HIV/AIDS - We Make The Change
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Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ CategoryNational Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness DayMarch 10th, 2010 Today commemorates the fifth annual observance of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Today is a day dedicated to raising awareness about the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS on the lives of women and girls. Women and teenage girls make up more than a quarter of newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases. Every 35 minutes a woman in the United States is diagnosed with HIV, with the majority becoming infected through their partner’s high-risk behavior and injection drug use.Most of the public view HIV/AIDS as a man’s disease, but the truth is HIV/AIDS is among the leading causes of death for women of childbearing age. HIV disproportionately affects women of color and AIDS is now the leading cause of death for Black women ages 25 to 34. Due to rising rates of sexually transmitted diseases and teenage pregnancies, more young women are putting themselves at risk for acquiring HIV, reinforcing the need for more access to HIV education and prevention.Today for National Women and Girl HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, come together with women in your community to help eradicate HIV stigma, and racial and gender disparities in access to awareness, prevention, testing, treatment, and care.Women and girls can take action in the fight against HIV/AIDS by:
Know the ABC’s of HIV: Abstain, Be Faithful, and Use Condoms if engaging in risky behaviors. Get tested and know your status!For more information on Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and to find a local event in your area visit the events section of wemakethechange.com.World AIDS Day 2009: From the Community’s EyesDecember 11th, 2009 The following, is a testimony written by a community member in Orlando, FL. After her participation in a World AIDS Day event organized by the community led Sistas Organizing to Survive Planning group, she wanted to share how the event inspired her. I am posting this message because I hope that you all had similar experiences on World AIDS Day. Take a moment to read “Mollie’s Testimony”, and reflect back on your World AIDS Day.Mollie’s TestimonyWorld Aids Day 2009 will long be remembered as a time when women of different ethnicities and cultures came together to support a common cause. I was honored to be a part of this group of women motorcycle riders who gathered in support of the SOS initiative. I was one of the first to arrive at our designated departure point. As I watched all of the other women arriving I felt a strong sense of belonging and pride in what we were about to accomplish. The excitement began to build as each rider pulled in and parked revving their engine one last time as if to say, “I’m here and ready to ride for the cause.” I had the pleasure of meeting women motorcycle riders who without this event I probably would not have met. After a time of socializing, we heard a women speak who has been living with HIV. Her words were profound and thought provoking. Commissioner Samuel Ings then spoke encouraging us to make this an annual event and to work even harder next year to get even more women of varied ethnicities to participate. After a prayer we were off to our designated stop of Joy MCC to participate in the WAD ceremony. As we arrived everyone was cheering and I felt my heart swell with pride. My thoughts shifted to how proud my brother must feel watching me from above, be a part of the message for women to get educated and tested. He wasn’t watching me in person though I felt his presence as if he were; you see he lost his war with AIDS 15 years ago. That is when I made my decision to honor his valiant efforts to educate and support this cause. In honor of him and every other person infected or affected with HIV/AIDS I pledge to continue to support this cause in any way I can. My thanks to Linda Bailey (President of Ladycycleriders) and SOS planning team members for the opportunity to participate in this event. To all of the ladies who gave of their time and efforts to ride, including three of my co-workers I say, “The future is in your hands and my brother and I are confident in your ability to change it”.Mollie J. DiBartoloWorld AIDS Day 2009December 1st, 2009 “We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men”Herman MelvilleDecember 1st is World AIDS Day. Since 1988, the international community has come together to pay tribute to, remember, and advocated for those who live with and have died from HIV/AIDS. World AIDS Day also serves as a special time to remember the faces of dear friends and family who are no longer with us, remember their fight, and renew our hope that we will win our battle against AIDS.As I sit at my desk reflecting on another World AIDS Day, I am mixed with many emotions. There is sadness because I remember family members who have passed away from AIDS. There is anger because AIDS continues to devastate communities worldwide. There is joy and hope because I know that we will on day end AIDS. There is great pride, because I am honored to work alongside a group of dedicated leaders statewide who tirelessly work to stop AIDS. For me, World AIDS Day serves as a day for me to remember why I love the work that I do and to recommit myself to continue the fight.Since the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, millions of individuals have played significant roles in advocating, educating, and stopping stigma related to HIV/AIDS. Since 2005, and until 2010, the World AIDS Day campaign theme is “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise”. The campaign encourages continued commitment from policymakers and leaders to keep their promise to achieve universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care, and support by the year 2010. As individuals, “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise”, is also a call to action where you live, work, play, and worship. The focus of World AIDS Day this year is “Universal Access and Human Rights”. The message is that access for all to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care, and support is a fundamental human right. To ensure that these things continue to be possible for millions or people infected worldwide, individuals have to commit to continuing to protect themselves for HIV, know their status, educate, advocate, and stop stigma.Over the past month, I have challenged to “get it”, “do it’, and “live it”. Today, World AIDS Day 2009, I want to challenge you to “Make the Promise”. Take a moment to reflect on how HIV/AIDS impacts your life and community. Make a personal pledge to respond and take action. Share you promise in the comments section of the blog.As we approach 2010, I am hopeful that we will make greater strides in stopping the spread of HIV. “Make the Promise” to make a difference in your community. I want to leave you with lyrics from Michael Jackson’s Heal the World because I love Michael Jackson, but also because these lyrics embody the spirit of World AIDS Day.Heal the WorldMake It A Better PlaceFor You and For MeAnd the Entire Human RaceThere are People DyingIf you Care EnoughFor the LivingMake A Better PlaceFor You and For Me
Enjoy Your World AIDS Day 2009!!Living ItNovember 23rd, 2009 During my last doctor’s visit, my primary care doctor told me that I needed to lose a few pounds. I was stunned by his frankness that if I didn’t change some of my lifestyle habits I was placing myself at risk for a number of chronic diseases. Our discussion allowed me to see that I was at risk for chronic diseases, and it made me want to do something about it. I left the doctors office and began to make plans for my new lifestyle changes. I bought organic foods and researched gyms. I changed the things that I ate and began working out. However, over time, old habits crept back. After seeing the progress made on the scale disappear, I realized that it wasn’t enough to just “do it” on some days I had to “live it” every day and make lifelong changes.Twenty-one days ago, I began writing about changing the way we approach HIV prevention in our communities. The key to changing HIV prevention in our communities is that we have to “live it” everyday. A commitment to stopping AIDS requires us to not just talk about HIV on awareness days, or get tested only when we place ourselves at risk. When we “live it”, we make sure that we protect others and ourselves from contracting HIV/AIDS. We “live it” by making HIV testing a part of our routine medical screenings. We “live it” by making HIV/AIDS part of our daily conversations, and talk about it where we live, work, play, and worship. We “live it” by becoming volunteers and advocates in our communities for AIDS related organizations and issues. We “live it” by providing support to those who are living with HIV/ADIS. We “live it” by addressing HIV related stigma in our communities. Changing the way we approach HIV prevention in our communities’ beings with you.Thank you for joining me over these last 21 days. I hope that you walk away from this with a different perspective about preventing HIV/AIDS and a new commitment stop the spread of the disease. Begin to “live it”.Just Do ItNovember 20th, 2009 There’s an African proverb that reads “Knowledge is like a garden: if it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.” The meaning of this proverb is that if you do not use the knowledge you have, you cannot expect to gain anything from it. Here are some things that we know to be true about HIV/AIDS:
In my last blog, I talked about education being the key to getting people to understand that HIV/AIDS is a real threat. Knowing how to protect oneself, where to be tested, knowing what is happening in the community to address HIV/AIDS, and what one can do to take action is only the first step in changing the way we respond to the disease. It isn’t enough to just “get it”; you must also “do it”.Doing ItTo make real changes in the way that we respond to HIV/AIDS, we must take the knowledge that we have and turn it in to action. Action can come in different forms for each of us. The only thing that matters is that we just do something. Here are just a few ways that you can take action to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS:
We have the power to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in our communities. Be like a Nike commercial and “JUST DO IT”.Let’s Get ItNovember 9th, 2009 I’m a kid of the eighties. I remember my first cabbage patch kid, Michael Jackson at his finest, TGIF Fridays on ABC, and AIDS. I was born in 1981 and grew up the decade where HIV/AIDS was something that people only whispered about. Fear of the disease breed stigma and blame, and those infected were treated as outcasts. I can remember being told not to eat or drink after others because I could “catch HIV”, or being afraid when I got bitten by a mosquito. This was the world of HIV/AIDS in the 80’s. A lack of knowledge and the fear of HIV/AIDS placed millions at risk for HIV because they didn’t think it could happen to them. On November 7, 1991, Magic Johnson announced that he was HIV positive, and helped change the way America looked at HIV/AIDS. His announcement got peoples’ attention because he was Magic Johnson the icon, superstar, and a heterosexual black man. This was not the face of HIV/AIDS in America. Magic was not the “typical” person that many people believed would be infected with HIV. After Magic’s announcement, there was a major shift in attitudes and knowledge around HIV/AIDS. People began to respond differently to AIDS, and there was a dramatic shift in attitudes around HIV/AIDS, increased education, testing, and advocacy. So with all of the efforts and strides made in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, why is it that in 2009, we are still seeing increasing numbers of new HIV infections? How is it that someone in the United States is becoming infected with HIV every 9 ½ minutes? The answer is simple: Complacency and Stigma. Despite statistics that show Florida ranking 3rd in the nation for AIDS cases, AIDS continuing to be the leading cause of death for black men and women in Florida, and 15% of new infections in 2008 occurring among persons under the age of 25, many still believe that HIV/AIDS is not a threat. It is the disease of others and will never touch their world. Stigma prevents many from learning their HIV status, disclosing their status to others, and seeking care and treatment. The fear of being shunned by loved ones, rejected by partners, and becoming outcast keeps many people in the dark about HIV. Seven days ago I wrote about changing the way we look at HIV prevention and getting people to take action to stop the spread of the disease. Before people can take action, they must “Get it” and understand the magnitude of HIV/AIDS, its impact on our communities, and believe that they have the power to stop the spread of HIV. How can we “Get it”? EDUCATION There is the saying that knowledge is power. This rings true for HIV/AIDS. There is power in knowing: how HIV is and isn’t transmitted, that everyone is at risked based on their risk behaviors and not who they are, where HIV testing is available in your community, how to access care and treatment for HIV, who is being impacted by HIV/AIDS in your community, and where you can volunteer to take action. Providing accurate and consistent HIV/AIDS information reduces stigma and raises awareness about HIV in your community. Education helps people “get it” that AIDS is real, and it can become their reality. Once we “Get It” we are better prepared to respond to the disease and develop strategies to get others to respond as well. Remember that not everyone is in the same place when it comes to addressing HIV/AIDS, but there are ways that we all can respond. Find the best way to educate others in your community. Commit to educate others where you live, work, play, and worship. 21 Day ChallengeNovember 2nd, 2009 Recently, I came across a news column entitled “Stop Complaining and Do It: The Three Phases of Any Transformation”. The author offers three phases for transforming oneself from being a complainer to a doer. In order to make a transformation one must get it, do it, and live it. As I read through the article, I thought about my work in HIV prevention. With one in numbers for HIV/AIDS infections statewide at, 1 in 68 black women, 1 in 22 men who have sex with men, and 1 in 44 black men, I get discouraged sometimes, and feel like my work isn’t making a difference. At times, I complain and ask why it seems like people won’t take enough action, listen enough, or care enough. It can seem like there isn’t any hope left. But there is HOPE. All is not lost, because of YOU, and those just like you who are committed to responding to HIV/AID. Many of you come to this blog because you are either looking for HIV/AIDS information, want to take action to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, or you just think that this blog is cool. Whatever your reason may be, you are here. You are here gathering information that you will hopefully use to educate and protect yourself and others. So, the question that I ask myself is, how do we get more people to be here with you? Reading this article helped me to see the answer. I realized that no one can do everything, but we all can do something. We all are at different stages of awareness and willingness to take action against HIV/AIDS. There are people who dedicate their careers to fighting the virus, some people get tested and educated, others volunteer in their communities to educate others, and some are oblivious to the threat of HIV/AIDS. No matter where we are, there are ways that we can all respond differently, learn more, and/or do more about HIV/AIDS. It has been said that it takes 21 days for people to change habits or re-wire their brains to think differently. So join me over the next 21 days. I will explore how we look at HIV prevention and how we can be better at getting it, doing it, and living it. Change doesn’t happen over night; it is a process, but let’s see if we can began to transform the way we think about and respond to HIV/AIDS. Can we do better? Stay tuned for more blogs over the next 21 days. In the meantime, tell me your thoughts about the current state of HIV prevention in Florida. Please leave your comments below. L.U.C.E.S. takes the pledge: “MI COMPROMISO” (My Commitment)October 15th, 2009 Let’s review the definition of Commitment from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:COMMITMENT means “to duty or pledge to something or someone, and can refer to: Personal commitment, which is often a pledge or promise to ones’ self for personal growth.” This is exactly what L.U.C.E.S. (Latinas Unidas Contra el SIDA) wants us to do at least one time every year; commit ourselves and our loved ones to get tested for HIV. Women in general, (especially Latinas) are protective by nature, placing others ahead of themselves, which is why their priorities are their children, parents and partners. Women always give advice, which most of the time does not include themselves. Today I invite you to take the L.U.C.E.S. pledge: MI COMPROMISO (My commitment) and turn one day RED for yourself and your loved ones. Look for the L.U.C.E.S. pledge at WeMakeTheChange.com - SPANISH SECTION - MUJERES/NIÑOS - LUCES. Sandra Estevez, Statewide Latino AIDS Coordinator _____________________________________________ MI COMPROMISO: La promesa de L.U.C.E.S. Ayer fuí ha mi prueba anual de mamografia; cuando mire alrededor del salón de espera observé que estaba repleto; y mientras hojeaba las páginas de una revista me dí cuenta de la cantidad enorme de anuncios y artículos sobre la campaña de conciencia para el cancer de seno; es como si en octubre todo se tornara ROSADO. ¿Porqué todos reaccionamos de manera normal durante octubre a esta campaña y muchas mujeres como yo nos hacemos nuestra revision annual durante éste mes cada año? ¿Porqué no es lo mismo con la prueba de VIH? ¿Porqué después de 28 años de educacion sobre VIH continuamos infectándonos? ¿Taboo; Vergüenza; Stigma; etc…? ¿Qué tal COMPROMISO? Revisemos la definición de Compromiso por Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre: COMPROMISO significa “el deber o promesa a algo o a alguien, y puede referirse a: Compromiso Personal, que en ocasiones se refiere a una promesa a si mismo para crecimiento personal”. Esto es exactamente lo que L.U.C.E.S. (Latinas Unidas Contra el SIDA) espera de nosotras al menos una vez cada año; hacernos la prueba de VIH como parte del compromiso con nosotras mismas y nuestros seres queridos. Las mujeres en general, (especialmente las Latinas) somos protectoras por naturaleza, por este motivo nuestras prioridades son los hijos, padres y compañeros sentimentales, anteponiéndolos a las nuestras. Siempre estamos dando consejos a los demás que la mayoría de las veces no lo aplicamos a nosotras mismas. Hoy únete a MI COMPROMISO: la promesa de L.U.C.E.S. y torna de ROJO al menos un día al año por usted y sus seres queridos. Busque MI COMPROMISO: la promesa de L.U.C.E.S. en WeMakeTheChange.com - SECCION: “SPANISH” - MUJERES/NIÑOS - LUCES. Sandra Estevez, Coordinadora Estatal para los Asuntos del SIDA Latino Man Up: The Crisis of HIV/AIDS Among Florida’s MenSeptember 22nd, 2009 Its football season again! On any given weekend, men pack into stadiums, sports bars, and living rooms to watch the ultimate sporting competition. They live for the game and devote hours to watching, researching, and discussing every aspect of the sport. Football is a big deal, and consumes a large portion of the American man’s attention. It is time for men to “man up” and become involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. On September 1st, the Bureau of HIV/AIDS released Man Up: The Crisis of HIV/AIDS Among Florida’s Men. The report is the fourth in a series published by the Bureau of HIV/AIDS that focuses on various demographic groups at increased risk for HIV/AIDS in
For more information on HIV or for a copy of Man Up visit www.FloridaAIDS.org, and for the nearest testing site text your zip code to 477493. 9 1/2 MinutesJuly 20th, 2009 Imagine what you could do in 9 1/2 minutes. You could call an old friend, check a few emails, start a load of laundry, or become HIV infected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that every 9 1/2 minutes, someone in the United States becomes infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Just think, that someone could be you, or someone that you know. Although this disease is 100% preventable, far too many people are still becoming infected. Let’s stop the spread of this virus. Get the facts, talk about HIV where you live, work, play, and worship, get tested, and reduce your risk behavior. Text your zip code to 477493 to find your nearest test site. |
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