sit down with Ray Nye, the devoted husband of our dear friend and Mesothelioma Warrior, Mavis Nye, to present him with a copy of the Shared Stories Book. Read more in the blog: Shared Stories, Lasting Friendships: Lunch with Ray Nye in Honor of Mavis and Our Community.
This year’s conference location is also a stark reminder that people are still suffering the aftermath of 9/11 asbestos debris. We reflect on this sobering truth in our blog, “A Quarter Century Later, the Truth Matters More than Ever: Why NYC’s Ground Zero Toxin Investigation is a Turning Point for Banning Asbestos,” which we’ll dig into at the conference. These discussions will inspire stronger advocacy as we continue to push for the passage of the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now (ARBAN) Act of 2025.
Looking ahead, please mark your calendars for the 17th Annual Alton Miles for Meso Race on September 20, 2025, benefiting ADAO in honor of Mesothelioma Awareness Day. Additionally, learn more about ADAO’s team captain for the event here. This event, sponsored by Simmons Hanly Conroy LLP, highlights and uplifts our Mesothelioma Warrior community. Join the ADAO Ban Asbestos Now Team, led by Penny Major, and be part of the change.
I also want to highlight our recent advocacy victory: the EPA’s withdrawal of its motion to delay asbestos rule review, a direct result of our collective opposition. This victory proves that when we unite, we make a difference.
A special thank you to our generous 2025 Conference Sponsors:
As we celebrate two decades of relentless advocacy, education, and community building, I am reminded that together, we are stronger. Whether you attend in person, support virtually, or share our resources, your involvement fuels our mission to prevent exposure and eliminate asbestos-caused diseases.
Thank you for standing with us.
With gratitude and determination,
Linda Reinstein
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