Amplify Issues - Hiv

February 7: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:37:00 -0500

by Trina Scott, Senior Program Manager, Young Women of Color Empowerment at Advocates for Youth

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a national HIV testing and treatment community mobilization initiative targeted at Blacks in the United States and the Diaspora. Watch the video below on how young people can get involved and protect themselves. We'll also be tweeting facts and resources throughout the day via #NBHAAD — follow us and retweet!

African Americans experience disproportionate rates of HIV and AIDS. In their lifetimes, 1 in 16 black men and 1 in 32 black women will be diagnosed with HIV; and African Americans make up 14% of the population but account for 44% of all new HIV infections.

Why the disproportionate rates?

According to the CDC:

"Blacks do not engage in more risky behavior than members of other racial/ethnic populations. Many of the factors that place blacks at higher risk for chronic diseases also place them at increased risk for HIV. For example, social and economic realities prevalent among blacks — such as higher levels of poverty, racial discrimination, limited access to health care and housing, and higher rates of incarceration — are associated with increased HIV risk."

In fact, studies have found that African Americans are more at risk for HIV and STIs even when they have the same or fewer risk behaviors.

So what will turn the HIV epidemic around for African Americans? It will take a combination of approaches. That's why there are four focal points of this year's NBHAAD: education, testing, involvement, and treatment.

"Educationally, the focus is to get Blacks educated about the basics of HIV/AIDS in their local communities. Testing is at the core of this initiative, as it is hoped that Blacks will mark February 7th of every year as their annual or bi-annual day to get tested for HIV. This is vital for those who are sexually active and those at high risk of contracting HIV. When it comes to community and organization leadership, getting Blacks involved to serve is another key focus. We need Black People from all walks of life, economic classes, literacy levels, shades and tones as well as small and large communities to get connected to the work happening on the ground in their local areas. Getting those living with HIV or recently-tested positive for the virus connected to treatment and care services is paramount. We have learned that you can't lead Black people towards HIV/AIDS education, prevention, testing, leadership or treatment unless you love them. And, we can't save Black people from an epidemic unless we serve Black people."

Advocates considers redressing HIV disparities among African Americans to be one of our most important goals and a vital part of advocating for young people's reproductive and sexual health. Through policy initiatives and through our work with the Young Women of Color Leadership Council and the Youth of Color Initiative, Advocates supports policies and programs which will not only provide young African Americans with the information and tools they need to protect themselves from HIV, but help dismantle structural barriers to prevention and treatment (including poverty, racism, and unequal access to information, employment and health care).

Check out and share our resources on youth of color and HIV, including:

Youth of Color — At Disproportionate Risk of Negative Sexual Health Outcomes

Understanding Disparities in the HIV Epidemic: How Social and Cultural Forces Lead to Unequal Risk for African Americans/Blacks

Young African American Women and HIV

Advocates' Research Guide: the Reproductive and Sexual Health of Youth of Color

And don't forget to watch the video, share the video, like us on Facebook, follow, and retweet!

For more info, please visit www.nationalblackaidsday.org and http://on.fb.me/feb7.

Weekly Round-Up: 1/22-1/29

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:57:00 -0500

HIV prevention groups will no longer be able to use federal funds to buy needles—thus limiting one of the most effective ways of stopping the disease. By cutting funding for needle exchange programs specifically, they condemn women, people of color, poor people, queer people, and sex workers to disease and death.

Tennessee Bathroom Bill…Down, But Not Out- by Jordan

Inside this post:

A Tennessee bill that would ban transgender people from entering the bathroom or dressing room of the gender they identify as was thankfully put aside in the state’s Senate because (correctly) “there were other issues to be addressed.”

Thank you to everyone who posted a blog this week! You are part of what makes this community great!

~ Samantha
Community Editor

___________________________________
My posts this week:
Survey Results: How We Describe Others
Target card calls pregnant girls whores

New Year, New Opportunities

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:54:00 -0500

We are 27 days into 2012, another 338 days left to go. There is much than can happen in a minute, one's life may change dramatically in an hour and it only takes a matter of days for there to be a paradigmatic change.

As 2012 unfolds, international partners and stakeholders in the global youth movement are presented with the opportunity to press on earnestly to continue to increase awareness, recognition and respect for adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights in all circles. But even though time marches on and civilisation should naturally follow the same progression, there are many countries which continue to lag behind in their public recognition of the rights of all adolescents whether male, female, gay, straight or transgendered. Jamaica, our island in the sun, is one example of those countries. It is my desire that 2012 will usher in a more inclusive common-sense approach to these matters; a desire I hope is not too presumptuous.

In 2012 we will continue to knock fists with HIV/AIDS, especially in circles which continue to maintain laws that present themselves as virtually insurmountable hurdles in this knock-out fight. The 2011 World Aids Day theme 'Getting to Zero' is particularly instructive and should be forever etched in our minds as we aim for the targets of Zero New HIV Infections, Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS-Related Death. These targets must be the primary focus of all our strategies as the youth continue to contribute to development in these areas in their individual countries and certainly across the world.

On a much more fundamental level, we are given yet another opportunity to be respectful to and of each other. As the years pile on, globalisation becomes more entrenched. We must all, therfore, seek to develop mutual respect of our differences and diversities in what will largely become a homogenous society. This is the ultimate opportunity that lingers in 2012. One that should be caught like a bull by the horn and one that augurs for all of our benefits as a global society.

2012 will present threats, challenges and opportunities. We should seize these opportunities and minimise the threats and challenges to make 2012 a very fruitful and historic one through our individual and collective efforts.

Jermaine Case,
International Youth Speak Out Project (iYSO)
JAMAICA

Weekly Round-Up: 1/1- 1/7

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:45:00 -0500

Each week, I’ll be posting a list of the most news-worthy and/or inspirational, informative, well-written, thought-provoking, and/or unique posts of the week. While every post and every contributor is valuable to our community, these are the blogs that I feel are must-reads.

January 1- January 7

Stats this week: 9 posts by 6 writers

Hershey’s Rationale on banning a student- by rikkiyouthresource

Inside this post:

Rikki brings to our attention a serious case of discrimination based on a young boy’s HIV status and explains why the school’s decision to expel him was so unnecessary.

VIDEO: Q&A with UNFCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres- by leovlauzon

Inside this post:

When the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was asked how sexual and reproductive health and rights can be better integrated into their work, her disappointing answer makes us doubt how well the UN is understanding and tackling these issues.

Thank you to everyone who posted a blog this week! You are part of what makes this community great!

~ Samantha
Community Editor

Hersheys Rationale on Banning a Student

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:30:00 -0500

The rationale behind why the Administration of the Milton Hershey School banned a 13-year-old boy who is positive for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is dumb founded. I had to pause, comprehend what I just read and do a re-read when I first stumbled across the article.

The school said today that its residential setting and the risk of sexual activity made the teen too much of a "threat."

(source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/hiv-positive-student-discusses-denial-admission-hershey-school/story?id=15074075#.Tv-oJSNWoc8)

In the United States we have laws that protect people from discrimination, and yet discrimination is still a big problem. I know that laws do not protect everyone and that people still break laws. It just sucks that this kid is denied an opportunity because of a medical condition.

I am an eternal optimist! This can be a great learning opportunity for this school. The Administration claims to be concerned because the students live at the school that sexual activity is feasible and because of the boy’s HIV status he can spread HIV to other students.

If this is really a concern of the Administration than they have the opportunity to give their students the tools to make informed decisions about their sexual health. The Milton Hershey School can provide their students with comprehensive sexual health education and resources such as condoms to help them make informed decisions about their sexual health.

Research has shown when young people have the resources and knowledge to make informed decision most young people choose abstinence until they feel they are ready to handle being sexually active.

However, I doubt that their primary concern is the possible sexual behaviors of their students.

TAKE ACTION: Join Lawrence Stallworth II, a 20-year-old who learned he was HIV-positive while a senior in high school, by taking a stand against discrimination, stigma and fear. Demand that the Milton Hershey School publicly apologize for discriminating against a 13-year-old HIV-positive student.

Here is the link to the petition: TAKE ACTION

(source: http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/blogs-main/advocates-blog/1943-ten-ways-to-support-adolescent-health-a-rights)

TAKE ACTION, sign the petition!

Conspiracy Theories & HIV

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:46:00 -0500

by Bianca Laureano

My last post was a reflection of the many questions and myths I hear from the youth (and sometimes adults) I provide HIV education and prevention in NYC. This post is one where I’d like to discuss a topic I hear almost every time I do a session, especially with youth of Color: HIV was created to eradicate people of Color. I hear this as well from people who identify as queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, and questioning (not so much asexual as this is not yet a sexual orientation they have come to completely understand).

When I hear this statement I know, with every bone in my body, exactly what this young person (or adult) is talking about. I know where that comes from, and how that fear is very much a reality. After all, it wasn’t too long ago that women of Color and women and men with disabilities were forcibly sterilized; researchers in the Tuskegee Experiment ,examining the racial differences of Black and White men infected with Syphilis, did not offer the cure to Black men or their families); and oral birth control pill experiments among Puerto Rican and Haitian women - with these being just the experiments the public knows about.

The experiences and beliefs that people of Color and people who are not heterosexual are hated, devalued, and dehumanized still exists today. Just take a look at some of the campaign marketing for some US presidential hopefuls; and how popular culture all over the world speak and write about us. Only six years ago a study by Oregon State University and Rand Corp. released data showing that almost half of the 500 Black people living in the US surveyed believed HIV was man-made, by the government, 25% believed it was created in a government lab, and 12% believed the CIA created and dispersed the virus. So, when I hear this argument or belief for why and how HIV is a part of our lives, I get it and I respect it as well.

I do not attempt to debunk such beliefs. My role as an educator is to help people critically and analytically think about various topics, usually sex, sexuality, and decreasing the risk of becoming infected with HIV. Thus, I don’t go on about how “conspiracy theories” are wrong, or useless as that is a judgement that would not be helpful for working with the group and may isolate the person who shared and others who share a similar ideology. Instead, I often remind them that however HIV got here, it is here and if we are HIV negative it is our responsibility to remain negative. And if people are living positive, they are powerful and important people in our communities that can help HIV negative people also stay negative.

The last time I heard this was last week. A young person of Color who identified as queer stated that some people believe HIV was created to get rid of us. I told them “you are right!” Because that young person was right; many people believe that and share it with others. I also stated that one way to “give the middle finger to” the people who did create HIV to eradicate us, is if they are negative, to stay HIV negative, to survive. That will be the ultimate revenge. Every time, I’m talking 100% of the time, when I say this the person who shared that perspective agrees with me, as do many of the people present. Reminding youth and people of Color and queer people they can survive is powerful.

This also leads to an important conversation on testing. That getting tested is the only way to know your HIV status.

Now, if I were teaching a entire course of HIV than that is a different amount of time and objectives. I would completely engage with such perspectives, interrogate, deconstruct and analyze them. However, when there is less than one hour to get so much information in, sometimes recognizing that conspiracy theories do exist and ways to connect them to survival and prevention is the best and most “real” way to address the topic. Plus, many of these “conspiracy theories” have yet to be debunked completely because of the histories mentioned above.

If there is time to explain the origins of HIV, I usually stick to the more widely accepted belief that is connected to the consumption of certain types of primates in hunter-gathering communities or those primates blood infecting a hunter. This is a great way to talk about our mucus membranes found in our mouth and throat. I also make some connections to E.coli which students have often heard of, and how important it is to cook meat for a certain amount of time at a certain degree of heat as this helps kill off various forms of bacteria.

Because most of the research on the origins of HIV are centered in Western Africa, and US specific infection centered in Haiti, people of Color are at the center as is colonialism. This is another reason why when hearing these ideas I am not quick to judge or debunk them specifically because they are real for so many people. Colonial legacies alone are real and many of us are still surviving what comes with being colonial subjects, kinship, and offspring.

How do you manage and discuss conspiracy theories about HIV?

North Carolina World AIDS Day Event

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:30:00 -0500

Here is a post about Teen Health Now's 2011 World AIDS Day event by Teen Health Now member Emilio Vicente:

Distributing Condoms at UNC!

Last week we passed out condoms at UNC. Needless to say it was very fun and informative. Seeing people’s expressions when they saw the condoms was hilarious! We had them in goodie bags, all of which included information about Teen Health Now, and how to be protective of their sexual health. We had met up the night before at our coordinator's house and prepared them all while catching up, making some delicious cookies, and listening to some good songs.

When passing out the condoms we let people know that it as World DIDS Day, which many people were unaware of. We had initially thought that we would be passing out the bags until 2pm but were happily surprised when we were out of bags by noon. The goodie bags were like hot chocolate, most of the times that we offered them people would take them. We were also helped by our coordinator's HUGE Great Dane, who was great at getting attention. Students would come over and ask to met him. He was a great way to get people to come over to us and talk to them. Everyone was happy.

It was my first time passing out condoms at UNC and I can say that students were receptive to taking them. It was a fun experience and I can’t wait for next year. Until then Happy Holidays!

Check out photos of our event on our Facebook Page.

My 1st year as an activist!

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:50:00 -0500

In 2011 I was honored to become an intern with the Texas Freedom Network as part of the Cultural Advocacy Mobilization Initiative (CAMI)and was able to attend the Urban Retreat in Washington, DC with Advocates for Youth. Over a few months I was able to bcome part of grassroots organizing and was made aware and a part of issues that deal with young people and their well-being. I feel liberated to be able to work on many issues such as supporting comprehensive sex ed, fighting for a HIV/AIDS free generation, and LGBTQ rights.

During my first semester as co-president of the Texas Freedom Network student chapter at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) my fellow members and I have been part of many events that have raised awareness of health wellness and supporting the fight against HIV/AIDS. In October El Paso held its annual AIDS WALK event which is an event to raise awareness and funds for medications, food pantries, doctors, transportation and everyday items needed for patients and their families. The experience was warming and had very positive energy within the park. The TFN student chapter tabled at this event and handed out our condoms from the Great American Condom Campaign and those were a big hit! It was being a part of this event that made me feel responsible for raising the awareness of community that wants to see an AIDS free generation.

We also tabled during “Love Your Body” week at my university and this was a great event to promote safe sex as a way of loving your body. TFN handed out condoms and gave statistics on teen pregnancy and STI rates in Texas. These events are very good for us because the TFN Student Chapter gets to hear actual voices from students who agree that abstinence-only programs don’t work. Young people need to hear about ways to protect themselves and have access to health clinics and accessories like condoms and birth control.

Our TFN student chapter tabled on a weekly basis and informed students of the current statistics from the effects of abstinence-only programs that are being thought in Texas. We have heard many students agree with us and this is possible through tabling and signing petitions, (and of course handing out our Trojan condoms!) We now can see that a majority of people who have came up to our table agree with teaching young people comprehensive sex-ed because it befits their well-being and promotes health along with a start to a bright and fulfilling life.

Starting in the spring semester, TFN plans on being part of many more events that have to deal with youth’s issues and defending civil liberties like LGBTQ equality. I feel blessed to be part of such a wonderful opportunity and feel part of the solution. Even though there is much work needed still, I am willing to devote my time and positive energy to help raise awareness of the dangers of abstinence-only programs, advocate for the separation of church and state and proudly defend civil liberties!

Please become a fan of our TFN University of Texas at El Paso Student Chapter Facebook Page!

ICASA 2011, An Overview of the strengths, Weaknesses and Recommendations.

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 08:43:00 -0500

The 16th International conference on AIDS and STI’s in Africa ICASA 2011, jointly organized by the government of Ethiopia in conjunction with the society for AIDS in Africa and various institutional and community partners as well private sector, brought together over ten thousand delegates from around the world who from the 4th -8th December put their heads together, bringing to the table, their experiences, good practices and looked for a way forward, 30 years into the fight against the AIDS pandemic.

As per the tradition of ICASA, this year’s conference was divided broadly into three areas of focus, which included the scientific, Non-abstract driven sessions and the community programs. Themed around Own, Scale-up and sustain, the conference chair Dr.YigeremuAbebe from Ethiopia explained the conference was so designed to ensure international standards with excellent submissions from what the world is doing to respond to HIV in Africa. Also the choice of speakers and various facilitators also a reflected the organizer’s resolve to ensure high level of interaction during the conference.

This conference however started with a youth Pre-conference which was in a bid to better prepare young people for the main conference. It was hosted by Talent Youth Association (TAYA- Ethiopia) 1-3 December 2011 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, at the Ghion hotel. This Pre meeting had over 250 delegates with over 80 of them from Ethiopia. The official opening was done by H.E AlemawMengistu, State Minister for the Ministry of Women and children and Youth affairs who called on young people to get involved in the ICASA proper and ensure that their voices are heard. Also present was Dr. YigeremuAbebe from the Clinton foundation who called on all African people to take ownership of the issues, be accountable and responsible for the response.

It is worth noting that the theme for this pre-conference was accountability and the breakout sessions were structured to achieve these goals. The pre-conference -ended with a declaration and call to action from the young people on sexual reproductive health and rights to be channeled to the main conference and this call to action highlighted amongst many other things the need to include young people more in the HIV/AIDS response process, getting the governments to commit, or better still be accountable for the money they receive for HIV/AIDS funding, and to proportionately distribute the funds to all the target populations not prioritizing one over the other. Also there was a call for the inclusion of young people living with HIV/AIDS and also children born with HIV in the whole response process and improve the quality of Youth friendly centers to better accommodate young people and also include them as staffed officials in such centers and also accommodate for the heterogeneity of their sexualities.

The conference proper that began on the 4th of December saw especially the rare presence of two former US presidents (Bill Clinton and George W. Bush) at the opening ceremony which was very contrary to public opinion as they asked why no single former African president or even the current ones were not invited, also asking ‘’why they were mourning more than the bereaved’’

This year’s ICASA had about 407 presentations which were covered in 150 plenary, parallel skill building and Non-abstract driven sessions and an additional 59 oral presentations, bringing the number to a total of 466 presentations. These abstracts and presentations covered and provided information on current research around the continent and best practices upheld by the different stake holders.

The uniqueness of this year’s ICASA is that it provided awards to the best abstracts presented by young investigators below the age of 35.this recognition was in a bid to encourage scientific research in Africa which is facing challenges at the moment and it is hoped that by so doing, many will be motivated to take upon themselves to further research on the Pandemic and possibly find a cure in the nearest future. It is now just rhetoric to repeat the fact that Africa is the most affected, especially Sub-Saharan Africa By this Pandemic.

Aside the sessions and very formal side of ICASA is the community village. It comprises of highly creative and focused programs ranging from the youth Pavilion to the community dialogue spaces. There is plenty here to digest as it shares plenty of best practices in Africa and most young people for ICASA hang out here since it gives them a unique opportunity of learning while having fun. The place is animated by an array of culturaldances ,performances and presentations from youth networks and other networks, distribution of condoms and t-shirts and other didactic materials which can be helpful in sensitization and general networking amongst ICASA participants.

This year’s ICASA registered a huge success all together as it brought together disabled persons, people living with HIV/AIDS, LGBTQI’s(Lesbian gays, bisexuals transgender, queer and intersex) who in one way or the other are contributing to the fight against HIV/AIDS all networking together.

The major outcome and the most applauded is that African leaders committed to engage in strategies that will ensure home grown responses to the AIDS pandemic, given the fact that at this crucial time of worldwide economic recession, they need to own , scale-up and sustain.
Overall, it is widely accepted that ICASA 2011 pointed the way forward to accomplishing the common vision of ‘zero new infections, zero discrimination, and Zero AIDS related deaths in Africa."

The major shortcoming from a personal point of view is that, too much money is spent organizing a meeting like ICASA.Sad to say but some people are getting enriched by the havoc this pandemic is causing. The resources allocated, from the printing of badges, conference papers,accommodation and other logistics was money that could have been channeled otherwise for better use maybe for some research or that remote place in the world where there is little or no response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
My recommendation will be to have fewer people attend the ICASA 2012 in South Africa and we should not make it a profit making forum with the commercialization that has engulfed the organization and running of ICASA.

Also as activist in the fight against HIV/AIDS it is very recommendable that we adopt healthy sexual practices as I could not help but notice some unscrupulous interactions amongst delegates especially the young people.

In conclusion I will like to thank the African Union and especially the Youth Division Headed By Dr. Raymonde Agoussou Advocates For Youth and UNFPA for giving me this unique learning opportunity to participate at ICASA and also to report via blogging on amplify/AU-YVC facebook pages for the duration of the conference.

By Abongwa Victor
International Youth Journalist
Cameroon.

World AIDS Day at COP17

Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:26:00 -0500

We celebrated our World AIDS Day on 2nd December, 2011. How is that possible?

Well, we (Mimi, Leo, Lemuel and me) were at the Climate Conference and we were racking our brains with what activity could we do within the Conference Venue such that people know of our issue and try to give it some thought. Now, there was a complicated method of "performing" an action within the ICC grounds. One needed to fill a form 24 hours in advance and get approval. A girl called Maya sent an email around stating her desire to do something on this day too (to attract attention to our cause, of course) and became an ally. We filled an "action form" and sent it.

The secretariat obviously had too much on their mind so there was some confusion and we got the permission to perform our action on 2nd instead of 3rd. What can i say but, "this can happen only at COP!"

Our action was simple...wear red, play with a globe and show how people were playing with the future/the world by not paying heed to the consequences and the "need-immediate-attention" causes.

A creative attempt at capturing the essence of that action through this animation...our Mimita can be spotted in some of the pictures too >smiley<...to the brave lady who made it to the action despite her feverish condition! (Three cheers to her and all the brave souls who did something in their communities to raise awareness or fight stigma)

(Special Thanks to Mayur Bandyopadhyay for piecing my pictures together to create this animation)

Weekly Round-Up: 12/4-12/10

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:24:00 -0500

Since all of this legal jargon can be tricky even for the Pre-Law students among us, we’ve broken down the things we think every woman should know about the Affordable Care Act, and possible threats to it.

Who Knew Fundamental Rights Could Disappear in a Heartbeat?- by OberlinSURF

Inside this post:

Learn more about the anti-abortion “heartbeat bill” in Ohio.

In Emergency Contraception Decision, Obama Administration Undermines Young People and Women’s Health- by Amplify_Staff

Inside this post:

Against the recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services have decided that young people under age 17 will not be able to buy emergency contraception without a prescription.

Myths and Messages About HIV- by Media_Justice

Inside this post:

Here are some of the top questions and myths I receive and challenge/rectify when providing HIV education in high schools...

[More]

Lone Star Update: Sex Ed in Texas

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:44:00 -0500

Garrett Mize is the Youth Advocacy Coordinator at the Texas Freedom Network and heads up the Texas Student Leadership Council, a part of Advocates for Youth's Cultural Advocacy and Mobilization Initiative.

In just the past few months, comprehensive sex ed has made huge strides in Texas. With the announcement of Texas Freedom Network’s latest report, our Houston Leadership Development Institute and World AIDS Day there is plenty of good news to go around.

Texas Freedom Network Education Fund Report

TFNEF’s latest report on sex ed in Texas is much different than our original 2009 report Just Say Don’t Know. In the first report, we asked each public school district in Texas to tell us what type of sex ed they taught. Of the 1,031 independent school districts in Texas, 990 responded. We found that 94 percent of school districts taught abstinence-only, 3.6 percent taught abstinence-plus and 2.3 percent taught nothing at all. The numbers were startling to say the least.

Our newest report, Sex Education in Texas Public Schools: Progress in the Lone Star State, found that abstinence-only is now taught in 74.6 percent of school districts, and abstinence-plus is taught in 25.4 percent of school districts. This major improvement in the quality of sex ed taught in Texas is thanks in large part to grassroots activists who have served on a local School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) and to organizations like the Texas Freedom Network and Advocates for Youth. While abstinence-only remains the clear majority, it is losing its grip in Texas. The latest report’s findings were featured in The Dallas Morning News.

University of Houston Leadership Development Institute

Recently, the Texas Freedom Network Student Chapter at UH hosted its first-ever Leadership Development Institute. This grassroots training focused on civic engagement and skills to organize students on campus to support comprehensive sex ed in a non-partisan manner during the election cycle. With 50 people in attendance, this training was a popular Saturday event.

James Lee, president of the TFN student chapter at UH, organized the event and introduced the presenters, which included Dr. Susan Tortolero, director of the Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research at the University of Texas Health Science Center; Meryl Cohen, vice president of Education at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast; Resha Thomas, campaign coordinator for the Texas Organizing Project; and Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network.

I’m expecting a lot of great work to come out of this student chapter next semester!

World AIDS Day 2011

Despite the fact that it was finals week, our youth activists managed to put on great events to highlight World AIDS Day on their campuses. In particular, Mackenzie Massey, president of the TFN student chapter at UT, organized the entire World AIDS Day fair at her school. She created a coalition of 13 student organizations, led by the TFN student chapter, to put on this day of action. The coalition had free HIV testing, a T-shirt awareness campaign with 250 t-shirts, an expert discussion panel, a student organization tabling fair, a banner signing campaign and a petition signing effort to support comprehensive sex ed in Texas. Mackenzie worked closely with Ana Laura Rivera, another fantastic Advocates for Youth activist, to put this event on.

Their efforts were featured in numerous media outlets, including Spanish-language Univision, The Daily Texan, Austin NPR affiliate KUT 90.5 FM and other student news sources. Other youth activists also took action by tabling on their campuses to mark World AIDS Day, including Spencer Allers at UT San Antonio and April Flores at UT Brownsville.

There has been a lot of progress in Texas this past semester, but we still have a lot of work to do. We have much to look forward to in 2012!

World AIDS Day at University of Texas at Austin

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:06:00 -0500

Mackenzie Massey is the President of the Texas Freedom Network Student Chapter at the University of Texas at Austin and is a member of the Texas Student Leadership Council, the Texas portion of Advocates for Youth's Cultural Advocacy and Mobilization Initiative.

World AIDS Day activities at UT Austin in the past have existed, but in 2011 I wanted to do it bigger and better than ever before. I knew the trick to this would be advanced planning, collaboration with many other organizations, and some solid fundraising.

In late September I met with my friend Ana Laura and we started brainstorming. After months of hard work the big day came, we raised almost $2,000 to put towards our event, and it was a HUGE success!

For more information about the day's events, check out our World AIDS Day coverage from KUT!

World AIDS Day at UT Austin included:
+ Free HIV Testing
+ Free food and prizes
+ A student organization fair of 13 diverse organizations that covered different aspects of the HIV epidemic including: literacy, food security, public health, prevention programs, education, sex education policy, poverty and international aid funding.
+ Red HIV awareness ribbons
+ An interactive sex education trivia wheel
+ Free condoms and lube
+ An expert panel discussion focusing on AIDS and Criminality
+ A resource fair of local direct service organizations in the Austin community
+ A banner signing campaign, with red finger paints!
+ Petitions for comprehensive sex education
+ Press coverage from 6 media outlets including Fox 7, KVUE, KUT, and Univision

Myths and Messages About HIV

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:28:00 -0500

by Bianca Laureano

For World AIDS Day and the week that followed I did several HIV education presentations for high school students in the Bronx. I love doing these presentations, and especially in the borough where I live, because it gives me an opportunity to work with youth that are a part of the same community. Often as a guest speaker it’s sort of a “treat” for students to hear from folks other than their teachers or academic faculty. What I realized this month was that there are some messages, inaccurate and hurtful, that students are still receiving. I wondered if I was the only one (it can’t be that I am), and as an educator I had to share.

Here are some of the top questions and myths I receive and challenge/rectify when providing HIV education in high schools (many of which include students of Color and/or working class students):

MYTH: Saliva is one of the top 5 bodily fluids that transmit HIV.

When I talk about HIV and bodily fluids I discuss: blood, semen, vaginal secretions, breast milk, and pre-ejaculatory fluid. Students, without fail, will mention saliva (or spit) as a bodily fluid. I often thank the student for their suggestion, share it’s a common belief, and go into a discussion on how one would have to consume so many gallons of saliva a person living positive with HIV must create. First, it’s hard to find someone who can produce that much spit and second I have yet to meet anyone who is that thirsty to drink all of those gallons in one sitting!

This belief that HIV is transmitted via saliva is so old school! I’m talking when we first began to see and try to understand what HIV and AIDS was and how it impacted our bodies. Folks would not drink after others who were living positive, make them drink out of paper cups, have separate utensils for them to use, and not want to come near, let alone kiss them. We’ve known better for decades, yet, this stereotype is still alive and well.
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MSMGF and GNP+ call to action to CrowdOutAIDS

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:05:00 -0500

Hello all,

The Global Forum on MSM and HIV (MSMGF) and the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) have developed a call to action for young people living with HIV and young men who have sex with men to engage in UNAIDS CrowdOutAIDS.

Download the call to action here:
http://files.tiggroups.org/133993/Call to Action - CrowdOutAIDS .pdf

Please, send this message and distribute it among all your networks to share this information.

Sincerely,

Akinbo A. A. Cornerstone
Project Director, Saving Lives Nigeria;
Past NFP, GYCA Nigeria;
Global Outreach Director, Help AIDS Orphans.
CETL, My Nigeria Online.<br/>