Awesome work, Joe!! 

Student provides free condoms

by Ashley Jobe, February 23, 2010

The national community pleads with its youngest generation to be safe about sex, and Elon University students fall well within the demographic that receives that message, but safer sex options are not always readily available.

Two years ago, SGA was faced with a proposal to make condoms available in dormitories.

"This was voted through the Senate but vetoed by the Executive President Rob Saunders," Justin Peterson, current SGA executive president, said. "Since then the idea has not been discussed by SGA."

Because condoms are not conveniently accessed, students are left to their own devices. One place where students can look to for quick protection is the R.N. Ellington Health and Counseling Center.

The Health Center stresses the importance of accessibility to the Elon community and availability in times of need. But sometimes seeking out the "rubbers" can be a bit embarrassing, and even taboo. Additionally, the Health Center is not open after business
hours.

Joe Kiernan, a sophomore, participates in Advocates for Youth, an organization founded in 1980 that focuses its work on youth aged 14-25 both in the United States and in international communities.

Kiernan's chapter is not affiliated with the university, but seeks to prevent consequences associated with unprotected sex.

"Some students voiced that they feel more comfortable asking a fellow student for condoms rather than an Elon staff member," Kiernan said.

"I don't want students options to be limited to one location, one brand of condom or one set of office hours."

He and those who support this particular cause can create "SafeSites."

SafeSites are individual condom distribution points. If students or an organization becomes registered as one, they are given condoms by the Great American Condom Campaign to make available to students to get protection, at any time, and they are recognized in their community as safe zones. Kiernan is given 500 Trojan condoms once a year to distribute to the student population.

"I haven't heard anything negative from the students and the sheer volume of students using the service makes me think I am helping out the Elon community," Kiernan said.

Information about sexual health awareness events and reproductive health issues are also available both by SafeSites and through the Web site.

Information can be found there about condom effectiveness, state profiles and tips for finding SafeSites near you.

Though Kiernan does not identify as a spokesperson for Advocates For Youth, he says that the organization realizes that abstinence is not a typical choice for college students.

"College students are adults and are able to make their own choices about sex, reproduction and reproductive health," Kiernan said. "Our goal is to inform and provide protection."

I'm absolutely disgusted.

I'm so tired of anti-choice organizations, usually lead by old white men and women, talking about the supposed "black genocide" because women in this country are allowed to make decisions about their personal health. Yes, I'm talking about abortion.

In Atlanta, the Georgia Right to Life has erected the following billboard.


Stating that all the abortion clinics in Georgia are located in black urban areas, they try to make the connection that the fertility rates are declining. BTW-according to the CDC, that is false.

Here's what drives me crazy. If this movement actually cared about black children in this country, there would be more action on the following: 

1. Teen pregnancy in this country is on the rise among all ethnic groups (up 3% in 2006).  Communities of color are still particularly affected as there is a big gap between white teens and black and latino teens.  Abortion rates among teens also went up 1%.  Yet another example of how we are living in a sexually unhealthy nation.  While teen pregnancy rates went down in the nineties, Bush administration abstinence-only education, much of which has been targeted to youth of color, has denied young people important and life saving information about their sexual health.

2. But it can't just be about education.  We also must make sure that young people, and especially young women of color have access to condoms and contraception.  CVS locks up condoms.  Family planning clinics are closing and facing financial strain due to the economy. We must make sure that those who decide to have sex are able to do so in the safest manner possible.

More...

Every now and then I hope to have the opportunity to share awesome job announcements to the Amplify community. 

To kick this off, I'd like to introduce you all to one of our closest partner organizations, Choice USA, located here in the beautiful and soon to be super snowy Washington, DC!

Choice USA is working to empower the diverse, upcoming generation of leaders who promote and protect reproductive freedom – both now and in the future. We are dedicated to the right of each person worldwide to decide when and if they will have sex, when and if they will be pregnant, and when and if they will have a child.  Choice USA provides tools, training and leadership opportunities to young people aged 15 – 30 to mobilize for reproductive information and services and winreal victories for their campuses and communities!

Communications Director:
Choice USA seeks an experienced, creative Communications Director who is passionate about reproductive justice and community organizing!  In close partnership with our Field and Development Departments, the Communications Director will implement a comprehensive strategy to integrate and reach our programmatic, policy and fundraising objectives.  Reporting to the Deputy Director, the Communications Director is a senior management position and key component of the executive management team.  The ideal candidate will be a skilled, compelling writer with a keen eye for detail; comfortable with online technology, content management systems and social networking; experienced with a broad variety of contemporary media; and highly motivated in a fast-paced environment!  
 
Midwestern States Field Associate:
Choice USA seeks a committed, experienced individual who is passionate about reproductive/social justice to organize and develop our Midwestern States Field Program. The Midwestern States Field Associate will build a diverse base, lead and create trainings, build relationships with field partners and implement campaign strategy. Candidates must have knowledge of and commitment to reproductive health and rights and/or social justice issues, knowledge of the Midwestern region, experience with national and/or state organizing and excellent training skills. This entry-level position reports to the National Field Director. 
 
Western States Field Coordinator:
Choice USA seeks a committed, experienced individual who is passionate about reproductive/social justice to lead and coordinate our Western States Field Program. The Western States Field Coordinator will build a diverse base, lead and create trainings, build coalitions and relationships with colleagues and partners as well as create and implement campaign strategy. Candidates must have knowledge of and commitment to reproductive health and rights and/or social justice issues, knowledge of the West and/or Southwest regions, experience with national and/or state organizing and excellent training skills. This mid-level position reports to the National Field Director.

Okay. I have a confession. I’ve never taken a womens studies class.  Well, I guess technically I did, but it was more international than an intro.  So when people start to name some of the great feminists of the past and discuss various waves of feminism, sometimes I get confused.  Let’s be honest, unless you take a class, and that class is most likely only offered in college, it’s intimidating to jump into the wealth of information around women’s history.

So I recently decided to attack my ignorance. I work in the women’s movement. I consider myself a feminist. Time to get grounded in the history and theory.  With the help of Marcela and Deb at Advocates and my friend Shelby Knox, I now have a booklist.  If you don’t mind, I’d like to share my journey with you Amplify readers, hear your thoughts and get your suggestions for other must-reads.

To start off with, over the holidays I read Angela Davis’ “Women, Race & Class.”

Holy crap. What an awesome book.

Speaking as a former teacher, we suck at teaching history to our students. Everything is segmented.  Textbooks split history into thematic chapters and itty-bitty sections.  Multiple-choice tests are used to test knowledge (thank you NCLB).  We teach the abolition movement, suffrage movement and industrial revolution as separate events when in reality they all happened at the same time (sorry folks, “intersectionality” is not a cool new way to think of things).  Each movement impacted the other and racism, sexism and classism were present throughout. 

Angela Davis broke it down. Aside from realizing how much textbooks suck, some other points that stood out include:

1. Frederick Douglas was a feminist and should be remembered as such in addition to his abolition work.
2. Many of the heroes of suffrage movement were actually really horrible to people of color.  I was upset for awhile that the anti-s have the home where Susan B. Anthony was born, but after reading what she said around the 15th amendment, they can have it.
3. The North had plenty of pro-slavery crazies. There was even a massacre where 1,000 black people were killed in New York City in opposition to the draft for the Civil War.
4. America’s problem of incarcerating black men goes back to reconstruction when plantation owners used incarcerated men as laborers.  So they were extra excited to arrest folks.

Props to Michele Buzzelli and all her great work!

Student gives away condoms
By Lily Oberman, the Ithacan Online

 Junior Michele Buzzelli was recently selected to participate in the Great American Condom Campaign, an underground, grassroots network that distributes condoms on college campuses around the country.
    Buzzelli is considered a “SafeSite,” meaning she offers students a safe place to get free condoms, as well as information on sexual health. Two weeks before Thanksgiving break, Buzzelli received a shipment of 500 Trojan condoms to distribute to students for free. Now, Buzzelli, a business administration and management major, is giving away condoms to promote safe sexual practices.
    Staff writer Lily Oberman spoke to Buzzelli about the application process to help the GACC and her work spreading the word about sexual health at Ithaca College.

Lily Oberman: How did you get selected to work for the GACC?

Michele Buzzelli: The application process was in September, and I’ve always wanted to be involved in something really important like this, especially with pregnancy and STDs being a little too rampant in college. I found the program through a friend and decided to apply, but I doubted I would be chosen. A thousand students are chosen each semester. I never thought I would be one in that thousand.

LO: How are you promoting your campaign for the GACC?

MB: When I got the box, I sent out a mass Facebook note to as many Ithaca students that I could that basically said, “Hey guys, spread the word.” I included a link to the Web site, gave my phone number and e-mail. I announced it in my classes and gave 250 condoms to Reslife to distribute in dorms. I’ve gone to some programs … . I’m trying to spread the word in a more underground, urban kind of way because people don’t look at posters. They don’t. So, I thought word of mouth was the best way.  

LO: How long do you work with the program?

MB: It’s just for the semester, and I’m going to apply again in the spring and next fall and next spring. This is something I really enjoy doing.

LO: How has your campaign been received so far?

MB: It’s been received really well. My roommates were so excited about it. In class people have come up to me, asking if they can have a couple. Whenever we have people over at my apartment, we have a bowl out.  

LO: Were you involved in anything like this in high school?

MB: Not really. I’ve done a lot of service work, but I’ve always wanted to actually take part in something that really would make a difference. Whether one student in a school of over 6,000 with a box of 500 condoms is going to make a difference or not, you never know, but if there’s even a chance that it’ll make a difference, I really want to try and do it.   

LO: Have you been met with any negative responses to your campaign?

MB: Not at all. Ithaca is definitely the greatest place to do something like this. Everyone is so open-minded to begin with. I announced it in some of my classes, and my professors were so cool about it. One of my professors even asked for a couple to put in a bowl in her office.  
 

Today we received great news in the battle for needle exchange programs. The federal funding ban on syringe exchange programs was lifted in the appropriations bill AND does not have the crazy restrictions we saw in the House version.

*Note-the bill still needs to be voted on, but at least we have good language for a vote! This vote should happen before the end of the year.

Previously, there was a federal funding ban on syringe exchange programs even though these programs have been proven as an effective HIV prevention tool for injection drug users (and organizations that run these programs are also great at getting IDUs into treatment programs!).  In the Senate version of this bill, the ban continued.  In the House version there was crazy language which stated syringe exchange programs could not operate within 1000 feet from spaces like parks, youth centers and schools.  This policy that would have been detrimental in many communities, especially those located urban areas and where needle exchange programs already exist. 

Instead the new law would permit needle exchange programs except in locations "that local public health or law enforcement agencies determine to be inappropriate."  Not too bad. Sounds like local control, right?  Normally a principle argued for by Republicans...unless you are a Republican. According to CQ:

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., said he was disappointed that some effort wasn’t made to accommodate concerns underlying the 1,000-foot restriction about children getting too close to illegal drug use and used needles.

“I’m sorry to see it be just completely vaporized,” Kingston said.

On Wednesday I had the privilege of being on Capitol Hill for the Stop Stupak Day of Action.  Organized by dozens of progressive organizations, pro-choicers of all ages gathered to lobby members of Congress, rally and make sure it’s known that we will not accept Stupak-like language in any kind of healthcare reform.
 
From a youth perspective, it was an…interesting day of action.  I arrived to see fellow youth organizers (coordinated by Edith from Choice USA!) leading guerilla-style lobby trainings in the auditorium where everyone gathered for the morning briefing. It was incredible to see the excitement and energy of the trainers as well as the participants soaking in the tools necessary for the day of action.

More...

From GACC SafeSite Jordan who attends Appalachian State University.

Today is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. I know there are a lot of AIDS Awareness Days out there, but I thought now would be a good time to share why this day means so much to me.

Somewhere around 1979-1980, my uncle, David Leos, was infected with HIV.  We don't know exactly when it happened because when he started getting sick no one knew what he with sick with and why.  He was hospitalized and quarantined, but see, when all this was happening, I wasn't even alive.  By the time I was born, there was a name and somewhat of an understanding with what the heck was going on. There was a general awareness in the family and only one moment of "uh oh" when my cousin was a toddler and was into biting things and people..including my Uncle.  However, it wasn't until I was in high school that I truly understood what his diagnosis meant. The AIDS Quilt came to my campus and I broke down because what those panels represented finally clicked.

Fast forward to three years ago when I was in my first year teaching in Texas.  I worked on a 9th and 10th grade campus and was also on the board of the Valley AIDS Council, an organization that provides primary outpatient care and support to people living with HIV/AIDS in South Texas. When people think of HIV/AIDS, they don't necessarily think of South Texas, however even as a "last chance" provider, we had hundreds of patients that were served by our organization.  I began to understand why as my students, many of whom had gone through some kind of health class, were still completely ignorant to what HIV was, how you could get it, and how to prevent it. I remember having to constantly re-teach why you could not get HIV from sneezing or toilet seats.  Then this past year when I went back for graduation, even one of my National Honor Society students (who had graduated and was about to start college) was confused about how you could get HIV and how condoms worked.

My uncle was infected when no one knew about HIV.  The idea that my students could get infected because they were never educated drives me absolutely insane. One of the barriers in making this connection is clearly stigma...still.

More...

When people think of National Coming Out Day, they usually think of a time for members of the GLBT community to come out to their family, friends and community.  It is.  And I don't want in any way to take from that.

However, after experiencing the National Equality March this weekend, I've come to realize that it's time for allies to get their asses out of the closet as well.

I'm so tired of hearing people say they are down with the GLBTQ comunity because they have a friend who is gay, an aunt who is a lesbian, they like to go party at gay bars for bachelorette parties, dig when women make out at clubs, or read perezhiton.com.  That's nice.  But else are you doing? 

Being an ally is more than acknowledging someone's presence.

If you are a true ally, you should be pissed off that you have more rights than your friends and family.  If you are a true ally, you should be angry that there are those who want to serve our country, but cannot. If you are a true ally, you should be ashamed that there are children in our who are afraid to attend school for fear of being bullied.  But rather than keeping those feelings in the closet, come the f out.

More...

Student spreads awareness of HIV/AIDS through self-created prevention methods

More...

Mahayana wrote a great post about what looks like will be another referendum on gay marriage...this time in Maine.

Equality Maine is gearing up for a fight and I'm so excited to share their first TV spot.  Made my favorite Maine-iac tear up and I'll confess...me too :) 

As we all know, my lovely homestate of California decided to act like idiots and pass Prop 8.  *sigh*

While clearly disappointing, a good thing that has come out of the loss is the grassroots GLBT community has become more mobilized than ever to fight for change. Which brings me to...Textbooks for Change.

Textbooks for Change recognizes that students have been at the head of social change movements for years and has figured out a way to encourage activism at the most basic level...buying textbooks. That's right.  When it comes to back to school shopping, many students turn to the internet to make their textbook purchases. Now they can buy their textbooks and help support the work of the Courage Campaign, an organization that does grassroots organizing for marriage equality (AND it's done great work in California's conservative Central Valley...where I'm from!). 

When you purchase textbooks through their website (which connects you to amazon.com), roughly 7% of your purchase goes to the Courage Campaign.  Everyone understands that times are tight, but if you are buying anyway, why not help support a good cause? 

"We Are More" by Ernesto Dominguez.

This week, members of Advocates for Youth staff and the Youth Activist Network are participating in the National Council of La Raza's Lideres Summit.  The National Council of La Raza is the largest Latino civil rights organization in the country.  Every year, they host a national conference that brings together members of the Latino community from across the country.  The Lideres Summit is a pre-conference program for young Latinos (14-25) to learn new skills, network, share ideas and connect with other young leaders.

Today we presented the workshop "Beyond Straight: Sexual Minority Youth."  Two of our Youth Resource Peer Educators, Ernesto and Ariel, took the lead from the very beginning in organizing this.  They submitted the proposal, created the workshop, and did the majority of the presentation.

During the workshop, we discussed the challenges facing GLBTQ Latino youth as well as ways to get involved in ally work.  This is the first time that the Lideres Summit has had a workshop focused on GLBTQ youth and we were so excited to help make it happen!

This workshop made me reflect on a few things...

More...

This should be shown on TV...



Could you imagine the backlash?

*sigh* 

If only our country was that cool...

Today I just learned about Strapped Condoms.  I was pretty upset I had never heard of them until I realized they are only sold online, in the South and a few other key cities.  What I love about this condom is that it targets the young African American community in a way that appears to be pretty positive.  Artists like Lil Wayne, Sean Kingston, Snoop Dogg and Jamie Fox have promoted the brand and Drake has most recently been added to the roster.



Another great thing is that this Houston based company is doing a lot of awesome work in Houston.  They started a campaign called "Strapped 4 Life." Here is what the website has to say:

More...

According to the CDC, Advocates for Youth assists organizations through its Healthy Youth! Project “that serve African American and Latina females” to prevent HIV infections. Advocates for Youth is also part of the CDC’s “Promoting Science-Based Approaches to Prevent Teen Pregnancy” (PSBA).
 
For both programs, according to the CDC Web site, the group provides information, training, and marketing expertise to school, health clinics and other community-based organizations.

HHS’s Office of Minority Health told CNSNews.com that Advocates for Youth also received grant money over a three year period to work on “Empowering Young African/Black Women to Prevent HIV Infection” projects at historically black colleges and universities.
 
A grant abstract for this program provided to CNSNews.com said that Advocates for Youth worked with on-campus health clinics, developed a Young Women of Color council, and conducted media campaigns at Alabama A&M University, Benedict College and South Carolina State.

More...

Last night I curled up on my couch to watch “Pedro,” the MTV biopic about Pedro Zamora, a cast member from the Real World San Francisco in 1994.

To summarize, I laughed, I cried, I was inspired, and I was pissed by all the lame commercials interrupting what was clearly an emotional journey.  

What struck me most about Pedro was how aware he was in making sure the cameras were always rolling. He told the producers, “Just promise me you’ll keep the cameras going every step of the way no matter how bad it gets. All the way to the end.”   As an audience, we saw him share what it meant to have AIDS with his roommates. We saw him fall in love. And we saw him learn his T-cell count had fallen to dangerously low levels. What could be considered incredibly intrusive allowed the audience to fall in love with Pedro. Pedro gave a face to the HIV/AIDS movement, breaking down stigma and discrimination in a time when no one else was given such a platform to do so (side note: in the movie they said that MTV was actively looking for someone that was HIV positive to do the Real World…nice).

More...