Each year on October 15 we observe National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), a day to raise awareness of HIV among Latinos and promote HIV prevention, testing, and treatment.  

Latinos experience 20% of HIV infections even though they represent only 16% of the population.  They face barriers to education, testing, and treatment, including poverty, homophobia, stigma, and for undocumented immigrants, fear of disclosure should they seek care.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released a study of the epidemic among Latinos and has found that the rate of new infections is highest among Latinos who live in the Northeast; while the largest population with HIV resides in the South.  Men who have sex with men face particular risk of HIV.  

Ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic not only requires that all people have access to the prevention and health care they need, but that structural barriers like poverty and lack of education be removed.

Resources for NLAAD:

www.NLAAD.org

AIDS.gov blogs in observance of NLAAD

Janine Kossen, Director, Public Policy 

October 11 marks the first-ever International Day of the Girl, recognized by the United Nations, governments, communities, and girls around the world! The Day of the Girl is about highlighting, celebrating, discussing, and advancing young women's and girls' lives and opportunities across the globe. This year, the international community is coming together to commit to ending child marriage.

While young women and girls are change-agents in their local, national, and global communities, they also face unique challenges to fulfilling their leadership potentialchallenges such as early and forced marriage. Every three seconds, a girl under the age of 18 becomes a child bride. One in seven girls will be forced to marry by the age of 15. And, if child marriage continues at its current rate, 100 million more girls will be married in the next decade. 

Ask Secretary Clinton to help stop child marriage! 

October 11 is National Coming Out Day – a day for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals to celebrate who they are.

Advocates for Youth works with many young people who identify as LGBT, and their bravery and leadership inspires us and guides our work. Here’s what they have to say about coming out:

Coming out shows others it is possible to come out, and be proud of who you are. It inspires others to be themselves or even feel a little better even if they aren't ready to come out. – Brentt, 17

Being out gives me a sense of self. Whether or not people agree with my sexual orientation no longer matters to me; I know who I am and who I want to love. – Ellie, 21

There's immense strength in vulnerability, and I honor the legacy of fierce femmes of color before me by living out and proud. - Nefertiti, 21

Everyone should love who they are and be proud of it. Coming out is about accepting who we are, no matter what that means. – Diane, 21

The closet is a lonely place, and outside of it there is a whole world of people ready to love you without apology. – Karlee, 21

By being out, I am voicing my support for myself and other LGTBQIA individuals. Being openly out, even if only a little bit, creates change around me.
-Rikki, 23

On National Coming Out Day, we honor LGBT young people around the United States and the world. Brentt, Ellie, Nefertiti, Diane, Karlee, Rikki, and many other LGBT youth activists are helping to create a society where all people can speak the truth about who they are and be celebrated. We hope you will join them by celebrating the LGBT youth in your life.

Karlo Barrios Marcelo, a member of Advocates for Youth Board of Directors, wrote this article about his work with Advocates for Social Citizens. 

When I was growing up in the Chicago suburbs in the eighties, I used to write letters (yes, with paper and pen) to my grandmother who lived in the Philippines; it was the cheapest way to keep in touch across a big ocean. Additionally, I got to practice my cursive writing (curse it!).

Of course, today, I wouldn’t touch pen and paper unless an electrical storm wiped out all my electronic equipment. I am a Millennial to be sure. You already know that Millennials are tech savvy and love their devices. So the solution is simple if you need to ask this generation for a charitable donation, right? Simply email, text, Facebook, or Tweet your way to younger supporters and ask them for cash, and the money will simply roll in via your online donation solution. Ha, if that were only the case.

The truth of the matter is that successful fundraising still very much hinges on personal relationships and impassioned supporters.

Here’s how one organization is thinking creatively to grow a Millennial generation donor list from scratch – and you can, too!

Read the rest of the article

Airial Clark, M.A. is a San Francisco Bay Area-based parenting expert and the founder of The Sex-Positive Parent.

It’s a funny thing to hear some parents say, “My kid is never having sex. Ever. Lalalalalala,” and then they put their hands over the ears, shut their eyes and shake their head. It’s especially odd when these parents are comfortable with their own sexuality. These are people who have healthy sexual relationships and enjoy sex. But then, when it comes to educating their own kids, they shut down. It is really difficult to be a sex-negative person while being a sex-positive parent. Unfortunately, it’s very easy to be a sex-positive person while still being a sex-negative parent.

A lot of parents get stuck on how to talk positively about sex without endorsing sexual activity. The assumption is that if we, as parents, talk about how wonderful sex can be, our kids will start to experiment too early, or that they’ll become too knowledgeable for their own good. The fear is also that if we bring up sexuality before our kids are having sex, we’re overstepping a boundary; that we are somehow ruining their innocence. I like to point out that there is a big difference between innocent and ignorance.

Urooj Arshad, Associate Director of International Youth Health and Rights, wrote this op-ed for The Advocate. 

"As a community, we have provided countless workshops on the intersection of islamophobia and homophobia/transphobia, marched in pride parades to show our visibility, helped folks get asylum, provided spiritual counseling, and developed and advocated for scholarship that looks at Islam in the context of LGBT issues. We have built retreat spaces that bring together LGBT Muslims to discuss spiritual life, religious texts, anti-oppression; and yes, we even had a speed dating event this year.

Most importantly, we have changed the discourse that looks at LGBT Muslims as if they are non-religious, somehow outside the realm of mainstream Muslim life, somehow not impacted by Islamophobia, somehow not quite able to be both LGBT and Muslim. And as we continue to change the discourse, I am proud of how much the movement has grown and truly reflects the LGBT Muslim community."

Read the rest!

Abby Rosenstein, Advocates' Program Manager of School Health Equity, is interviewed on teach.com this week about abstinence education vs. comprehensive sexual health education.

"Exemplary sex education provides honest, accurate sexual health information and builds skills among young people to make healthy, informed decisions. It provides young people with information about their bodies and their health, and skills to think critically, negotiate confidently and build healthy and mutually respectful relationships throughout their lives. It is inclusive of all young people and their families; it does not stigmatize GLBTQ people, teen parents, single parents or sexually active youth. Great sex education requires well-trained educators who are knowledgeable, comfortable and interested in teaching about sexuality to young people."

Read the rest of the article!

The 13th Annual Urban Retreat starts this week -  September 27 to October 1!

Each year over 120 youth activists gather in Washington, D.C. to share expertise with one another and Advocates for Youth staff; learn about the latest findings and legislation that affect reproductive health; participate in trainings; and make a commitment to be lifelong advocates for young people's reproductive and sexual health and rights. Then they head to Capitol Hill to educate their representatives on why comprehensive sexual health education is so important for young people. 

This year, the groups attending the Urban Retreat include:

1 in 3 Organizers.  These college students attend a special pre-conference where they will learn how to support abortion rights through sharing women's stories.  

State Youth Activist Councils from Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, and South Carolina.  Working with partner organizations, these groups of young people will motivate for comprehensive sex education and other important youth rights at the state and community level.

Campus Organizers.  These students at colleges and universities organize their fellow college students to work for youth reproductive and sexual health and rights.  

International Youth Speak Out members from Jamaica, Nepal, and Nigeria lead councils in their home countries to promote youth inclusion and youth sexual health and rights.

International GLBT Health and Rights advocates work for the rights of LGBT people in their home countries.

International Youth Leadership Council members are US-based college students who advocate on behalf of young people in low and middle income countries.

Young Women of Color Leadership Council members advocate for HIV prevention and reproductive justice and the inclusion of young women of color in prevention programs.

YouthResource members advocate for LGBT rights in their communities and provide peer education and support to LGBT young people.

It's a diverse gathering, but these young people all have one thing in common:  they are fierce, motivated activists working hard to make youth voices heard!

Thanks to this year's generous sponsors! (Named after the jump)