Fight HIV in DC

Monday, August 30

6:30 p.m. - Reception

7:00 p.m. - Screening

St. Thomas’ Parish Episcopal Church

1772 Church Street, NW

Metro: Dupont Circle, on the Red Line

RSVP requested - rsvp(at)pulitzercenter.org

The Pulitzer Center and St. Thomas’ Parish present this film screening and Q & A with Lisa Biagiotti.

The Glass Closet: Sex, Stigma and HIV/AIDS in Jamaica, a reporting project by Micah Fink and Gabrielle Weiss, was produced in partnership with WNET’s Worldfocus program and correspondant Lisa Biagiotti. The project explores the effects of homophobia on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Jamaica and includes four short documentary films that were broadcast on Worldfocus. A discussion and Q&A with Lisa Biagiotti will follow the screening..

Lisa Biagiotti is an independent multimedia journalist. She recently produced a documentary on toilets and open defecation in India and Indonesia for Current TV’s Vanguard documentary series. Lisa has produced and edited short-form videos and weekly radio shows for Worldfocus — a daily public television news program and website. She was awarded the 2009 Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award in the international television category and was nominated for a national news Emmy Award for the videos she produced on the crisis in Congo. Lisa worked with the Pulitzer Center as a Worldfocus correspondent to produce “The Glass Closet: HIV/AIDS in Jamaica.” Learn more at http://lisabiagiotti.com/

The Glass Closet is part of the Pulitzer Center’s in-depth reporting on HIV in the Caribbean, which also includes current work in Haiti and the Emmy award-winning project HOPE: Living and Loving with HIV in Jamaica.

The Pulitzer Center promotes in-depth engagement with global affairs through its sponsorship of quality international journalism across all media platforms and an innovative program of outreach and education. To learn more visit www.pulitzercenter.org

Green Lantern is thew new home of the FUK!T Packing Parties.  Join us this Tuesday and every Tuesday at 7:00 PM to help us assemble safer sex kits.  Packing Parties are a great opportunity to volunteer, and a great way to meet new friends.

AED and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) are in the process of developing new materials to support the NIAID HIV Vaccine Research Education Initiative (NHVREI). The new materials are a part of the Be The Generation campaign, which will be developed for general audiences and will include mini brochures, fact sheets, posters, and a website (in English and Spanish).

The current campaign can be found at http://bethegeneration.nih.gov; however, the new design will look very different.

The current Hope Takes Action HIV Vaccine study is the first NIAID study that explicitly includes the transgender community so it would be wonderful to see members of the transgender community represented in this photo shoot

The campaign design features a variety of photos of individuals, couples, and families who have a story that relates to HIV vaccine research. The people include trial participants, researchers, community organizers, friends/family of trial participants, and others. The people in the photographs will represent themselves as individuals rather than their organizations.

The final materials will include images of a diverse group of individuals with an array of stories. It's possible that some of the photos not included in print will be used online in the redesigned Web site and/or Be The Generation e-newsletter.

The new materials will be used indefinitely, and individuals who volunteer for this must sign a release form that allows NIAID to use their photos in the materials indefinitely across multiple platforms (print, media, television, etc.).

AED plans to photograph individuals and families at our offices in Washington, DC (1825 Connecticut Avenue NW), on Friday, September 3, between 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM.

Volunteers should 'come as they are'; Meaning that we want people to be themselves; We encourage people to wear clothes that represent their personality and express their character. If they normally wear make up, feel free to wear it in a style you are accustomed to. Feel free to bring some alternate outfits and accessories. We will make this as low-maintenance as possible for you.

The DC Center's HIV Prevention Working Group is about to begin an exciting, new period of growth that will require your input to ensure we have the support of the community, as the activities we undertake continue to expand to better address the diverse HIV prevention needs of gay, bisexual and trans individuals in Washington, DC.

To kick-off this new phase of the Working Group, we will have our next meeting from 7-9pm on Wednesday, August 25 at the DC Center's new location (1318 U Street, NW). Agenda items for this meeting will include:

Providing an update on activities of the Working Group from the past year (FUK!T Campaign, Prevention Grant, DC Center Employee to manage workign group)

Brainstorming issues/activities that Working Group members would like undertake this coming year, now that we have funding to broaden our scope of work

Developing a leadership structure and operating procedures for the working group

Also of note, we were recently awarded a Prevention Grant from the DC Department of Health for $60,000 that will support our programs and provide funding for a part-time employee to oversee the administation of HIV Prevention Working Group, as well as the day-to-day activities of the DC FUK!T/TOOLK!T Campaign. This is very exciting news for the DC Center, the HIV Prevention Working Group, and th local gay and bisexual community, which will benefit greatly from this financial support. In light of these recent developments, there will be many new opportunities for leadership for those interested in becoming more involved.

This should be a very engaging and lively discussion. We need as many people's input as possible to ensure a strong start to this new phase of growth. A more detailed agenda will be sent out prior to the meeting.

Hope to see you many of you on Wednesday.

'The Other City' will be playin gat the E Street Theatre (555 11th St., NW) for ONLY ONE WEEK, starting Friday, September 17th.

This is a new documentary about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Washington, D.C.

For group sales information, please contact richard@abramorama.com or call (914) 273-9545.

According to the Tribeca Film Festival's website:

"Not far from the White House, the Capitol, and the National Mall lies a part of Washington, DC that the tourists never see and the mainstream media virtually ignores. At least three percent of DC is HIV positive, a staggering rate higher than parts of Africa. Behind all the stories of heartbreak, loss, and struggle there are also the incredible, encouraging stories of the people behind grassroots movements to extend education, combat stigmas, and spread hope.

"Festival alum Susan Koch's (Kicking It, TFF '08) eye-opening and inspiring documentary tells the unseen and unheard stories behind the epidemic in our nation's capital. From a mother of three who has used her plight with government housing as motivation to campaign for reform, to a former drug addict now advocating for funding of needle exchange programs on Capitol Hill, to the self-described "privileged" young people volunteering at Joseph's House shelter, Koch smartly fixes on the positivity fueling these grassroots movements to remind us that the only unsolvable problems in this country are the ignored ones.
--David Kwok"

"A very powerful film... shines light on the epidemic...a side of Washington, D.C. that tourists rarely see." (CNN)

View the trailer at http://www.theothercity.com.

Friday, August 27th

9:30-11:30am

Come on by and learn about PreventionWorks! and the Center for Health Initiatives (formerly the Center for Minority Studies) and the services we offer! Breakfast will be served. For more information, please contact Willie Ringold (wringold@preventionworksdc.org).

Do you know somebody who would like to learn the basics of computers and the internet?  Invite them to join us at the DC Center Cyber Center for Internet 101.  We will cover all the basics of and have plenty of time to answer all your questions.

This is a great opportunity to get hands on help and ask questions about rss feeds, e-mail, facebook, or whatever you would like to learn more about. We're here to help.  The only stupid question is the one that isn't asked.

This class is primarily for people living with HIV/AIDS, but is open to anyone.  There will be a special focus on helping people living with HIV/AIDS find accurate health information online.  The class takes place Thursday, August 19th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at the DC Center for the LGBT Community, 1318 U Street NW.

This class is limited to 10 people so that participants will have plenty of time on the computer and plenty of time for one-on-one help.  You must RSVP internet101@thedccenter.org or call 202 682 2245. If there isn't room for you in this class, don't worry. We will repeat this training.

STAND AGAINST THE HATE
STAND AGAINST THE FEAR

STAND AGAINST STIGMA

Who: Organized by Campaign to End AIDS and DC Fights Back. Sermons by Deacon George Kerr, Abena McCray, and Rev. Keith Holder.

What: 2nd Annual Stand Aginst Stigma Sunday

When: Sunday, August 15th, 10-11AM

Where: Freedom Plaza, Washington, DC

Why: "Stigma, with roots in racism, homophobia, sexism, and classism, is a major reason why the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues and thousands of people in the U.S. are getting infected and dying every year - many dying emotional and spiritual deaths long before the physical one.

"On Sunday, August 15th, 2010, we will stand in the pulpit and the pews for acceptance, tolerance, and love as we seek community solutions in ending this epidemic at home."

For information on how to do a 'Stand Against Stigma' event contact 1-877-END-AIDS, or visit http://www.campaigntoendaids.org.

PreventionWorks!

2501 Benning Rd NE

Mark Kinzly from the Harm Reduction Coalition will be flying down for this training. Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies to reduce negative consequences of drug use and improve the quality of the client’s life. The harm reduction approach incorporates a spectrum of strategies which include safer and managed use, as well as abstinence. This approach helps providers effectively meet their clients where they’re at. Participants who attend this training will: understand the principles of harm reduction, participate in activities designed to assist them in exploring attitudes and beliefs about harm reduction, and develop practical skills and interventions that can be used in their work with substance users.

Space is limited! To reserve a spot, please send an email to Mary Beth Levin: mlevin@preventionworksdc.org.

What: DC Fights Back/AIDSVote 2010: DC HIV & AIDS Candidates Forum

Where: August 11 · 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Where: Eastern Market, North Hall225 7th Street SE (at North Carolina Avenue SE)Washington, DC

Why: Moderated and interactive discussion to determine where the DC candidates for Mayor stand on the issues that drive the HIV & AIDS epidemic in the District of Columbia.

Schedule:
7:00 - 7:30pm: Meet & Greet the Candidates*
7:30 - 9:00pm: Moderated Forum

For more information, contact Keith Holder at 202.408.0305 or keithholder@comcast.net.

*Confirmations as of 8.3.10:
- Chairman Vincent Gray (http://www.vincegrayformayor.com)
- Candidate Leo Alexander (http://www.leoalexanderformayor.com)
- Candidate Sulaimon Brown (http://www.sulaimonbrownformayor.com)

The following is a recent report released by the CDC about links between HIV and poverty levels in urban areas.

'New Study in Low-Income Heterosexuals in America's Inner Cities Reveals High HIV Rates

VIENNA - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today released a first-of-its-kind analysis showing that 2.1 percent of heterosexuals living in high-poverty urban areas in the United States are infected with HIV. This analysis suggests that many low-income cities across the United States now have generalized HIV epidemics as defined by the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

UNAIDS defines a generalized epidemic as one that is firmly established in the general population, with an overall HIV prevalence in the general population of more than 1 percent. While subpopulations with higher risk (such as men who have sex with men and injection drug users) may still contribute disproportionately to the spread of HIV in these areas, heterosexual transmission is also sufficient to sustain an epidemic independent of those groups.

The analysis also shows that poverty is the single most important demographic factor associated with HIV infection among inner-city heterosexuals. Contrary to severe racial disparities that characterize the overall U.S. epidemic, researchers found no differences in HIV prevalence by race/ethnicity in this population. The analysis will be presented at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria.

"This study reveals a powerful link between poverty and HIV risk, and a widespread HIV epidemic in America's inner cities," said Kevin Fenton, M.D., Ph.D., director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. "In this country, HIV clearly strikes the economically disadvantaged in a devastating way."

The analysis, led by Paul Denning, M.D., a medical epidemiologist in CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, included more than 9,000 heterosexual adults (aged 18-50) in high-poverty areas of 23 cities who participated in the 2006-2007 heterosexual cycle of the CDC's National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System. This system monitors HIV risk behaviors, HIV testing patterns, and use of HIV prevention services among U.S. populations at risk.

High-poverty areas were defined according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and included areas in which at least 20 percent of residents have household incomes below the poverty line.

Nationally, the United States is considered to have a concentrated HIV epidemic, meaning that it is confined mainly to individuals who engage in high-risk behaviors, which in the United States are primarily gay and bisexual men and injection drug users.

For this analysis, researchers followed UNAIDS criteria for determining a generalized epidemic, and excluded groups at highest risk for becoming HIV infected. Those groups not included in this analysis were gay and bisexual men - who continue to represent the majority of new HIV infections in the United States - injection drug users, and sex workers and their clients.

"These findings have significant implications for how we think about HIV prevention. We can't look at HIV in isolation from the environment in which people live," said Jonathan Mermin, M.D., director of CDC's Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention. "This analysis points to an urgent need to prioritize HIV prevention efforts in disadvantaged communities. We are pleased that President Obama's new National HIV/AIDS Strategy reflects this type of approach, in terms of targeting HIV prevention resources to those in greatest need."

Prevalence was especially high in those with the lowest socioeconomic status. Within the low income urban areas included in the study, individuals living below the poverty line were at greater risk for HIV than those living above it (2.4 percent prevalence vs. 1.2 percent), though prevalence for both groups was far higher than the national average (0.45 percent). There were no significant differences in HIV prevalence by race or ethnicity in these low income urban areas: prevalence was 2.1 percent among blacks, 2.1 percent among Hispanics, and 1.7 percent among whites. By contrast, the U.S. epidemic overall is characterized by severe racial/ethnic disparities: the HIV prevalence rate for blacks is almost 8 times that of whites, and the HIV prevalence rate among Hispanics is nearly 3 times that of whites.

The absence of race-based differences in this analysis is likely due to existing high prevalence of HIV in poor urban areas, which - regardless of race or ethnicity - places individuals living in these areas at greater risk for exposure to HIV with each sexual encounter.

Authors note that other factors associated with poverty also likely contribute to high HIV prevalence in these settings. Some of these factors include limited health care access, which can reduce utilization of HIV testing and prevention services; substance abuse, which can increase sexual risk behavior; and high rates of incarceration, which can disrupt the stability of relationships.

This analysis provides greater insight into factors that may be driving heterosexual HIV transmission in the United States, which accounts for 31 percent of new infections each year. This study did not examine HIV prevalence among groups at higher risk for HIV in these areas, including MSM and IDU. Nationally, MSM account for 53 percent of new infections, IDU account for 12 percent, and those exposed through both MSM and IDU account for 4 percent.

For more information on HIV in the United States, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/hiv, or http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom.'