]]> http://www.wemakethechange.com/news/3867/feed/ 0 http://www.wemakethechange.com/news/mobile-art-exhibit-to-debut-in-tallahassee/ http://www.wemakethechange.com/news/mobile-art-exhibit-to-debut-in-tallahassee/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:50:59 +0000 press http://www.wemakethechange.com/?p=3781 Each year millions of people make New Year’s resolutions. Why not add, “Getting Tested,” to that list? As part of the Faces of HIV project, We Make the Change will be launching a mobile art exhibit that depicts the lives of Florida residents who are living with HIV/AIDS. The first exhibit takes place in Tallahassee. We invite each and every one of you to see the captivating portraits, insightful interviews and poignant journal writing first-hand.

Friday, January 13
Florida State University
College of Medicine Building
1115 West Call Street
Tallahassee, FL 32306

Saturday, January 14
Governors Square Mall
Near Talbots Entrance
1500 Apalachee Parkway
Tallahassee, FL 32301

HIV has evolved into a nameless, faceless epidemic. All too often, inaccurate perceptions about the disease are perpetuated by a long list of exhausted stereotypes. The truth is, you can’t tell if someone is positive just by the way they look. This virus knows no color, creed or sexuality.

AND NO ONE IS IMMUNE.

People with HIV are fathers, grandmothers, friends and neighbors.
They are people you pass on the street and people you meet.
And they have one important characteristic in common with us all.

They are human beings.

Through captivating portraits, insightful interviews and poignant journal writing, the Faces of HIV project examines the effects of stigmas, the personal relationships and care issues associated with being HIV-positive. The project will launch with a mobile art exhibit in Tallahassee, FL, with continuing stops in cities across the state including Orlando, Miami, Tampa, and Jacksonville.

see the mobile art exhibit schedule, read the journals and watch the stories here »

We Make the Change is taking a different approach. World AIDS Day will serve as a springboard for a six-month mobile art exhibit and video series. The Faces of HIV project tells the stories of Florida residents living with HIV and AIDS through captivating portraits, insightful interviews and poignant journal writing. The exhibition examines the effects of stigmas, personal relationships, and care issues, allowing visitors to gain a deeper understanding of HIV and hopefully alter one’s perception of those affected by it.

Stay tuned to our blog, Facebook and Twitter for updates, as the campaign is unveiled. Don’t forget, we will be hosting a Twitter Chat via @wmtcfl at 12 p.m. to answer questions about HIV/AIDS in Florida and discuss the upcoming initiative.

Our goal is to spark online discussions in the Twitter-sphere that educate, assist and encourage. On Thursday, we will be discussing the annual observance and stigmas surrounding HIV/AIDS. The theme this year, “Getting to Zero. Zero New Infections. Zero Deaths. Zero Discrimination,” solicits the question, “Do you believe an AIDS-free generation is possible?” Our hosts will cover this topic and more to commemorate World AIDS Day.

Get to know us on Twitter at @wmtcfl and please join the conversation on December 1, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., using hashtag #chatfl.

You can make a difference by doing the following:

• Become educated about HIV/AIDS
• Get tested and know your status
• Encourage your partner, family, friends, co-workers, and church member to know their status
• Break the silence and start the dialogue about HIV/AIDS where you live, work, play, and worship
• Engage in healthy behaviors that prevent the spread of HIV
• Work with local AIDS service organizations and county health departments to hold testing drives
• Become advocates for HIV/AIDS policies by engaging local leaders in discussing and developing action plans to address HIV

To recognize World AIDS Day, the Florida Department of Health is once again promoting the We Make The Change Virtual Memorial—a digital AIDS memorial that serves as are remembrance for those who died of the disease. You can add a loved one to the virtual memorial by visiting www.WeMaketheChange.com/worldaidsday and submitting an electronic quilt square. A panel with your loved one’s name, birth year, year of death, and a short 100-character message will be added to the virtual quilt.

Help decrease these numbers and stop the epidemic. Join us on October 15th in observance of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. This year’s theme, Latinos stand together! Let’s stay healthy! Get tested for HIV! speaks to the critical role of communities engaging in not only HIV, but also other health issues such as tuberculosis, viral hepatitis and other sexually transmitted infections. Be a part of your community’s efforts. Click here for a list of events.

Florida continues to be a leader in HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. The Test 112,000 by 2012 initiative seeks to unite Latino leaders, businesses, churches, and community-based organizations in the fight against the spread of HIV. Latinas Unidas Contra el SIDA (LUCES) is dedicated to empowering Hispanic communities to develop healthy lifestyles through information, education and advocacy. The initiative connects Latina women to HIV/AIDS resources and strengthens their ability to take charge of their sexual health.

Follow us on Twitter at @wmtcfl for the latest news and updates on HIV/AIDS and how we can make the change in Florida.

• Men account for 70 percent of persons living with HIV/AIDS.
• Men who have sex with men (MSM) account for more than half of all new HIV infections in the U.S. each year.
• The rate of new HIV diagnoses among MSM in the U.S. is more than 44 times that of other men.
• Men who have sex with men are the only risk group in the U.S. in which new HIV infections are increasing.

For those who can’t join us, you can download a quick fact sheet on today’s topic from our pressroom. If you have suggestions for future chats, please tweet us @wmtcfl.