Washington Blade Profiles David Von Storch

Local business owner David Von Storch is profiled in the most recent Washington Blade. Von Storch, owner of Capitol City Brewing Company and the new Vida Fitness health clubs, talks about his experience living with HIV for the past 19 years:

AS WITH MOST healthy HIV-positive people today, there’s nothing remotely “sickly” about von Storch’s appearance. One glance reveals a body accustomed to time spent at the gym. Since 1997, von Storch’s viral load has been undetectable. The viral load test, taken every three months, measures the amount of the virus present in the blood. This current healthy state wasn’t something handed to him, though.

In the early years after his diagnosis, von Storch, like so many others, participated in innumerable drug trials as a way to get any kind of treatment available, and he also went to see a nutritionist for more information about the interface between the disease and his diet.

“I learned that the reserves of your immune system are stored in your lean muscle mass,” he says. “If I stayed away from all fried foods, all dairy products and trans fats, that was the simplest way for me, upon a daily basis, to monitor my food.”

Read the entire article here

C2EA DC Meeting Monday March 26

The next C2EA Metro DC Meeting will take place on Monday, March 26th at 6:30 PM. We'll be meeting in the conference room on the 2nd floor of the WWC administrative building, 1407 S Street, NW.

We will be talking about the upcoming summit on HIV/AIDS in DC, the speakout we're planning for May, and much more.

And of course, if you're not already signed up, please be sure to Join the C2EA Metro DC Yahoo Group

DC Area HIV/AIDS Consumer Advocacy Project

What do you do if you don't know where to go to access services for people living with HIV/AIDS such as medical, legal, financial, and other supportive services? Where do you go if you having difficulty accessing services at a local HIV/AIDS organization? Well, now you have the Consumer Advocacy Project.

The Consumer Advocacy Project is a project of the National Association of People with AIDS and is funded throught the DC HIV/AIDS Administration. If you have a question, or you have an unresolved grievance with a local HIV/AIDS service provider, you can call the toll free number (1-866-846-9366) or e-mail advocate@napwa.org.

I'm really glad to see this program launch, but to be honest, I'm a little concerned that nobody seems to even know it exists. NAPWA has been funded to do this work for the past four months, and there isn't even a word about the program mentioned either on the NAPWA website or the HAA website. That's disappointing. When you hear me talking about how we can do better, this is the type of thing I'm talking about.

Please help me in spreading the word about this program, by distributing this flyer. Click here to download the flyer. Make copies and be sure to share them with your friends, and to post them up your agency, organization, church, school, bar, or wherever you can.

DC HIV/AIDS Research Community Advisory Boards Post Open Letter

Three Washington DC Community Advisory Boards for HIV/AIDS Research have written a joint letter addressing sex and gender data collection in HIV/AIDS research. The letter is being posted online for one month so that interested CABS and community members can sign-on. All sign-ons must be received by May 11th. The letter will then be submitted to the Cross-CAB Working Group for NIH NIAID Division of AIDS (DAIDS) funded HIV/AIDS Research.

The three CABs are: The Capital Area Vaccine Effort which serves as the community CAB for the NIH Vaccine Research Center, The Georgetown University Medical Center CAB which is part of the AIDS Clinical Trials Group, and the Washington VA Medical Center CAB, which is part of the International Network for Strategic Initiatives in Global HIV Trials.

Most researchers have come to realize that the term 'sex' refers to birth sex or biological sex; and that the term 'gender' refers to someone's gender identity. This was discussed in detail at the Forum for Collaborative HIV/AIDS Research meeting on Sex and Gender, which I attended back in 2003. I guess I thought that since the meeting was co-sponsored by the CDC and the NIH that we would all be on the same page going forward. Sadly, their continues to be significant discrepancies across networks in how data on sex and gender is collected.

All we are really asking is for DAIDS to get their act together and collect data on sex and gender in a consistent and appropriate manner. This is the right thing to do for everyone, but it is particularly important for the transgender community.

You can find out more by clicking here. I hope that you will join us by signing on to the letter either as an individual or as an organization.

Capital Area Vaccine Effort Meeting April 10th

Please join us for the next meeting of the Capital Area Vaccine Effort(CAVE)on April 10th at 6:30 PM. We'll be meeting at the DC CARE Consortium, 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 500.

CAVE is the community advisory board for the Vaccine Research Center, and at this meeting we're going to be looking at a new VRC research protocol (yeah, we were going to do this last month, but weren't able to). We'll also be discussing plans for AIDS Vaccine Awareness Day. It's not necessary to RSVP for this meeting, but if you'd like you can RSVP here.

Adrian Fenty's State of the District Speech

Mayor Adrian Fenty will be giving a State of the District address in Ward 8. Mayor Fenty will lay out his vision for the District and explain what he's done since taking office in January. We all know that we'd like to see Mayor Fenty do more to fight HIV/AIDS in DC. In fact, we're still waiting for a substantive response to the Letter from Campaign to End AIDS DC to Adrian Fenty.

The speech takes place today, Wednesday, March 21st, starting at 12:00 pm at the Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center, 3500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE.

I probably won't be able to make it - but if you can please do, and let us know what Adrian Fenty says about HIV/AIDS in this speech.

DC Emancipation Day: Voting Rights March April 16th

Please join me on April 16th, DC Emancipation Day, for the Voting Rights March. This march will be hands down, the largest demonstration ever for DC Voting Rights.

This march is about voting rights for the District of Columbia, which has the potential to transform politics in our city. I've posted before on how the extraordinary control prevents us from making our own decisions about how to best fight HIV/AIDS in the district including the issues of needle exchange, and medical marijuana. Getting voting rights won't change this overnight, but I do believe that once Eleanor Holmes Norton has a VOTE (and not just a presence) in Congress, she will be able to much more effectively advocate for us on the hill.

Folks will be gathering at Freedom Plaza starting at 2:30 PM. The Rally will then take place starting at 4:00 PM at the Capitol Hill Reflecting Pool. For more information visit: www.votingrightsmarch.org

Pills Profits Protest: Film and Discussion on the Global AIDS Movement

The Youth AIDS Team presents "Pills Profits Protest," a documentary on the global AIDS access to treatment campaign. Film (60 minutes) will be followed by a panel discussion with speakers from the World Bank, PAHO and the University Coalitions for Global Health. Thursday, March 22nd, 12:30pm to 2:00pm, at 1850 I St. NW, in Room I1-200. Please RSVP to Mary Beth Levin at mlevin@worldbank.org.

Open House at Joseph's House

Joseph’s House invites our friends in DC, Virginia and Maryland to drop by and meet the community of Joseph’s House and see and feel this welcoming home you have supported with your prayers and financial gifts for so long. There will be food and music and most of all, the chance to meet one another.

For those who don't know, the mission of Joseph's House is to provide a home, nursing services, and community for formerly homeless men and women in metropolitan Washington DC who are terminally ill and in the last weeks or months of their illness. Their primary mission is to those living with HIV/AIDS. To find out more, check out their website at: www.josephshouse.org.

The open house takes place Tuesday, March 27, 2007 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. Joseph's House is located at 1730 Lanier Place, NW. To RSVP for this event e-mail tommy[at]josephshouse[dot]org or call Tommy at (202) 328-9161.

Community Discussion: HIV & Drug Use

The MWPHA Disparities Committee and DC Fights Back are organizing a community discussion on drugs and HIV this Saturday at Washington Highlands Library (115 Atlantic St. SW) from noon til 2:30 PM.

click here to download the flyer for this event

HIV Testing & Vaccine Research: Letter to Dr. Gregg Pane

Earlier this week I posted on the issues around HIV vaccine study volunteers and HIV testing in the district. To update everyone, members of the Capital Area Vaccine Effort (CAVE) have submitted this letter to Dr. Gregg Pane at the Department of Health.

I'm pretty confident that the necessary information can be easily integrated into current training for folks who so HIV testing in the district. I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, read more about this issue and other information about HIV Vaccine Research at the CAVE website: www.aidsvaccine.org.

Fenty ‘abstinence’ Proclamation Criticized

Local gay and AIDS activists expressed concern about a proclamation issued in Washington last week by Mayor Adrian Fenty that calls for educating young people about “abstinence from sex before marriage.”

continue reading this Washington Blade article on the Blade website

Global Women's Leadership in HIV/AIDS Workshop

The National Minority AIDS Council—in partnership with the Centre for Development and Population Activities, Global Coalition on Women and AIDS, the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS, and the International Center for Research on Women—invites you and other women colleagues to apply to participate in the Global Women's Leadership in HIV/AIDS Workshop, held July 16-August 10, 2007 in Washington, D.C.

The workshop intends to build the leadership, advocacy and technical expertise of women working on the frontlines against AIDS and to improve the capacity of the organizations they work in to meet the real needs of women impacted by HIV/AIDS. The National Minority AIDS Council is extremely interested in encouraging minority women in the United States to become more involved in advocating for the needs of women of color impacted by HIV/AIDS in the global arena.

Please additional information and an application please contact Deborah B. McKinney at 202 234-5120 ext 315, or dmckinney[at]nmac[dot]org. Please note that the application must be completed and received by March 30, 2007.

Transgender Health Empowerment Pageant

I had a great time last night at the Transgender Health Empowerment Pageant and Fundraiser held at Cada Vez. Here I am in the pictured on the left with the amazing activist Ruby Corado. You can see more pictures from the event here.

Transgender Health Empowerment (T.H.E.) is a great organization in DC focused on the health and well being of the Transgender (and bisexual, lesbian, and gay) community. Transgender Health Empowerment provides HIV prevention services as well as support services for those living with HIV/AIDS in DC.

These services are crucial. In a Washington DC Survey of the transgender community, 25% of all participants self-reported as HIV positive, while 22% said they did not know their HIV status. (The Washington Transgender Needs Assessment Survey. Jessica M. Xavier, Principal Investigator, Gender Education and Advocacy, Inc., Implemented by Us Helping Us-People into Living, Inc., Ron Simmons, PhD., Executive Director, Funded by the Administration for HIV and AIDS of the District of Columbia Government).

Kudos to the Gertrude Stein Democrats

Kudos to the Gertrude Stein Democrats. The Stein Democrats were one of the many organizations in DC that testified in support of Smoke-Free Workplace legislation. Now, they are taking their support of smoke-free workplaces to a new level. They decided at their last meeting:

"The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club will not sponsor, co-sponsor or send a representative to any indoor venue that permits smoking, including the National Democratic Club; and

The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club calls on that the National Democratic Club to withdraw its application for an exemption to the Department of Health Functions Clarification Amendment Act of 2006 and prohibit smoking inside of the club; and

The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club calls on the D.C. Democratic State Committee to likewise not sponsor, co-sponsor or send a representative to any indoor venue that permits smoking, including the National Democratic Club, and demand that the National Democratic Club to prohibit indoor smoking."

You can read the whole resolution right here. I've written often on this blog about why second-hand smoke hurts all of us, but it is particularly deadly for people living with HIV.

I'm thrilled to see Gertrude Stein Democrats taking a strong stand on this issue.

HIV Testing & HIV Vaccine Research

The renewed focus on HIV Testing in the District is a good thing. After all, national data suggests 1 of every 4 people who are HIV positive don't know their status. And the sooner people know their status and get into treatment, the more likely a good outcome is.

It becomes a problem, however, when the people doing HIV testing aren't aware of the specific issues relevant to HIV vaccine research trial participants. A recent incident at the University of Chicago illustrates just how bad things can get when those giving HIV tests don't have the facts on HIV vaccine research (click here to download the PDF on the Chicago example).

Long story short, this individual was pressured to take an HIV test despite the fact that she told her doctor she was in a trial and didn't want one (this particular Doctor refused to give out birth-control without an HIV test). She then was told she was HIV positive even though she wasn't (it was a false-positive which can sometimes happen with trial volunteers). Getting this information caused her much unneccessary stress and also jeopardized the study by exposing which arm of the study she was in. Finally, after researchers contacted her medical provider to clear things up, she had difficulty getting the inaccurate HIV diagnosis removed from her medical records. This is an unneccesary and unacceptable outcome that we clearly want to avoid in the District of Columbia.

I am one of literally hundreds of current and former HIV vaccine trial participants in our area. It's crucial that those doing testing are informed about us. There's a lot of stuff I'd like folks doing testing to know, but if I had to boil it down to a few key points, here they are:

HIV Testing Counselors should be made aware that participation in an HIV vaccine trial can potentially alter the outcome of an ELISA and/or Western Blot HIV test.

Current HIV vaccine trial participants should not be tested for HIV at local clinics, but should always be referred to their trial site for HIV testing.

Former trial participants should continue to get tested at their research site until advised by researchers to do otherwise.

Further it is important to emphasize that you cannot make any assumptions about someone's HIV status based on the fact that they are currently in a trial.

For a more indepth look at what local HIV/AIDS organizations should know about HIV Vaccine research, please review this document: 'HIV/AIDS Service Organizations & HIV Prevention Vaccine Research'. This document was written a few years back by myself and other members of the Capital Area Vaccine Effort. I updated the document and we reviewed it at the CAVE meeting last night. It's also available on the CAVE website.

Click here to download 'HIV/AIDS Service Organizations & HIV Prevention Vaccine Research'. Please be sure to print it out and share it with folks who do counseling and testing in the District. CAVE will also be writing a letter to DOH to encourage this information be included and emphasized in training programs those conducting HIV tests.

City Year DC to Double Size of HIV/AIDS Outreach Team

This morning I got up (early!) for a breakfast at City Year DC. City Year DC unites a diverse group of 17 to 24 year-olds for a year of full-time, team-based community service. One of sixteen City Year sites located across the country, City Year Washington, DC helps children and youth succeed, develops leaders, and improves the community.

On of several projects at City Year DC is the HOPE team, a partnership between City Year and Metro Teen AIDS, which works to address and prevent the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the DC community by educating young people about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and how the infection is spread. City Year corps members deliver an 9-week curriculum entitled Making Proud Choices. This CDC-approved curriculum is specifically designed to increase the knowledge of young people about HIV/AIDS, to prevent infection, and to develop positive attitudes about safe sex.

Building on the momentum created by the curriculum, the HOPE Team supports, educates and empowers students to launch after-school clubs focused on promoting healthy choices called “Visionary Youth Becoming Empowered” (VYBE). VYBE clubs are currently active at Eastern High School and Bell Multicultural High School.

I was excited to learn this morning that City Year plans to double the size of the HOPE team in the next year going from 10 to 20 people. This will give them the opportunity to reach even more DC public school students.

Education about HIV and AIDS in DC public schools varies widely depending about what school you are talking about.

I'm glad to see this program growing. I also believe there is a tremendous amount we can learn from the Project Hope Team. I would love to learn more about their experience approaching schools, their thoughts on why some DC schools don't offer comprehensive HIV/AIDS education programs, and their thoughts on standards for DC public schools around HIV/AIDS.

There should be opportunity to have this dialogue at the CDC mandated DC Department of Education HIV/AIDS Program Review Panel. But as we know in DC, even if the CDC mandates it, it doesn't mean the meetings actually take. This group is supposed to meet at least twice a year. I've asked to be notified of meetings, and as far as I know they haven't met in the past eight months (If anybody knows who I can contact at the CDC to let them know their mandated meetings aren't happening, please tell me!).

This to me is just another example of the lack of leadership on HIV/AIDS in the District of Columbia. It's why we need a new Director of the HIV/AIDS Administration as quickly as possible, and why we need a Mayor who is willing to take action on HIV/AIDS.

Andromeda Transcultural Health HIV Testing Poster

The folks at Andromeda Transcultural Health have created a poster to get the word out about their HIV testing program. Click here to download the poster. Then post it up anywhere you think folks might be interested. For information on other HIV testing sites in the city, click here.

Housing Briefing on the Hill

The National AIDS Housing Coalition (NAHC) invites you to a briefing on housing programs serving persons living with HIV/AIDS, including Housing Opportunities for People Living With AIDS (HOPWA).

This is an excellent opportunity for people who receive HOPWA or related services, or people who need them, to express your opinions and tell your stories about the importance of safe housing for people who are living with HIV/AIDS.

This briefing will examine the current national and local policy issues around housing for people living with HIV/AIDS, including funding priorities, and provide and opportunity for Q&A with local AIDS housing providers and clients (including C2EA/DC).

*Lunch will be provided*

Friday, March 16th 2007

12:00 - 1:30pm

Rayburn House Office Building B354

Please contact Larry Bryant to RSVP - 202 419 9810

CAVE Meeting Tuesday March 13th

Please join us for the next meeting of the Capital Area Vaccine Effort(CAVE)on March 13th at 6:30 PM. We'll be meeting at the DC CARE Consortium, 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 500.

CAVE is the community advisory board for the Vaccine Research Center, and at this meeting we're going to be looking at a new VRC research protocol. We'll also be discussing plans for AIDS Vaccine Awareness Day.

DCist Blog Post on Mayor Fenty

Building on this post I wrote last week, DCist.com has a post up right now about Adrian Fenty's Response to the HIV/AIDS Epidemic. Be sure to check it out.

Metro Teen AIDS Art Auction

Save the Date! The Metro Teen AIDS 14th Annual Art & Articles Auction will take place Thursday, June 14, 2007 at the Embassy of Finland. Come for an evening of music, open bar and light fare and the chance to bid on the best DC has to offer!

The ticket price of $100 will benefit www.metroteenaids.org. Look for more information on the Metro Teen AIDS website in the coming months.

Damien Ministries Retreat August 27-30

Damien Ministries will be hosting a retreat for people living with HIV/AIDS from August 27-30. They invite you to: "Discover the meaning of God and spirituality for yourself within the HIV/AIDS experience; focus on spiritual growth that encourages learning, healing, relaxation, and fun, surround yourself in a time, place, and commmunity of grace and care."

More information is available on the Damien Ministries Website. The application deadline is August 15th.

Adrian Fenty's Failure to Lead on HIV/AIDS

As many of you know, the Campaign to End AIDS Metro-DC submitted a letter to Adrian Fenty back on February 2nd, 2007. Disappointingly, we are still waiting on a response. We got a form letter back saying we could expect to hear from someone. More recently I was told that we would receive a written response this week but at this point, it seems unlikely that will happen.

This is the latest in a series of disappointments. With Adrian Fenty's first 100 Days more than half over, it is clear that he has failed to lead on HIV/AIDS in the District. Let's review:

1. Adrian Fenty dismissed HIV/AIDS Administration Director Marsha Martin without having a replacement in mind, leaving the agency floating adrift without a full-time, devoted Director. Department of Health head Gregg Pane has temporarily added responsibility of the HIV/AIDS Administration to his currently full plate, but his part time efforts are not sufficient. And sadly, some decisions are being held up until a new Director is selected.

2. Fenty's 100 Day Plan said almost nothing about HIV/AIDS, and the goals that were related to HIV/AIDS were vague at best.

3. Mayor Adrian Fenty failed to keep his Campaign Promise to hold a summit meeting on HIV/AIDS in the first 90 days of his administration.

Some Mayors get to choose the issues they work on; they get to select what they want to be remembered for. Other Mayors are forced to respond to the pressing emergencies of their time. Make no mistake Mayor Fenty, you will be remembered for how you respond to the HIV/AIDS emergency in DC. So far, your record is not looking good.

Today's ACTION Lunch

Today I hosted the monthly ACTION Lunch. Laura Otolski, a diettician from Food & Friends, did an amazing job covering the topic of nutritional issues for people living with HIV. We even tried to make the food a little healthier, this time with Whole Foods catering the event. The menu included smoked salmon wraps, chicken wraps, and veggie wraps, plenty of fresh cut fruits and vegetables, and tabouli.

I also surveyed folks who attended to see what topics they'd like to see us talk about in the future. I still have to go through all the surveys but a preliminary look .... On the HIV prevention side, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP) research and circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy appear to be hot topics. On the treatment side the two hot topics appear to be HIV and depression, and the relationship between HIV and the use of tobacco, alcohol, and party drugs.

The next two ACTION lunches, however, are already planned. In April Dr. Barney Graham will be speaking about HIV Vaccine Research, and in May Dr. Fred Gordin will be give a presentation entitled "When is it SMART to Start HIV Treatment?".

Please take a moment and click here to download the flyer for these events and be sure to post it up at your church, your agency, your grocery store, and wherever you think people may be interested.

Oh ... and more pictures from the event are posted on the Fight HIV in DC Flickr Page. I've also had requests to put Laura's presentation online - so I will check with her and see if we can make that happen.

Now go out to a nice restaurant and support Food & Friends at Dining Out for Life tonight! As for me, if I still have the energy, I'm going to tonight's CPG Meeting.

Quick. What are you doing the last weekend of March?

Quick. What are you doing the last weekend of March? How would you like to help save the lives of young black men and get a free trip in the process? You can. It's not too late to sign up for the "Ebony Distinctions" retreat hosted by Us Helping Us, People into Living Inc. (UHUPIL) and Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL). This important retreat will help educators and prevention workers to create HIV prevention strategies specifically tailored to young men of color.

Although there will be other retreats over the next 7 months, the first one takes place the weekend of , March 30^th to April 1^st . Those who sign up will get an all-expense paid trip to a resort. During the weekend, you can help researchers understand more about our community and take advantage of this rare but important opportunity to make a difference.

How do you feel about the major issues affecting our community like HIV/AIDS, STDs, drug abuse, and mental health? What does community mean? Do we have a community? If so, what defines it? Who is in it? Those are some of the questions that many of you have been asking for quite some time. Now you have a chance to provide answers that will make a difference.

“Ebony Distinctions” is a program created to find out your answers to these questions and to start building a community ... whatever we decide that means. It's time for us to define community ourselves and to answer questions that will help build, save and heal the community we all want.

Your tax dollars support "Ebony Distinctions" and you should benefit from it. We are seeking black men who want to talk about these issues. We’re looking for black men who want to save other black men. And they are looking for black men who want to have some fun with other black men at a luxury resort.

Here are the details below.

WHAT IT IS?
An all expense paid trip

First Retreat: March 30^th –April 1^st.
there will be a total of four (4) retreats over the next 7 months. Even if you aren't available for the first retreat you should call now to sign up for future retreats.

An interactive, fun-filled weekend with other black men.

A chance to:
1) getaway from the city
2) fellowship with other brothers who have similar interests
3) discuss some problems and solutions affecting our community
4) personal enrichment and healing.

WHAT IT IS NOT?
� A preach session or academic or clinical information session.
� Boring
� Public (your participation is confidential)

DETAILS:
1. Participants must complete an initial interview and questionnaire, which is set up by appointment at your convenience.

2. An orientation will be held 3 days before the retreat.

To schedule your initial interview and sign up for this very important initiative, please contact Kenya Hutton at:

202-446-1104

202-425-7782

Khutton@uhupil.org

Activities Available at the Resort:
Golf, Swimming & Racquetball, Full Service Spa & Fitness Center, Equestrian & Stables, Skating & Skiing. In addition, there will be social activities and events planned by the coordinators.

DC HIV Community Planning Group Meeting on Thursday

The DC HIV Prevention Community Planning Group will hold a full committee meeting on March 8th, 2007 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The meeting will be held at 64 New York Avenue, NE - 1st Floor Conference Room. Parking is available at this location after 5:30pm. To gain access through the security gate push 3# on the call box and mentioned that you are attending the CPG Meeting. It is also assessable by rail (red line NY Ave.Station) and by bus (90, 92, and 80 route).

Even if you are not a member of the DC HIV Prevention Community Planning Group, you are welcome to come to this meeting. The CPG is comprised of people living with HIV/AIDS, those at high risk for HIV, and representatives of affected populations from the community, as well as epidemiologists, behavioral and social scientists, HIV/AIDS service providers, health department staff, and other representatives of organizations that serve persons with, or at risk for, HIV infection. All members work as a team to analyze the course of the HIV epidemic in the District of Columbia, assess and prioritize HIV prevention needs, identify HIV prevention interventions to meet those needs, and develop a comprehensive HIV prevention plan the District of Columbia.

Circumcision Studies Warrant Response from HIV/AIDS Administration

Two studies recently published in the Lancet both reach the same conclusion: men who are not circumcised are much more likely to acquire HIV through heterosexual sex than man who are circumcised.

This doesn't change the fact that abstinence is the only 100% effective way to prevent HIV. It doesn't change the fact that for the rest of us, condoms are highly effective in preventing HIV. But of course not all of us are perfect all of the time, which is why the epidemic continues to grow. So circumcision can offer men another tool to lower their risk for HIV.

These studies took place in Kenya and Uganda. And given the high rates of HIV in those countries, circumcision efforts are expected to quickly become an integrated part of HIV prevention in those countries.

But what about the District of Columbia?

Our HIV rates are comparable with those of Sub-Saharan Africa. And while we don't know how many men are circumcised in DC, we do know from national data that rates of circumcision among African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Immigrant Populations are all relatively low. This suggests to me that there are many men (of all ages) in DC

Circumcision could be an important tool in our fight against HIV in the District of Columbia, if we take action.

I've compiled information about HIV and Circumcision in DC on this page, which includes a fact sheet with all the basic information and citations.

Please download the fact sheet now by clicking here

Read it over. Think about it. Share it with others. In the coming week I'll be adding additional posts about male circumcision in DC and how we can take action.

Compelling new data such as this calls for an immediate response from the HIV/AIDS Administration. Let's make sure that happens.

What Adrian Fenty Promised To Do

This is simply a direct quote from Adrian Fenty's Campaign Position Paper (emphasis mine).

"Within the first 90 days of my administration, I will convene a HIV/AIDS summit of government, faith, and community-based organization leaders to develop a comprehensive strategy to tackle the epidemic. The Mayor's Task Force on HIV/AIDS would play an important part in the Summit and it would continue to meet regularly and be part of the oversight of implementation of action items. Further, I would direct the Summit members to focus on funding issues. The District must bill for and receive every federal dollar that is available for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS."

What happened?

Gay Men: Let's Talk About Rectal Microbicides

What is a microbicide you might ask? In this context it's a foam, or a gel, or a liquid, that can be applied vaginally or rectally to assist in HIV prevention.

It's an exciting area of HIV prevention research. Condoms are essential to HIV prevention, but prevention can't be only about condoms. HIV vaccine research, HIV microbicide research, PREP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) research are all crucial. New studies also make it clear that circumcision can also reduce your risk for HIV.

Simply put, we need every possible tool at our disposal to prevent HIV. Watch this video to learn more about rectal microbicide research. To find out more about microbicide research in general, visit The Global Campaign for Microbicides. To find out more about rectal microbicide research, visit the International Rectal Microbicide Working Group.

AIDS Watch

Each spring, hundreds of AIDS advocates from across the U.S. travel to the nation's capital to speak to their elected officials with a strong voice, united in support of a solid federal commitment to AIDS programs. AIDSWatch focuses on federal support sufficient to meet the need for domestic and global prevention, care and treatment, research and housing. All people living with HIV deserve comprehensive care and treatment. All people at risk of HIV infection deserve effective prevention services.

Join AIDSWatch, the largest annual constituent-based Federal HIV/AIDS advocacy and education event in the U.S. Participants include people living with HIV and AIDS, their families, friends, care providers, and other advocates. AIDSWatch is a project of the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA). Many other national organizations concerned about HIV and AIDS also participate in the planning, funding and support of this event.

Please save the dates April 23-25. Full details will be available soon on the NAPWA website.

We're Here, and We're Fighting

Housing Works has this great blog post about the birth of the Campaign to End AIDS Metro DC Chapter.

After meeting for several months now, we've met all the criteria to become an official chapter. We jumped the last hurdle at our last meeting when we elected co-chairs. Our amazing co-chairs are Larry Bryant and Danielle Pleasant. Here's an excerpt from the article:

"Once it starts mobilizing area PWAs, the D.C. C2EA folks will address head-on their city's out-of-control epidemic and push for a state of emergency to be declared there. The District's HIV rates rank among the worst in the nation with an estimated one in 20 of the city's 500,000 residents infected. The annual rate of new AIDS cases is ten times higher than the national average.

The city's response has often been weak and bungled, with understaffed and poorly coordinated efforts, especially in programs servicing the city's youth and at-risk groups. A top priority for C2EA D.C. is to ensure that the position of director of HIV/AIDS administration at the Department of Health is filled.

Pleasant also wants to make a big push for HIV education in schools. "We need it starting at a young age. Our kids are having sex at 13 or 14, if not younger, and they're putting themselves at risk for STDs and HIV. Schools want to teach health, but they don't want to talk about sex or HIV," she says.

Get involved! Please join us for the next meeting.

Two Great Articles

There are two great articles in this week's MetroWeekly worth checking out.

First, there is an article covering this week's community forum on crystal meth that I blogged about yesterday.

Second, there is an article covering this month's ACTION lunch.

DC Community Forum on Crystal Meth

The DC Crystal Meth Working Group held an open town hall on February 26th entitled ‘The State of the Crystal Meth Epidemic in Washington DC’, which was co-sponsored by several community groups (additional pictures from this event are available on our flickr page).

A number of speakers emphasized the connections between crystal meth (methamphetamine) and new HIV infections in the District of Columbia.

Dr. Mariana Niemtzoff, Director of Behavioral Health Services for Whitman Walker, stated that last year 73% of the clients receiving treatment for amphetamine use were HIV positive. This is an increase from previous years where the rate was around 55%.

A notable frustration during the coarse of the evening was lack of data from DOH (deja vous?), which makes it hard to know what's really happening with Meth in DC.

On a personal note as a gay guy in DC, I found myself wanting to hear more about why this drug has taken hold in the gay men's community, and why despite having all of the information and fully understanding the consequences, gay men in DC still make bad decisions about meth, about sex, and about other risk behaviors.

I know that I sometimes make bad decisions (yes, there, I said it) when I'm lonely, when I'm insecure, when I'm depressed, when I don't have my friends around, when the guy I'm with is really hot, etc .... Lots of reasons.

And for me, the solution to the meth problem is not just having a doctor make sure you understand the medical consequences of meth, and not just having a prosecutor make sure you understand the legal consequences of the meth.

For me the solution has to be addressing the heart of the matter: why, at certain times in our lives, these consequences just don't seem to matter ... and we end up making bad decisions about alcohol, or crystal, or meth, or whatever ...

As gay men we continue to live in a society that doesn't fully value who we are. And let's face it, sometimes we don't fully value each other.

We rarely talk about how depression impacts the health of gay men. And even more rare our conversations about how we build more inclusive, welcoming, and loving environments to support gay men in the DC.

I'm really inspired by work done in other parts of the country around this. Manifest Love, a group of gay men finding new ways to be with and for each other, is one example of what I'm talking about. Check out the site.

At any rate, I think the forum Monday night was a good start, and I'm glad the Crystal Meth Working Group is going to continue to work on this issue.

The mission of the DC Crystal Meth Working Group is to provide information and resources to help people make informed decisions about crystal meth. For more information, visit www.letstalkaboutmeth.org.

March ACTION Newsletter Now Online

Just a quick note to let you know the ACTION March Newsletter is now online. See the March Newsletter as a PDF file right here. If you work for an HIV/AIDS service organization in DC, please print out copies to share with your clients.

And please be sure to join us for the March ACTION Lunch. Laura Otolski, a diettician from Food & Friends, will be talking about nutritional issues for people living with HIV. The lunch takes place on March 8th. The presentation begins at 1:00 PM at the DC CARE Consortium, 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 500.

click here to download the flyer for this event.

Lunch Provided. RSVP Required. To RSVP, click here.

C2EA Metro DC Meeting March 5th

The next C2EA Metro DC Meeting will be Monday, March 5th, 2007 at 6pm. We will meet at the Whitman-Walker Clinic's Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center (1701 R Street, NW). Now is a great time to get involved, so I hope you'll join us.

If you missed the last meeting or you're just coming on board, you can read the minutes from our last meeting here. And of course, if you're not already signed up, please be sure to Join the C2EA Metro DC Yahoo Group

Update: National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day March 10th

New local events added - see below

March 10, 2007 marks the second annual National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day which seeks to raise awareness of the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of women and girls.

This year's theme is "Taking Action to Save Our Lives".

Women and girls can take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS in a variety of ways such as getting tested for HIV, practicing safe methods to prevent HIV, deciding not to engage in high risk behaviors, talking about HIV prevention with family, friends and colleagues, empowering oneself, and providing support to those living with HIV/AIDS.

For more information click here.

Local Events

Friday, March 9th - 3:00- 5:00 pm @ Planned Parenthood of Washington (Ophelia Egypt Program Center) 3933 Minnesota Avenue, NE
The Ward 7 HIV/AIDS Collaborative will engage young women through a "For Sisters Only Chat & Chew" rap session which will provide an open forum for women to share their experiences, successes and challenges along their journey with HIV. Whether infected or affected, the stories of our women are powerful and motivational.

Friday, March 9th - 6:00- 9:00 pm @ Planned Parenthood of Washington (Ophelia Egypt Program Center) 3933 Minnesota Avenue, NE
The Ward 7 HIV/AIDS Collaborative will engage, motivate and educate the Ward 7 community-at-large at our Community Gathering/Awards Reception. This reception will honor David Catania, Vince Grey, Justine Love, and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton for their involvement in the battle against HIV/AIDS.

Onsite rapid oral HIV testing will be provided by Children's National Medical Center Family and Youth Connections, and Unity Health Care's Project Orion

NMAC Open House March 22nd

The National Minority AIDS Council invites you to their Open House Thursday, March 22nd, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. NMAC is located at 1931 13th Street, NW. NMAC will be giving a tour of their facility and providing information about their upcoming 20th Anniversary Gala. Light hors d'oeuvres will be served. Space is limited, so for more information contact Michael Ludwig by e-mail or at 202 483-662 ext 361.

Fight HIV in DC Cafe Press Store

Hi all. I have a lot of stuff to blog about this week, but for now a quick note to let you know that I created a new Fight HIV in DC Cafe Press Store. I hope you'll buy a shirt and help raise awareness in the District. So far, there is only one shirt design that you can see below.

I love this design if I do say so myself. For me having the distressed DC map in the background is a powerful reminder of the need to take action right here, in every part of our city; in every one of our communities.

You can order a shirt right now. Also, if you're artistically inclined, it would be great to have you create your own t-shirt design for us. Just send the artwork my way and I'll add it to the Fight HIV in DC Cafe Press Store.

Taking it to the Streets

Check out this great video about Life Guard DC

Medical Marijuana for the District of Columbia

In my February 14th blog post, I encouraged us to recommit to two important political struggles for living with HIV/AIDS in the District now that Democrats are in control of Congress: making medical marijuana legal for HIV/AIDS patients who need it, and challenging the congressional ban which prevents our city from spending any of our own money on needle exchange programs to prevent HIV transmission. While the issue of of needle exchange remains relatively dead in the water, the push for medical marijuana seems to be picking up a little steam.

This week the Washington Blade published an article on the benefits of medical marijuana for HIV/AIDS patients. The same issue of the Blade has an op-ed by Bruce Mirken with this call to action:

"We can be silent no more. The gay community must speak up, and LGBT and HIV/AIDS organizations — some of which have taken supportive positions on medical marijuana but few of which have done very much about it — must make this a high priority, now."

Bruce also points out that for patients being treated for the hepatitis C virus (HCV), the results are even more dramatic. Here in DC, we have a lot of folks living with HCV and a lot of folks with both HIV and HCV. I have many friends who've been treated for HCV with interferon. And let me tell you, it can be incredibly difficult.

Here are the side effects as described by the CDC:

Most persons have flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint aches, fast heart rate) early in treatment, but these lessen with continued treatment. Later side effects may include tiredness, hair loss, low blood count, trouble with thinking, moodiness, and depression. Severe side effects are rare (seen in less than 2 out of 100 persons). These include thyroid disease, depression with suicidal thoughts, seizures, acute heart or kidney failure, eye and lung problems, hearing loss, and blood infection. Although rare, deaths have occurred due to liver failure or blood infection, mostly in persons with cirrhosis. An important side effect of interferon is worsening of liver disease with treatment, which can be severe and even fatal.

Can you imagine spending six months to a year of your life physically tired and mentally depressed? According to the CDC, fifteen percent of folks who start this treatment have to stop because they just can't handle the side effects. It's outrageous to me there is a drug out there that make this treatment easier for patients that is available in other parts of the world, but not to DC residents.

What can you do to fight this? Take action:

* Contact Bruce at the Marijuana Policy Project, and let him know you're a DC resident ready to get involved in this fight.

* Join the Campaign to End AIDS Metro DC Yahoo Group for information about local HIV/AIDS Activism

* Make sure HIV/AIDS organizations and other organizations you belong to have endorsed the use of medical marijuana, and share that information with MPP and C2EA.

* Register for AIDS Watch, where you'll be trained on how to lobby members of Congress. Help educate congress members on this issue.

* Contact members of the City Council Committee on Health and encourage them to show leadership on this issue.

DC Screening of Queen Latifah's Film: Life Support

E Street Cinema is hosting a viewing of the film 'Life Support' starring Queen Latifah on February 27th.

Life Support is a riveting story that examines the crises of HIV in the African-American community. Through the eyes of a survivor, Oscar-nominated Queen Latifah, plays an inspiring role as a mother, an ex-addict, and an AIDS activist.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters(D-CA) will give introductory remarks. And a panel discussion will take place afterwords.

This event is FREE and open to the public.

For more info, click here

Lunch Forum: Nutritional Issues for People Living with HIV

ACTION will sponsor a free lunch forum entitled 'Nutritional Issues for People Living with HIV' on March 8th, 2007. The presentation begins at 1:00 PM at the DC CARE Consortium, 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 500.

NEW!! download the flyer for this event here

What role should nutrition play in HIV treatment? What unique nutritional issues do people living with HIV face? Join us for a lunch presentation with Laura Otolski, a Community Diettician with Food & Friends. We will learn more about nutrition and have the opportunity to try new and different delicious and healthy foods during the lunch presentation.

Lunch Provided. RSVP Required. To RSVP, Click Here.

How You Can Help Life Guard

The LIFE GUARD program is looking for volunteers to help get the word out that free condoms are available in Washington, D.C.

LIFE GUARD is looking for volunteers to:

1) Help attach condoms onto LIFE GUARD promotional post cards this Wednesday, February 21 from 6:00 - 9:30 p.m. at 1919 16th St NW (Corner of Caroline & 16th Streets, the entrance is on Caroline St.)

2) Pass out postcards and condoms on the Metro this Thursday, between 6 - 11:00 a.m.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering for one or both of these options should contact Tim Sevilla, Volunteer Coordinator for The Condom Project at 201-803-6643 e-mail cesarsevilla[a]gmail.com.

LIFE GUARD empowers communities to create non-traditional and comprehensive condom distribution systems that rely on the involvement of peer-to-peer social networks, local businesses, and community-based organization outreach services. The program aims to make condoms accessible by providing free condoms in overlooked communities, 24 hours a day.

Currently, the program makes condoms accessible at two locations, providing free condoms 24 hours a day. We have distributed over 3,500 LIFE GUARD packs (7000 condoms) since the program launched on 11/28/2006.

www.lifeguarddc.org.

What Should Go in the Toolbox?

I'm still working away on the four month plan I put out on December 3rd, 2006. A lot of things on the list are already done. The site has moved to www.fighthivindc.org, I've incorporated the google ads, and I've added a number of guest bloggers to our arsenal.

And our Campaign to End AIDS Metro DC List has grown from 15 to 46. There is still a way to go before we reach the goal of 100, but I'm sure we can do it.

And this weekend I spent sometime working on the 'download center', which I have nicknamed the Fight HIV in DC Toolbox. The goal is to make this an easy-to-access guide for general information about HIV/AIDS in DC, and to include PDF fliers when possible so information can be downloaded and shared easily with folks who aren't online as often.

So I ask you, what should go in the toolbox. Currently I've listed information about HIV/AIDS support groups and HIV/AIDS retreats. I hope to add an advocacy section with guides to the CPG, Planning Council, School Board Advocacy, and more. I'd like to add information on local testing sites and condom distribution sites. But I'd also like to hear from visitors to the site. What information would be usefull to you? What would you like to see in the toolbox? Check out the work-in-progress right here and let me know what you think.

And while you're at it, let me know what goals you would like to see in the next four month plan.

Nasty

The Washington Post has a disturbing article about a Montgomery County Schools invited abstinence-only-until-marriage speaker who gave students the following lessons on love:

"To demonstrate how sexually transmitted diseases are spread, a visiting speaker invited students to share gum in health classes at four county high schools in December and last month. School officials said a total of about 100 students participated in the lessons, although some declined to chew the gum."

Teaching about communicable diseases by spreading them? This is evidence that abstinence-only-until-marriage advocates care more about promoting their religious values than they do about preventing disease.

HAA Condom Distribution Plan Relies Heavily on Volunteers

The city of DC began to make good on it's goal of distributing a million condoms in the District of Columbia on Friday. The Washington Post reports that 250,000 have been 'deployed' across the city. But what exactly does 'deployment' mean?

Well, almost half of these condoms, 120,000 to be exact, went to Lifeguard DC, an entirely volunteer effort to distribute condoms where they are needed across the city. This number of condoms is approximately seventeen times the total number of condoms LifeGuard DC has given away since the organization came into existence. I greatly admire the hardwork of Lifeguard DC, but I can't help but wonder if this volunteer effort will be able to distribute all these condoms before they expire. And while I applaud the DOH moving forward on this initiative, but I'm suprised to see a well funded city agency relying on a small group of volunteers to do the bulk of the work.

Where did the other condoms go? District agencies including the HIV/AIDS Administration, have 27,300. And the rest are were given to local HIV/AIDS and commnity health organizations:

* 25,000 to Whiltman Walker Clinic
* 11,000 to the Community Education Group
* 11,000 to Us Helping Us
* 10,000 to Unity Health Care
* 8,000 to Georgetown Kids Mobile Unit
* 8,000 to Sasha Bruce Youthwork
* 6,000 to Family Connection/Children's Hospital
* 5,000 to DOH Addiction Prevention & Recovery Administration
* 3,500 to Howard University Student Health Services
* 3,000 to Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive
* 2,500 to Family & Medical Counseling
* 2,000 to Efforts (ex-cons outreach)
* 2,000 to Metro Teen AIDS
* 1,500 to Abundant Life
* 1,500 to Different Avenues
* 1,500 to So Others Might Eat (SOME)
* 1,000 to Our Place
* 200 to Rock Creek Academy

It's a good start. What matters most, however, is geting the condoms in the hands of the folks who need them.

Metro Teen AIDS Winter Wine Event

Join Metro Teen AIDS for their fourth annual Winter Wine Event. This year's event takes place on Monday, February 26, 2007 from 6:30 to 9:00 PM at the Hotel Tabard Inn.

It's a great opportunity to enjoy an evening with friends learning more about wine and supporting a worthy cause. Just remember the five S's of wine tasting and you'll look like a pro (Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Swish and Spit/Swallow). To buy your tickets click here.

Not while the Republicans are in Control

It's no secret that many of the things DC residents want to do to improve our lives and our city end up getting messed up, delayed, or just plain blocked by Congress. DC is not like any other city in the United States. Congress controls our money and exerts extraordinary control over how we spend it.

When it comes to HIV/AIDS in the District, Congressional interference has had dire consequences.

First, despite overwhelming evidence that needle-exchange programs are an effective HIV prevention strategy, Congress prevents DC from spending any money for needle exchange. This means that unlike any other city in the country hit by the epidemic, we can't even spend our own city funds to support needle-exchange programs. Our only needle exchange program operates without any government money.

Second, Congress has prevented DC residents from deciding for themselves whether or not they support Medical Marijuana for HIV patients who would benefit from that treatment. Yet another study released today shows Medical Marijuana can benefit people living with HIV/AIDS. A few years ago we had a ballot initiative on this issue, and DC Voters supported the use of Medical Marijuana, yet we have been unable to move forward on this issue because of Congress.

For several years now, when you brought up either of these topics, way too many folks would politely nod and inevitably reply "If only the Republicans weren't in control of Congress". At times it felt like too easy of an excuse for not continuing to stand up and speak out about these two issues.

So I would like to point out to everyone in the District who has ever utterred those words: The Republicans aren't in control of Congress anymore. What are we going to do about it now?

I'm glad to see that the Gay and Lesbian Activist Alliance continues to include both of these issues in their Legislative Agenda. We need more organizations in DC taking action on needle exchange and medical marijuana. Now is the time.

April ACTION Lunch: The State of HIV Vaccine Development with Dr. Barney Graham

Join us April 12th at 1:00 PM for the monthly ACTION lunch presentation at the DC CARE Consortium, 1156 15th Street, Suite 500, Washington DC. DC CARE is located at the corner of 15th and M Streets, and is closest to the McPherson Metro Stop.

Where are we in the search for a safe, effective HIV Vaccine? Dr. Barney Graham (pictured left) will discuss the current state of HIV Vaccine research, focusing on the work done locally at the NIH Vaccine Research Center. Read more about Dr. Graham and the work of the VRC right here.

To RSVP for this event, click here.

Articles on DOH/HAA Restructuring

There have been several recent articles about the restructuring of the HIV/AIDS Administration at the Department of Health. As most of you know, Gregg Pane, who is the head of the Department of Health, has also appointed himself as the interim Director of HAA. In this Washington Blade Article, Pane clarifies that they do plan to hire a director in the next 30-60 days.

Articles have also appeared in The Examiner, the NBC 4 Website, and of course I'm quoted in this article that appears in Metro Weekly, where they referenced previous blog posts about Gregg Pane.

I've received a lot of positive feedback from the Metro Weekly article, and a little negative feedback. Let me just say this about the article. When it comes to HIV/AIDS, DC ranks as one of the worst cities in the country, if not the world. Things are not going well, and to say otherwise at this point, is unconscionable. As long as I know in my heart that we can do better, I will be the guy in the back of the room standing up and saying those very words as loud as I can. Why? Because we can do better.

I hope those of you who believe that will join the Metro DC Campaign to End AIDS. Together, we can make a difference.

Capital Pride: June 9th - 10th

The Capital Pride Parade is scheduled for Saturday, June 9th, and the Festival for Sunday, June 10th. More information will be posted on the Capital Pride website in the near future: www.capitalpride.org.

Washington Post Columnist Examines Washington, D.C., Program Aimed at Curbing Spread of HIV Among Injection Drug Users

Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy on Wednesday examined PreventionWorks! -- a privately funded needle-exchange program in Washington, D.C., that aims to curb the spread of HIV among injection drug users in the city. According to the district's Administration for HIV Policy and Programs, injection drug use is the second leading mode of HIV transmission among men in the district, and it is the leading mode of transmission among women, Milloy writes. PreventionWorks! was launched in 1998 and provides counseling, treatment referrals and HIV tests to IDUs. Last year, the program had a budget of $600,000, all of which was donated. The program is run by Ron Daniels, four staff members and a group of volunteers, who visit 12 cites in the district six days weekly. Last year, the program provided 1,963 IDUs with access to educational materials, treatment referrals and clean needles. According to Milloy, the district has an estimated 9,700 IDUs. "The needle exchange is just the beginning," Daniels said, adding, "We use the syringe to engage in conversations with those people nobody wants to talk to. We believe in meeting people where they are, treating them like human beings and helping them avoid catching and spreading diseases"

May 25-28: Quality of Life Retreat for People Living with HIV/AIDS

The next retreat takes places May 25th-28th in Frederick, MD

The Quality of Life Retreat program began in 1988. Since then over sixty-two retreats have been conducted.

The retreats are a connecting and coping experience for persons living with HIV/AIDS. It is a chance to get away, to get together, to interact and to learn the techniques and attitudes that are effective in dealing with the issues of long-term survival.

The program includes workshops that focus on self-acceptance, spiritual empowerment, stigmas, mental health, and maintaining quality of life. There will be workshops, entertainment, singing, prayer, and a healing services. Participants support each other through a Prayer-Buddy System. The group may also design a Talent Show. The retreat is limited to 40 participants and is offered to persons living with HIV/AIDS. The program is ecumenical and opent to individuals of all faiths, religions, and beliefs.

The retreats have four objects:

• To provide a safe, loving environment in which participants can be fully themselves, free of fears and inhibitions, and can deal openly with their deeest concerns.
• To offer spiritual, practical, educational and health resources to those whose lives have been, are and will be affected personally by HIV infection.
• To listen to what HIV infected persons have to say about their journeys.
• To offer and develop a viable model of how the religious community can make a compassionate and effective response to this crisis.

The ultimate goal is to provide retreats that will be a connecting and coping experience for persons living with HIV/AIDS.

The next retreat will take place May 25-28 at the Mar-Lu Conference Center, on Catoctin Ridge in Frederick County, MD.

For more information visit www.qualityofliferetreatshiv.org

Celebrate with Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry at IMAGINE 2007 - April 28, 2007

Join the Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry (NOVAM) in celebrating their 20th anniversary at the annual IMAGINE gala event, held Saturday, April 28. Host a pre-party with your friends and family and then meet up with guests from over 50 other private parties at the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Old Town Alexandria. Guests will enjoy fabulous desserts, cocktails, dancing, live entertainment and the opportunity to bid on fantastic live and silent auction items. It's a very fun night in support of an amazing cause.

Please contact Regan Davis at rdavis@novam.org or 703-533-5505 x13 if you are interested in hosting a pre-party or attending the event, or would like information on volunteer opportunities to ensure the evening goes off without a hitch.

New Interim Director for LGBT Affairs

Longtime DC LGBT advocate Christopher Dyer has been appointed as the new Interim Director for LGBT Affairs for the Fenty Administration. I can't imagine anyone else who deserves this more than Chris, and I'm thrilled that he has this opportunity.

Chris is currently an ANC Rep for ANC 2F03. He is the founder of Youth Pride Day and the Youth Pride Alliance. He was a 2006 officer of the Gertrude Stein Democrats. He is also actively involved in the Crystal Meth Working Group. He has raised money for many DC LGBT organizations including SMYAL and has been active in many other local efforts including Capital Pride, which earned him a volunteer award from Whitman-Walker Clinic.

Mayor Fenty is lucky to have Christopher Dyer on board. You can read the official press release right here.

Today is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

New! Download these documents:

C2EA-MetroDC National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Flyer

Ward 7 National Black HIV/AIDS Day Media Advisory

February 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness and Information Day (NBHAAD). This annual observance day was created to raise awareness among African Americans about HIV/AIDS and its devastating impact on African American communities. The day is part of a national mobilization effort to get African Americans to learn more about the threat posed by the disease, get tested, get treated and make a commitment to fight HIV/AIDS.

NBHAAD is a day to remember those infected and affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic-especially African Americans who are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Since 1981 when the first cases were diagnosed, AIDS has killed more than 20 million people, with African Americans accounting for 40 percent of those deaths.

To learn more about the coalition, visit www.blackaidsday.org.

Washington DC Events

Keeping it Real: Youth HIV Rap Session at Eastern Senior High School. 11:30-12:30 PM. Sponsored by the Ward 7 HIV/AIDS Collaborative

Counseling and Testing at Riverside CenterCounseling and Testing available from 3:30 to 5:00 PM. Located at Marvin Gaye Park – 5200 Foote Street, NE. Sponsored by the Ward 7 HIV/AIDS Collaborative.

Community Gathering/Awards Reception: The Ward 7 HIV/AIDS Collaborative will host a reception from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Planned Parenthood Ophelia Egypt Program Center, 3933 Minnesota Avenue, NE.

The Max Robinson Center Open House: The Max Robinson Center, located at 2301 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E., will hold an open house from 3-5 p.m. for the local community to learn about health care services available there.

Whitman Walker Clinic Reception: Whitman-Walker Clinic will hold a community reception at THEARC, 1901 Mississippi Ave., S.E., at 6:30 p.m. The event will include a presentation of a $150,000 donation to Whitman-Walker Clinic by DC Chartered Health, HIV testing and music and refreshments.

Northern Virginia Event: The Alexandria Health Department along with Whitman-Walker of Arlington, K. I. Services, NOVAM, Positive Livin' and INOVA Juniper will host an education/information event which will include opportunities for testing and counseling, in recognition of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The event will be held Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street in the "Olde Towne" section of Alexandria, VA. For more info, please e-mail dakween2@yahoo.com.

Howard University Student Calls for a Semester of Abstinence

Howard University student Carl Miller has a noble goal. He wants to encourage his fellow students to know their HIV status, be informed about HIV/AIDS, and have serious dialogue about HIV/AIDS in the African American community. A noble goal especially considering tomorrow is: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day,

His approach, however, is a little unusual. Miller is calling for "A Semester of Abstinence and Advocacy".

"Howard, we have a problem and it can't be ignored," Carl Miller, a graduate student and social worker, said. "Student leaders and the entire Howard campus need to take up the responsibility of protecting future generations from the issues that we face today."

If the semester of abstinence is a gimmick to get folks talking on campus, I'm all for it. If it's a serious strategy for preventing HIV transmission among sexually active college students, well then it's pretty much a joke.

Every credible piece of research out their prooves: "comprehensive sex education, which teaches both abstinence and contraception, is most effective for young people. Youth who receive this kind of education are more likely to initiate sexual activity later in life and use protection correctly and consistently when they do become sexually active."

Read the original article here

DC HIV/AIDS Groups: Apply for this Money!

DC HIV/AIDS Organizations have an incredible opportunity to apply for funds to do awareness around HIV Vaccine Research in DC.

Organizations can apply for up to $35,000 per year for a period of two years and four months (March 1, 2007 through June 30, 2009). The NIH/NIAID/DAIDS initiative is being made available through a subcontract with AED.

Here's the thing. The bulk of this grant involves doing events for AIDS Vaccine Awareness Day. Here in DC, the VRC and Capital Area Vaccine Effort. are already making plans for AIDS Vaccine Awareness Day (read more about our plans here).

The Capital Area Vaccine Effort can't apply for this money because they are not a 501C-3, but we'll be more than happy to work with whatever DC organization gets this grant.

Heck, I can even meet with you and help you write the grant. Just apply for the money. The deadline is coming up February 16th, and despite my best efforts, I haven't been able to get any local AIDS Service organizations to submit a proposal yet.

If you're interested, please contact me ASAP.

Read the full RFP right here.

C2EA-MetroDC Update

Campaign to End AIDS Metro DC met last monday and had our best turnout ever for a meeting. C2EA-MetroDC has joined the call to action for an HIV/AIDS state of emergency in DC. We submitted this letter to Mayor Adrian Fenty via snail mail & e-mail which calls for a state of emergency and requests a meeting with the Mayor's office.

You can read the minutes from our last meeting here. And please be sure to join us for our next meeting on February 12th, starting at 6:00 PM at Housing Works (925 15th Street NW, 2nd Floor, McPherson Square Metro).

Members of C2EA-MetroDC will be at various National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Events across the city getting the word out. Dorithia & I will set up a table and hand out info at the The Ward 7 HIV/AIDS Collaborative Reception from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Planned Parenthood Ophelia Egypt Program Center, 3933 Minnesota Avenue, NE. If you'd like to join us, just let me know.

Thirty Three Days and Counting. Where's our AIDS Czar?

A while back in a previous post, I asked the question, Does that leave us with Gregg Pane (pictured left) as our new AIDS Czar/DOH head?.

To clarify, that was a rhetorical question and the answer is NO! Because obviously nobody can be the head of the Department of Health and a full time AIDS Czar simultaneously.

I regret the wording, however, because I see the Examiner has set the dangerous precedent of referring to Gregg Pane as the AIDS Czar in a recent article. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Let me make a couple points about this article that need to be said.

First, as head of the Department of Health, Gregg Pane has been the man ultimately responsible for the operations of the HIV/AIDS Administration ever since he was first appointed as Acting Director in August of 2004. Nothing has changed in this regard.

Second, nobody can simultaneously hold two full-time jobs. Gregg Pane simply can't be both a full time head of the DOH and a full time AIDS Czar. He needs to hire a full time, competent and qualified individual to assume leadership of the HIV/AIDS Administration. He simply is not going to be able to accomplish part-time what others have failed to accomplish full-time.

Third, the goals Pane has set for the HIV/AIDS Administration are nothing new. In fact, they are terribly similar to many of the goals laid out by Marsha Martin. We had a previous goal of distributing a million condoms, which we did not meet (Pane's new goal is lowered to 250,000). We had a previous goal for HIV testing which we did not meet.

The challenge is not setting goals, the challenge is in actually accomplishing them; a view that was eloquently stated by Raymond Blanks in his op-ed Between Promises and Performance.

I seriously doubt we can do this without a full time, dedicated Director for the HIV/AIDS Administration. Thirty three days and counting. Where's our AIDS Czar?

NAPWA Hiring Local Advocates for People Living with HIV

The National Association of People with AIDS has received funding from the DC HIV/AIDS Administration (previously known as AHPP, they've changed their name again!) to create a Consumer Advocacy Project for people living with HIV/AIDS in our Title 1 area. Interested? Here's the job description:

"Consumer Advocates work as an extension of NAPWA professional staff to provide outreach to the Washington DC Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA) PLWH/A community to help consumers access and maintain Title I services. Consumer Advocates participate in workshops, meetings, events and education for HIV/AIDS services. Duties associated with the position include presenting Title I program related information to HIV + persons across the metropolitan area, including the consumer grievance process, assisting at health fairs/events, assisting with office work, along with other duties as they arise during the Consumer Advocacy Project. Comprehensive training will be provided to familiarize consumer advocates with the Ryan White services available to PLWH/A in the DC EMA, outreach materials, and the consumer grievance resolution process

Consumer Advocates are paid, hourly stipend positions, trained and supervised by NAPWA professional staff. Consumer advocates will report to the Director of Community Affairs, the Community Affairs Associate, or designated NAPWA Staff."

To read the entire job description click here

To download the application click here

Inspired Yoga Lends a Hand to Food and Friends

Throughout the month of February, Food and Friends will be the beneficiary of Inspired Yoga's community classes. These classes are taught on a rotating basis by teachers who are new to teaching. Community Classes are open for all experience levels and are offered on a donation basis. Pay what you can or use your Inspired Yoga class pass. 50 percent of all proceeds will be given to Food and Friends all month long. These classes are meant to encourage and enable anyone interested in yoga to experience its many gifts while helping others.

Learn more about Inspired Yoga's Community Classes by visiting www.inspiredyoga.com/community.htm