ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH

Related Resources: >> XVI International AIDS Conference

YOUTH LEADERS PLAY KEY ROLE AT
TORONTO AIDS CONFERENCE

WHO:

• Kayley Harrington (23) is the State Policy Coordinator at Advocates for Youth, where she works on a variety of policy issues, including comprehensive sex education, emergency contraception, GLBT, and family planning. As part of her position, Ms. Harrington organizes and supports youth activists across the United States to advocate in support of comprehensive sex education policies.
  • Co-coordinator of the Media Team Force for the Toronto YouthForce
  • Conducting two workshops during the Pre-Conference on Gender and HIV
  • Will serve as a Toronto YouthForce journalist for the Main Conference daily newsletter
  • Will serve as a youth journalist for MTV International (one of four youth journalists)
  • Will serve as a blogger for RH RealityCheck
• Beth Pellettieri (22) is the Coordinator for the International Youth Leadership Council Coordinator (IYLC) of Advocates for Youth. The IYLC is a group of youth leaders who work to influence US policy and programs around international family planning and global HIV/AIDS through media campaigns, advocacy meetings and campus based activities.
  • Serves on the Coordinating Committee of the Toronto YouthForce
  • Co-Coordinator of the Advocacy Taskforce, which will hold daily morning advocacy briefings
  • Serves on the Youth Working Group for the Caucus on Evidence-Based Prevention
  • Conducting two workshops during the Pre-Conference on Advocacy and on Networking
  • Will serve as a blogger for RH RealityCheck.
• Meheret (Mimi) Melles (20) is a first-generation Ethiopian-American and is a member of the International Youth Leadership Council at Advocates for Youth where she works on international family planning and global HIV/AIDS issues. Ms. Melles is also involved in Fair Trade Advocacy, the Ethiopian Students Association, and Students Take Action Now In Darfur (STAND). Ms. Melles is a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park with a double-major in Public & Community Health and Anthropology and a minor in International Development & Conflict majors in Public and Community Health with a minor in International Development and Conflict Management at the University of Maryland.
  • Serves on the Advocacy Task Force for Toronto YouthForce
  • Youth Journalist for the Caucus on Evidence-Based Prevention newsletter
  • Will serve as a blogger for RH RealityCheck
• Mark Hiew (22) is an AIDS activist who currently serves on the Board of Directors for Advocates for Youth. A veteran of Advocates for Youth’s International Youth Leadership Council, Mr. Hiew has a strong interest in empowering and advocating for the needs of his generation, specifically addressing the impact of HIV internationally. A native of Australia, he holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Maryland and works for an international development non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C.
  • Will serve as youth rapporteur for the Toronto YouthForce
  • Will serve as youth journalist for MTV International (one of four youth journalists).

Advocates’ International Youth Allies

In addition to Advocates for Youth's Toronto core team described above, three youth leaders from Advocates' partner organizations from Botswana, Nigeria, Jamaica and Peru will be attending the conference. Advocates will be collaborating with each of them throughout the event. They include:

• Keesha Effs (24), is the Jamaica Commonwealth Youth Ambassador for Positive Living. She has been a member of the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Movement for the past eleven years and currently sits as Youth Director on the Board of the Jamaica Family Planning Association. Keesha participated in a recent advocacy training conducted by Advocates for Youth and the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS in New York as part of the Youth Summit for the High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS. Keesha will be collaborating with Advocates throughout the conference and serving as a spokesperson on evidence-based HIV prevention upon request.
• Mayowa Joel (24) is a youth activist from Nigeria experienced in promoting development issues especially sexual and reproductive health including HIV & AIDS intervention programs through the media. He is a program manager, journalist, researcher, and master trainer. Mayowa currently serves as the State Coordinator for the Treatment Action Movement (TAM). Formerly, Mayowa was with the Youth Action Rangers of Nigeria (YARN) and has participated in numerous advocacy and youth leadership trainings conducted as part of Advocates for Youth’s YouthLife Initiative, a CDC project that worked to build the capacity of youth-led NGOs in HIV prevention. Mayowa will be speaking at Advocates for Youth’s press conference on Tuesday, August 15 at 8:00 am in Room 2 of the Media Center, Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
• Dikitso Phulane Ketshwiti (24) is a youth activist from Botswana who is dedicated to working with his peers to stop HIV/AIDS. He is currently the Capacity and Development Program Officer for the Youth Health Organization of Botswana (YOHO). Dikitso has participated in numerous advocacy and youth leadership trainings conducted as part of Advocates for Youth’s YouthLife Initiative, a CDC project that worked to build capacity of youth-led NGOs in HIV prevention. Dikitso will be on a panel entitled “Successes and Challenges in Youth-led HIV Prevention Programs” in the Youth Pavilion and will present on edutainment for HIV prevention, one of the key program components implemented by YOHO as part of the YouthLife Initiative.

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Advocates for Youth is a national, nonprofit organization that creates programs and supports policies that help young people make safe, responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

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