Want to be on TV?

Lifelong AIDS Alliance will be on King5’s New Day Northwest program Thursday morning (yes, that's tomorrow), July 29^th.  You're invited to join the studio audience and support us as we talk about the upcoming Seattle AIDS  Walk & 5K Run.  Newport High School's ASPEN (AIDS Peer Education) class will also be there to celebrate their accomplishments.  The audience comes in at 9:30 a.m. and the program done by 11:30 a.m.  Email newdaytickets@king5.com right now for your free tickets!

White House Meeting Addresses HIV Epidemic Among African American Men

By Garland Jarmon, CRCS and ONE2ONE Coordinator

June was a big month for the GLBT community.  The President declared it National Pride Month and celebrations took place in many cities, including Seattle. We should take pride in everything the GLBT community has accomplished and think about how much more work we have yet to do.  We should also take a moment to acknowledge those who continue to be infected with, and affected by, HIV and AIDS.

There is a segment of our community that is often unrepresented, undereducated about HIV/AIDS, and invisible; African American men. They currently make up more than half of all new and current HIV cases in the US. Because of this, The Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) held a meeting at the White House on June 2, 2010 to discuss the reasons for this catastrophe and what can be done. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that about 1 in 16 African American men will contract HIV in their lifetime. The three-and-a-half-hour meeting was a step to address ways to improve national HIV prevention programs, and some of the key issues within the African American community that hinder effective HIV prevention.

As a counselor, I have noticed that these challenges can include education and spirituality, class and race, machismo and the connotation of the word “gay.” Some issues, like education, can be faced head on but many are not as easy to navigate in the interest of curbing HIV in the African American community. At Lifelong AIDS Alliance, we offer counseling services through our Comprehensive Risk Counseling Services (CRCS). One of these counseling services, the ONE2ONE program, is specifically designed for African American men and the challenges they face.  If you or someone you know is having difficulty with issues related to their sexual health, please contact us at 206.957.1602 and speak with one of our counselors.