DC World AIDS Day 2007: December 1st

December 1st is World AIDS Day. Established by the World Health Organization in 1988, World AIDS Day serves to focus global attention on the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

World AIDS Day Events

Wednesday November 28th – HIV Town Hall. 6:30 PM at the Armour J. Blackburn Center’s East Ballroom at Howard University (HU). The Blackburn Center is
located at: 2397 Sixth St., N.W., Washington, DC 20059. This event is sponsored by Us Helping Us People Into Living, Inc (UHU), and the Vaccine Research Center (VRC).

Thursday November 29th – Red Hot Night. Kimpton Hotels hosts a World AIDS Day fundraiser at Urbana Restaurant & Wine Bar at Hotel Palomar, 2121 P St., NW, at 6:00 pm. $10.00 cover includes two drink tickets and hors d'ouevres. All proceeds will benefit Whitman-Walker Clinic. For more info, click here

Thursday November 29th –Children's National Medical Center Health Fair. The The HIV Services Department at Children's National Medical Center (CNMC) will commemorate World AIDS Day in the hospital on November 29th. Children's National Medical Center will hold a service provider fair in the atrium of the hospital to share information on ways to keep young people healthy. The fair will run from 10 AM to 1 PM. For more info, click here

Friday November 30th – Rally and Protest at the White House. Friday Nov. 30th, at 1:00pm at Lafayette Square in front of the White House. Read about last year's action here. For more information on this event, click here.

Friday November 30th – WWC Candlelight Vigil. Whitman-Walker's annual candlelight vigil will be Friday, Nov. 30, at 5:30 pm at Dupont Circle.

Friday November 30th – Free HIV Testing. Free HIV testing will be available on Friday, Nov. 30, at the Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St., NW, from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm; at the Max Robinson Center, 2301 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE, from 9:30 am - 4:00 pm; and at Whitman-Walker Clinic of Northern Virginia, 5232 Lee Highway in Arlington, from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Friday November 30th - Concert for Life 7:30, Friday, November 30 at the Kenmore Auditorium, 200 S. Carlin Springs Drive, Arington, VA 22204. For more info on this event, click here.

Saturday, December 1st - 2nd Annual 'Everyone's Birthday Friends for a Cause in partnership with Us Helping Us presents a 2007 World AIDS Day benefit featuring 'The Godmother' Lil' Mo and American Idol's Frenchie Davis. For more info on this event, click here.

Saturday, December 1st - MCC NOVA World AIDS Day Event The Metropolitan Community Church of Northern Virginia (MCC-NOVA) is working with Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry (NOVAM), area MCC congregations, Little River UCC, and many others to host a community health fair on the theme of Body, Mind, and Spirit. For more info on this event, click here.

Sunday, December 2nd - Our Lady Queen of Peace World AID Day Event Our Lady Queen of Peace AIDS Ministry & DC Catholic AIDS Network invite you to "STOP AIDS: Keep the Promise – Leadership”, a World AIDS Day Program. The event takes place Sunday, December 2, 2007 at At 4:00 PM at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, 3800 Ely Place, SE. Fo more details: click here.

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Observance of this day provides an opportunity for governments, national AIDS programs, churches, community organizations and individuals to demonstrate the importance of the fight against HIV/AIDS.

With an estimated 38.6 million people worldwide living with HIV at the end of 2005, and more than 25 million people having died of AIDS since 1981, December 1st serves to remind everyone that action makes a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Americans should be reminded that HIV/AIDS does not discriminate. With an estimated 1,039,000 to 1,185,000 HIV- positive individuals living in the U.S., and approximately 40,000 new infections occurring every year, the U.S., like other nations around the world is deeply affected by HIV/AIDS.

Adrian Fenty's First 100 Days

Adrian Fenty has released his plan for his first 100 days in office. The plan, which includes 200 action items, can be downloaded from the DC Government Website.

There are a few things I find interesting. First, among the action items are plans to hire several permanent staff members (Director of Dep of Human Services, Director of the Office on Aging, Director for the Department of Disability Services, Director of the Department of Disability Services). The plan does not state, however, whether or not Fenty will hire a new Director for the Administration for HIV Policy and Programs in his first 100 days. This is one action item which is urgently needed.

Also, the plan includes a cryptic goal, "Reorganize DOH to consolidate administrations and improve public health functions" which Fenty plans to do in the next 30 days." I can't help but wonder, what administrations are going to be consolidated in the next 30 days, and why didn't he just come out and tell us? I would think it's unlikely he's referring to the Administration for HIV Policy and Programs, but you never know.

Regarding the other goals on HIV/AIDS, most of the action items are items DC is either already working on, or the action item is worded so broadly (i.e. "exploring") that you don't know if there will be an actual outcome.

Here are some snippets from the plan, but you really should read the whole thing for yourself.

"Preventing of sexually transmitted diseases through exploring implementation of needle exchange programs and broader condom accesibility (100 days)"

"support mental health and wellness as well as offer HIV/AIDS prevention services through DMH provider agencies (100 days)"

"Coordinate with medical service providers, especially those part of the Medicaid/Alliance safety net, to implement routine HIV testing for patients ages 14+ and up (100 days)." (isn't that what AHPP's been doing for the past year?)

"Develop an East-of-the-River HIV/AIDS response capacity-building initiative (1st year)"

"Increase community messages on testing and prevention of HIV/AIDS and explore establishing a medical home for low income residents testing positive (1st year)"

Today's ACTION Lunch

Today I hosted another ACTION Lunch. This month's topic was 'Community Involvement in HIV/AIDS Research'. We had an excellent panel of four folks who discussed from a personal perspective why they got involved in HIV/AIDS research community advisory boards, their experiences and challenges, and the changes they've seen over the years.

There were folks here from: The Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), the International Network for Strategic Initiatives in Global HIV Trials (INSIGHT), and the Vaccine Research Center.

It is my hope that some of the 20+ folks who attended today are inspired to join a local community advisory board. If you'd like to find out more about local Community Advisory Boards drop me a line and let's talk about it.

And please join us next month for a presentation by Christine Grady on the Ethics of Clinical Research. Understanding the basic principles of what makes HIV/AIDS research ethical is a key part of being an effective Community Advisory Board Member.

Christine Grady currently heads the section on human subject research in the NIH Department of Clinical Bioethics. We could not possibly have a better speaker on this topic. She will take us through the history of clinical studies in the United States (including Tuskegee, Willowbrook, etc ..) and the evolution of research ethics (and protections for volunteers) over the years.

Download the flyer for this event here, and please print out copies of the flyer and share it with others who may be interested.

Don't Know Your Future if You Don't Know Your Past

The Rainbow History Project has put together a history of HIV/AIDS activism in DC. Be sure to check it out.

C2EA-Metro DC Meeting on Monday January 15th

The next Campaign to End AIDS Metro DC Meeting will take place from 6 pm to 7pm on January 15, 2007 at the offices of Housing Works, 925 15th Street NW, 2nd Floor (at McPhereson Square).

We are just getting started, but I'm very excited at this new wave of local HIV/AIDS activism in the District. Read the minutes from the last meeting here, then be sure to come out and join us on Monday.

Oh, and if you haven't already, Be sure to join the C2EA-MetroDC Yahoo Group

DC HIV Prevention Plan Falls Short / Meeting this Thursday

The new District of Columbia HIV Prevention Plan for 2006-2007 has been posted on the web? click here to see the plan. The purpose of the plan is to identify the HIV prevention needs of DC residents and to prioritize the populations most in need of these services, and to identify the best possible prevention strategies for these populations.

Sadly, the DC report simply does not measure up when compared to what other Community Planning Groups across the country. We simply don't have the the accurate data we so desperately need in order to make the best decisions about where HIV prevention dollars should be going.

You can make a difference by getting involved in the Community Planning Group. There is an application process for new members but you don't have to be a member to attend the monthly meetings or participate on committees.

The next meeting is this thursday January 11th at 6:00 PM at the Administration for HIV Policy and Programs, 64 New York Ave., NE, 1st Floor. Parking is available at M and 1st Street available for $5.00 The building is also accessible by metro. The closest station is the New York Av on the redlinee. Station.

There's also a code for getting into the building - if you're planning on coming shoot me an e-mail and I will get you all the details.

Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance Reception: April 19

The Gay and Lesbian Activist Alliance (GLAA), an all volunteer, non-partisian, non-profit political organization that works to advance equality rights for gay men and lesbians in Washington, celebrates 36 years of advocacy with its anniversary reception.

GLAA has been a leader on numerous local HIV/AIDS issues in the District of Columbia and deserve much credit for this work. Find out more about GLAA at www.glaa.org.

Details about the 36th Anniversary Reception will be posted on the website in the near future.

Fenty May Strengthen Smoke Free Workplace Law

Over at The DCist there has been a lot of discussion about a news report that Adrian Fenty may want to strengthen the Smoke Free Workplace Law. Currently, businesses that show a 5% drop in business can apply for an exemption. Fenty has suggested raising that standard to 15% to be more in line with other cities that have these laws, like New York.

A while back I wrote a post on Why the DC Smoke-Free Workplace Legislation is Good News for HIV Positive Workers, so I won't repeat what I said in that post. I will say, however, that I think the proposed change is a good idea for the safety of HIV positive workers, and of course all workers in the District.

Raymond Blanks Opinion Piece in the Post

The HIV/AIDS epidemic in Washington, D.C., "remains disturbing and depressing," and the district's "rate of infection remains 10 times the national rate," Raymond Blanks, a member of the Community HIV Planning Group, writes in a Post opinion piece. According to Blanks, "many thousands of residents with HIV do not know their status" and "[n]early 20,000 of the city's residents are living with HIV."

The "size of this epidemic requires an adequate scope of services to meet current and increasing demands," Blanks writes, adding that despite pledges from Williams, "real progress still eludes the Administration for HIV Policies and Programs." The "deadly health crisis" in the district is "still growing, while the city's ability to combat this disease with effective prevention and treatment services has not increased accordingly," according to Blanks. A report released last year by the DC Appleseed Center "asserted that the city was 15 years behind the scope and quality of services and management necessary to meet this growing health challenge," Blanks writes, concluding, "No appreciable improvements have been attained lately, while this disease continues to grow where people are most vulnerable. It's time for the district to truly deliver on its promises"

Going the Extra Mile: March 14th

The Whitman Walker Clinic 'Going the Extra Mile' reception benefits the Whitman Walker Clinic Legal Services Program, which offers pro bono legal services to people living with HIV/AIDS. The event takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the residence of the French ambassador, 2221 Kalorama Rd. NW. For more information contact Mike Wilkinson by e-mail or at 202 797 3543.

Meet Christopher Bates

Christopher Bates has served as Acting Director of the Office of HIV/AIDS Policy, Department of Health and Human Services, since August 2002. He is a Senior Health Program Analyst, who also served as the National Director for a departmental initiative known as the Rapid Assessment Response and Evaluation (RARE). Before joining OHAP Mr. Bates worked as a consultant with the John Snow, Inc., conducting a feasibility study on the integration of STD, HIV, and drug abuse services for a proposed national demonstration project. From 1997 through 1998 he served as interim Director of the city of Philadelphia HIV Commission. From 1991 through 1997, Mr. Bates was the Executive Director of the DC CARE Consortium.

Over the past 20 years, Mr. Bates has served on numerous national and local Boards and Commissions. He is a founding member of the DC Primary Care Association. He also served as a member of the Board of the Washington Consortium of Agencies, a six-year member of the Executive Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Ryan White Title Planning Council, a member of the Mayor’s Health Policy Advisory Committee and a past Chair of the Mayor’s AIDS Advisory Committee. He is an acknowledged national advocate for AIDS, as well as a provocative civic, gay/lesbian activist in the District of Columbia. He’s a graduate of the University of Michigan, and holds a MPA from Southeastern University in Washington, D.C.

Arts in Action: January 23

Helen Hayes Award Winner Sheri Edelen will be the featured performer at this year's Art in Action. This annual Champagne Reception & Benefit raises money for Food & Friends, Us Helping Us, Whitman Walker Clinic & MetroTeen AIDS.

Arts in Action will take place Tuesday, January 23 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the home of Dr. James D'Orta: 3032 N Street, NW (the Harriman Mansion).

For more information about this event, visit the Food and Friends website or call (202) 232-1682.

Dining Out for Life: March 8th

The Food & Friends annual Dining Out for Life takes place on March 8, 2007. 150 restaurants in the area will donate a portion of their sales to Food & Friends. So, mark your calendar NOW as you'll want to make sure you don't miss out on this chance to leave dinner (or lunch) having made a difference in the lives of our neighbors facing some of life's most difficult challenges!

Look for additional details to be posted on the Food & Friends Website in the future.

2006: The Year in Pictures

Here's some pictures from the first 5 months of www.fighthivindc.org. All these pics are also available on the Fight HIV in DC Flickr Page. If you have any pictures you'd like to see included here, just let me know.

ACTION January Newsletter Now Online

Just a quick note to let you know the ACTION January Newsletter is now online. See the January 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 January ACTION Lunch. The free lunch forum is entitled 'Community Involvement in HIV/AIDS Research' and takes place on January 11th, 2007. The presentation begins at 1:00 PM at the DC CARE Consortium, 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 500.

How do we assure that HIV/AIDS research in DC is ethical and reflects the needs of DC residents? How can we make sure that all DC residents have equal access to clinical trials? Join us for this free Lunch forum learn more about the important role of the community in HIV/AIDS research.

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

Adrian Fenty's Inaugural Address

Adrian Fenty's inaugural address is now available online. Unfortunately, the speech includes what is only a passing reference to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in DC. Fenty writes:

"We also say, to our neighbors who are frail, that this Administration joins the residents of this city in decrying miserable health statistics in HIV/AIDS, heart and lung disease, cancer and diabetes that are worse here than in many impoverished nations throughout the globe. If we are serious about being an example to the rest of the world, District of Columbia residents must have access to medicine and physicians and insurance, no matter where we live in the city, nor what our income."

Fenty fails to mention that we must not only treat HIV, but we must also prevent it. Mayor Fenty could create the best health care system any city in the United States has ever had, but it will be stretched to it's capacity with one in twenty DC residents being HIV positive, and it will surely break if our HIV rates continue to increase.

I'm a fan of Adrian Fenty and I'm keeping an open mind. I hope to see some serious action on HIV/AIDS in the coming weeks.

YOU@fighthivindc.org powered by Google Mail

I'm steadily working away on the four month plan to take fighthivindc.org to the next level.

On the activism front, I'm pleased to report that since last month the Campaign to End AIDS Metro DC Yahoo Group has doubled in size from 15 to 30. Also, several of you have posted or e-mailed your commentson HIV/AIDS to Mayor Elect Adrian Fenty's transition team. Thank you for taking action.

On the site development front, we have moved to an independent server, and the site is now available at www.fighthivindc.org as well as the blogspot site.

I'm also pleased to report that I can also offer all you DC HIV/AIDS advocates with your very own yourname@fighthivindc.org e-mail address. The e-mail service which can be accessed at http://mail.fighthivindc.org and it operates exactly like Google Mail. That's because it is google mail, only with a different domain name.

If you would like your own you@fighthivindc.org e-mail address, just send me an e-mail and let me know. Please include your full name, a number where you can be reached, and the e-mail address you would like. I will set it up and send you a temporary password that you can change at your convenience.

Marsha Martin to leave DC Administration for HIV Policy & Programs

Marsha Martin, Director of the DC The Administration for HIV Policy and Programs, will be leaving that position. In a farewell e-mail, Martin wrote "As a Williams appointee, it is my time to leave the government and I do so with great respect and admiration for this agency. Together, you have changed and re-ignited the conversation about the HIV epidemic in Washington, DC."

Is anyone else out there as suprised as I am at this news?

During her tenure, AHPP launched an ambitious HIV screening program for the district. The program fell far short of it's goals, and of the 80,000 rapid HIV test kits that were purchased, the majority were either given away or expired without being used. Still, 20,000 were tested for HIV in a five month period which is a significant increase (twice that of an average year).

AHPP appeared to be steadily improving under Martin, and new staff members brought on board by Martin (some very recently) offer a lot of hope for the future. Unfortunately, some problems that plagued the office did continue. HIV/AIDS Surveilance continues to be a major problem. And a recent audit criticized AHPP's monitoring of local HIV/AIDS service organizations.

Yes, there are still many things that need to be fixed at AHPP. That said, I'm sad to see Marsha Martin leave. I felt like under her leadership we were moving in the right direction.

Finding a new Director of AHPP could take several weeks, or it could take several months. Once we do find a new director, there is no guarantee that the staff members Marsha Martin brought on board will want to remain under new leadership.

The thought of going several weeks or several months without a strong leader at AHPP terrifies me. We simply don't have that much time to spare.

Update: Losing Track of AIDS Cases in DC

A number of folks on the web are talking about the latest article by Jose Vargas for the Post, An Overwhelmed D.C. Agency Loses Count of AIDS Cases.

Blogger Infinite Present writes: "So how can we justify the fact that the nation's capital, the leader in HIV rates, continues to be completely incompetent in assessing the spread of infection through its various populations? I am scared to live in a world where so little is being done to control a 25-year old epidemic that is ravaging a segregated and at-risk population, a negligence rife with racial, sexual, and homophobic implications."

The article was also picked up on The Circumlocutor and Frozen Tropics.

Take Action: Call for a State of Emergency

A number of local HIV/AIDS advocates are calling on Mayor Elect Adrian Fenty to declare an HIV/AIDS State of Emergency in the District of Columbia. I have signed on and I encourage you to sign on as well. Both individuals as well as organizations can participate.

1. Read the Letter to Mayor Elect Adrian Fenty. The letter is available online at: http://www.fighthivindc.org/docs/fentyletter.doc.

2. Contact jenna@communityeducationgroup.org if you or your organization would like to sign on. Please include your full organizational name (or individual name) as you would like for it to be listed on the letter, as well as a contact person who is authorizing the sign-on.

3. Send an email to amfenty@hotmail.com to letting him know you support a State of Emergency. (cc:jenna@communityeducationgroup.org or tyoung@communityeducationgroup.org)

4. Print or write your version of the letter and make it available for others to sign on to at your agency, church, school, etc... Fax those signed letters to the Community Education Group at 202 543-9146 and they will make sure they get to the Mayor Elect.

4. Email a copy of this letter to your friends, colleagues, and neighbors asking them to also take action.