by Rachel Cooke, Manager, Communications and Public Relations

There are few things as AHMAZING as when young people, and their allies, get together to work for a common cause.  On Wednesday, April 10, we saw your events, read your tweets, posts and blogs, smiled at your pictures, and joined you in celebrating the very first National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day! Each and every day in the United States 33 young people contract HIV. That is 1,000 young people each and every month. There are more than 76,000 young people under the age of 25 living with HIV in this country alone, and 60% of them don't know that they have the infection. Young people often feel as if they are fighting this epidemic alone, but we were NOT alone in this fight! Thousands of young people across this country stood together to prioritize young people in the fight against HIV & AIDS.

April 10, the first ever National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day, was a huge success!  From the Capitol Hill briefing, to the blogs and social media, to the events and activism around the country, youth activists and adult allies came out in full force.  We'll have a full recap with pictures later, but in the meantime, thanks for all that you did to support NYHAAD!

TODAY is National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day!  All around the nation, activists are coming together to acknowledge young people’s great work fighting the HIV & AIDS epidemic, and hold our leaders accountable to prioritizing young people in the fight against HIV & AIDS.

On Capitol Hill, there will be a press briefing at 9:30am, including statements from youth activists and adult allies.  Check it out if you're in town!

YOU can support NYHAAD:

1. Tweet and post on Facebook about the day.
2. Take a selfie! Download (right-click and choose save as), print out, and take a picture with this image - then tweet your pic to @youthaidsday.
3. Visit Amplify to hear from AMAZING youth activists who work every day to end this epidemic.
4. Join @YouthAIDSDay @TheBodyDotCom @_CaressaCameron @GeminiInstinct and @lstallworth0 from 2PM – 3PM EST today for a Twitter chat on #youth and #HIV, follow with #NYHAADchat.
5. Find a NYHAAD event near you via the official NYHAAD map.

We'll bring you updates throughout the day!  Meanwhile, check out what's already out there about NYHAAD: 

Youth activists have written about why they're involved with NYHAAD:

• Lizzie and Chelsea on why they're defying threats of disciplinary action and continuing to hand out condoms at Boston College
• Ignacio on MTV Tres on being gay, Latino, and an HIV and AIDS prevention activist
• Olivia on how her family led her to work in HIV and AIDS prevention
• Emilio on how young people are working toward an AIDS-free generation
• Advocates' Trina Scott and Ignacio wrote for the aids.gov blog about NYHAAD, youth partnership, and new media.
• Kanesha on the importance of sex ed for HIV prevention.

Blogs and media have been talking up the day, too:

• John-Manuel Andriote did a wonderful profile of the NYHAAD Youth Ambassadors for Huffington Post
• Campus Progress wrote about NYHAAD and Young Women of Color Leadership Council member Januari's work on it
• RH Reality Check will carry a series of blogs about NYHAAD throughout the week.

So stay tuned!  And have a great NYHAAD!

Here is Advocates for Youth's statement on today's landmark decision removing age and ID restrictions from emergency contraception! 

Today young women across the country have something to cheer about. After a decade-long struggle in which politics trumped science and common sense, young women and their partners will now have access to back-up birth control without unnecessary and burdensome restrictions. Emergency contraception is a safe, effective method of birth control that can prevent pregnancy in the first few days after unprotected sex.

Federal District Judge Edward Korman’s ruling directs the Food and Drug Administration to remove the age restrictions on emergency contraception within 30 days and allow the back-up birth control on pharmacy shelves with no age or identification restrictions.

“The burden on young women has been lifted. No longer will back-up birth control be unnecessarily locked up behind the counter, out of reach for too many young women,” stated Debra Hauser, President of Advocates for Youth. “Access to the full range of safe, reliable contraception is an essential part of basic health care.  For too long politics has stood in the way.”

Washington, April 2, 2013 – Debra Hauser, Advocates for Youth's President, issued the following statement today in support of Boston College Students for Sexual Health:

"Advocates for Youth stands in solidarity with the courageous youth activists at Boston College as they – along with thousands of their peers on campuses all across this country – fight for the information and tools necessary to protect their health and save their lives.

It is unconscionable given the consequences of HIV and AIDS that the administrators at Boston College or at any other institution of higher learning would threaten young activists with disciplinary action for providing their peers with the information and tools necessary to take personal responsibility for their sexual health.

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Are you a young person (14-24 years old) who is:

• Passionate about fighting for young people's rights to sexual health information and services?
• Interested in connecting with youth leaders from across the country?
• Dedicated to developing skills to make a difference in your community?

Apply today to join one of Advocates for Youth's programs!

Here’s something you may not have known. Every month 1,000 young people acquire HIV. Every month.

It’s time to take action and invest in young people – their health, their education, and their leadership – so we can truly reach an AIDS-free generation!

Join us for the FIRST EVER National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD) on April 10! Let’s acknowledge young people’s great work fighting this epidemic, and hold our leaders accountable to prioritizing young people in the fight against HIV & AIDS. 

Do you know a young person who's making a difference in our world?  (Rhetorical question; we know you do.)

The Do Something Awards (formerly the BR!CK Awards) identifies exceptional young social entrepreneurs, activists, and community leaders who have a significant social impact. The Do Something Award nominees and winners are the pivotal "do-ers" in their fields and causes. For this year's awards up to five finalists will be selected and rewarded with a $10,000 community grant, participation in the third Do Something Awards TV show on VH1, media coverage, and continued support from DoSomething.org. Of those five finalists, one will be selected to win the Grand Prize, a $100,000 grant, which will be announced during the broadcast.

You can recommend people for the award by filling out a simple nomination form at www.dosomething.org/awards. They are looking for the "best-in-class" activists, leaders, and social entrepreneurs age 25 and under. Applicants must be citizens or residents of the U.S. or Canada and must apply by April 15th, 2013, although applying earlier is strongly encouraged.