HIV Working Group to Meet April 22nd

The next meeting of The DC Center's HIV Working Group takes place Wednesday April 22nd at 7:00 PM at The DC Center, 1111 14th St NW Suite 350. The HIV Working Group focuses on HIV prevention for gay, bisexual, and transgender (GBT) men in the District of Columbia.

Currently the HIV Working Group has two committees. The Safer Sex Packet committee, which meets on March 30th, is working on marketing and packaging for a new safer sex packet distribution program. The New Media and Technology committee, which meets next on April 1st, is exploring new media approaches to HIV prevention and outreach.

To find out more about these meetings or the HIV Working Group in general, contact Dan O'Neil.

Advocates for Youth launching a Young Men’s Project

Advocates for Youth is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for a community-based, minority, youth-serving organization in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Advocates for Youth is a national organization dedicated to creating programs and advocating for policies that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates provides information, training, and strategic assistance to youth-serving organizations, policy makers, youth activists, and the media in the United States and in developing countries.

Half of all new HIV infections in the United States occur in young people under age 25. Moreover, rates of HIV infection are disproportionately high among youth of color. To prevent HIV infection among young heterosexual men of color, Advocates for Youth is launching a Young Men’s Project. Advocates seeks to build the capacity of a local organization interested in and committed to improving the sexual health of young heterosexual men of color.

Through the Young Men’s Project, your organization may receive culturally relevant publications and materials on adolescent sexual health programming, strategic technical assistance and training, and a seed grant in the amount of $8,000 to implement an HIV prevention project for young heterosexual men of color, 13 to 24 years old.

Please see the attached materials for more information about this opportunity, including criteria for selection. The application form and/or proposal are due by March 23, 2009. Please mail or fax applications to Trina Scott, Program Manager, Advocates for Youth, 2000 M Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 419-1448.

Working together, we believe that we can strengthen efforts to prevent HIV infection among young heterosexual men of color. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with your organization to broaden and increase the positive impact we ALL can achieve in the lives of young men. If you need further information or have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (202) 419-3420.

Trina Scott
Program Manager, Young Women of Color Initiative
Advocates For Youth
(202) 419-3420 ex 17
www.advocatesforyouth.org
www.mysistahs.org

Stigma Reduction Work Shop Saturday, March 28

The Ethiopian Community Center, Inc. along with the DC Department of Health is organizing a Stigma Reduction Workshop on Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 8:30 am - 1:00 pm at the Ethiopian Community Center, 7603 Georgia Avenue, NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20012.

The theme of the workshop is "Creating Better Understanding within the African Immigrant Community in regards to HIV/AIDS". It will focus on identifying the different roots, causes and forms of stigma and clarify misunderstandings about HIV/AIDS.

Due to limited space, please RSVP your participation by March 23, 2009.
Contact Person: Woubedle Alemayehu Tel: 202.726.0800| Email: eth@prodigy. net
(Please include full name, telephone, email).

Refreshments will be served.

Thank you

Woubedle Alemayehu
HIV Program Coordinator
Ethiopian Community Center, Inc.
7603 Georgia Ave., NW, Suite 100
Washington, DC, 20012
Tel:(202).726. 0800

Advocates for Youth launching a Young Men’s Project

Advocates for Youth is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for a community-based, minority, youth-serving organization in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Advocates for Youth is a national organization dedicated to creating programs and advocating for policies that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates provides information, training, and strategic assistance to youth-serving organizations, policy makers, youth activists, and the media in the United States and in developing countries.

Half of all new HIV infections in the United States occur in young people under age 25. Moreover, rates of HIV infection are disproportionately high among youth of color. To prevent HIV infection among young heterosexual men of color, Advocates for Youth is launching a Young Men’s Project. Advocates seeks to build the capacity of a local organization interested in and committed to improving the sexual health of young heterosexual men of color.

Through the Young Men’s Project, your organization may receive culturally relevant publications and materials on adolescent sexual health programming, strategic technical assistance and training, and a seed grant in the amount of $8,000 to implement an HIV prevention project for young heterosexual men of color, 13 to 24 years old.

Please see the attached materials for more information about this opportunity, including criteria for selection. The application form and/or proposal are due by March 23, 2009. Please mail or fax applications to Trina Scott, Program Manager, Advocates for Youth, 2000 M Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 419-1448.

Working together, we believe that we can strengthen efforts to prevent HIV infection among young heterosexual men of color. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with your organization to broaden and increase the positive impact we ALL can achieve in the lives of young men. If you need further information or have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (202) 419-3420.

Trina Scott
Program Manager, Young Women of Color Initiative
Advocates For Youth
(202) 419-3420 ex 17
www.advocatesforyouth.org
www.mysistahs.org

Free Training: Working with At-Risk Youth

Free Training: Working with At-Risk Youth
Thursday, April 23, 10am-4pm
Prevention Works!
2501 Benning Rd NE

This is the second in our series of monthly trainings facilitated by technical experts from the Harm Reduction Coalition in New York.

The description is as follows: “Interacting with youth to educate, empower, and enlighten is the most beneficial thing one can do to ensure that the youth of today can build self-efficacy to be leaders who act in the spirit of self-determination for tomorrow. This workshop is open to providers of youth who are interested in learning how societal factors (racism, sexism, heterosexism, militarism, etc.) play a role in youth’s at-risk behavior, and how to mitigate the dangers involved that place them at-risk. Participants will look at not only how to incorporate social factors into their prevention intervention programs, but also consider activities, such as advocacy, and peer education that can be used as effective harm reduction strategies for at-risk youth at their own programs and agencies.”

Spaces are limited so please reserve a space now by sending an email to Mary Beth Levin, Director of Programs and Services: mlevin@preventionworksdc.org.

HIV/AIDS Prevention Video Targets Maryland African Americans

To combat the HIV/AIDS crisis in the African American community, Montgomery County recently commissioned local filmmaker Cintia Cabib to produce a half-hour HIV/AIDS prevention video targeting young African Americans in Maryland.

“Let’s Talk About HIV/AIDS” presents the candid and personal stories of young African American adults living and working in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. They explain how protecting yourself, knowing your HIV status, talking to your partner and loving yourself all contribute to HIV/AIDS prevention.

Karlene Mighty, who is HIV-positive, describes the serious health issues she faces and her efforts to prevent HIV/AIDS by sharing her story at schools and community agencies. Youth Center Coordinator Lamar Anderson of the non-profit organization Metro TeenAIDS explains how he reaches out to young people in the streets and provides them with information packets and counseling. Artist and writer Monte Wolfe talks about how HIV/AIDS affects black gay men and how he has personally dealt with his HIV diagnosis. The program presents HIV/AIDS facts and statistics showing how African Americans are disproportionately affected by the disease. The video also demonstrates an HIV test.

The video was recently honored with a prestigious CINE Golden Eagle Award.

The video will be airing throughout March on Access Montgomery's Cable Channel 21, including tonight at 10:30 PM and Thursday at 11 AM.

For more information and to see clips visit http://www.cintiacabib.com/.

HIV Working Group Meeting March 25th

The next GBT HIV Prevention Working Group meets on Wednesday, March 25th, at 7pm at the DC Center (1111 Fourteenth Street, NW, Suite 350).

Work has been done to scout out locations for several pilot packet dispensers that will be used to launch the safer sex packet distribution campaign in the coming months . Also solid progress has been made on the safer sex packets' preliminary packaging strategies.

The next safer sex packet ad hoc committee will happen the last week in March/first week in April to finalize the packaging artwork and messaging for the first versions of the packets in time for National STD Awareness Month.

Remaining hurdles include financing the packaging piece and developing a broader network of businesses willing to have dispensers. More to follow in these issues as they progress.

CAVE Meeting April 2nd

On Thursday, April 2nd the Capital Area Vaccine Effort will host a community meeting reviewing local HIV Vaccine Research. The event will include a round table discussion between clinical researchers from the NIH Vaccine Research Center, clinical trials volunteers, local health care providers and other community members of D.C.

Topics to be discussed include current vaccine clinical trial protocols, upcoming studies and events for HIV Vaccine Awareness Day.

The event will be held at the DC Center, 1111 14th Street Suite 350. from 5:30 to 6:30pm. Dinner and stipends will be provided.

Capital Area Vaccine Effort is a volunteer panel of individuals from the general public and from the diverse communities affected by HIV/AIDS. CAVE is organized to assist and advise HIV/AIDS vaccine trial units in the metropolitan DC area by:

• Assessing the concerns and serving as an advocate for HIV/AIDS vaccine clinical trial participants and the general public,
• Acting as a liaison & ombudsman between HIV/AIDS vaccine researchers and those interested in HIV/AIDS vaccine research,
• Reflecting affected populations,
• As appropriate, encouraging participation in HIV/AIDS vaccine trials, and acting as community educators on HIV/AIDS vaccine research, and
• Assessing ethical and social implications and impact of HIV/AIDS vaccine clinical trials.

Spotlight: Pediatric AIDS/HIV Care

Recent Blog Posts





Pediatric AIDS HIV Care
P.O. Box 77543
Washington, D.C. 20013-7543
Phone: 202-347-5366

www.pediatricaidshivcare.org

Pediatric AIDS/HIV Care, Inc. provides children living with HIV/AIDS with education, therapy, and youth programming to empower them to live healthy and successful lives. Pediatric Care has been serving youth for over 20 years and will continue to do so until the stigma of HIV/AIDS is eradicated.

HIV/AIDS Administration Oversight Hearing

On Friday February 27th, The DC City Council Health Committee, chaired by David Catania, held on oversight hearing of the Department of Health which included an update on the HIV/AIDS Administration.

Dr. Pierre Vigilance provided opening remarks. He was followed by the head of the HIV/AIDS Administration, Dr. Shannon Hader who provided testimony. Dr. Hader also answered questions about the HIV/AIDS housing waiting list and Changes to the Ryan White Planning Council and HIV/AIDS Community Planning Group.

What was perhaps the most remarkable thing about this hearing was the lack of any major problems or controversies when it comes to HIV/AIDS. A great sign. Overall the presentations were encouraging. Dr. Hader, who has already distinguished herself from her predecessors simply by staying in the job for well over one year now, laid out clear, and focused agenda. It may be a while before we see the results of changes made at the HIV/AIDS Administration, but it seems we are definitely moving in the right direction.

Highlights from the hearing are shown below and available on the Fight HIV in DC YouTube Page.

Opening Remarks: Dr. Vigilance



Opening Remarks: Dr. Hader



Dr. Hader on Changes to the Planning Council and CPG



Dr. Hader on the HIV/AIDS Housing Waiting List



Adam Tenner, Metro Teen AIDS