ndurham86's Amplify Diary

Healthcare Reform

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 01:19:00 -0500

This article discusses the new Health care Reform and how it is good for the United States and how it has some setbacks. The Health care Reform Bill will provide women with needed health care services; unfortunately the bill restricts abortion coverage, which is not right. I feel that all women should have the choice to terminate their pregnancy if they choose to. I could not kill my child if I got pregnant; however I still think that the choice should still be there! Congress put that stupid Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage program into the Health care Reform, which is an ineffective program, which is statistically proven to be a flawed program. I cannot believe that Congress wants to spend $250 million dollars on a program that does not work. Talk about being fiscally liberal! Congress only allocated $ 75,000 to comprehensive sex education, which actually works. I am a peer educator and HIV/AIDS advocate and I am appalled at our government for reinstating Title V. I just got back from Washington DC lobbying for comprehensive sex education, which includes the REAL Act and the Global Sexual Reproductive Health Act of 2010. This article really got to me, I guess because I am trying to make a difference by lobbying and educating my peers about sexual reproductive health issues.

http://www.aclu.org/reproductive-freedom-womens-rights/new-health-care-legislation-includes-troubling-setbacks-reproduct

One Voice Summit 2010

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 02:30:00 -0500

I had the opportunity to attend the One Voice Summit that was held in Washington D.C. I enjoyed meeting new advocates and seeing familiar faces that are striving for the same cause. I learned so much new information that I shared with my fellow college students on my campus. I really did not know that environmental issues and population growth goes hand and hand with reproductive health issues. I also had another opportunity to lobby at the federal level and I loved it. I have found my passion and I am not going to stop. I have a voice and it must be heard and I know I can make a difference. Title V must go, Comprehensive Sex Education is in! Change is going to come one step at a time!

HIV/AIDS Community Discussion

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:01:00 -0500

This entry is a part of our World AIDS Day Blogathon. During this week we share our experiences, stories, and ideas about how HIV affects young people around the world. Join the blogathon .

I attended the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (HIV/AIDS Community Discussion), which was held on November 20, 2009 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The auditorium was packed and there were a lot of young people that attended as well, which was nice to see. Many people in the audience expressed their views about HIV/AIDS; and they also gave many recommendations on how the United States can prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and to educate the public nationally and internationally about HIV/AIDS.

Several people who spoke disclosed their status and they also discussed how they lived with HIV or AIDS. I also had an opportunity to speak, and I talked about the Urban Retreat, the REAL Act, and my campus organizing endeavors that I participate in at my college. Overall, I’m glad I was able to attend the discussion, because I gained more knowledge about HIV/AIDS; and I was able to give my opinion about HIV/AIDS and other sexual reproductive health issues as well.