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March 2005 Monthly Monitor
Advocates for Youth's Youth of Color Initiative
Feature: Young Women of Color
The incredible danger related to America's wavering interest in addressing HIV and AIDS is, perhaps, most starkly displayed among high school and college-aged young people. And once again, communities of color suffer most. Black and Latino youth account for 65 percent of new HIV infections among 13- to 24-year-old youth. Rising numbers of infections among young black women are of particular concern. Through 2001, African Americans and Latinas accounted for over three-fourths of HIV infections diagnosed among 13- to 19-year-old females and over two-thirds those diagnosed among 20- to 24-year-old women. Among these young women, most HIV infections occur through unprotected, heterosexual intercourse. Society has a responsibility to provide these young women with culturally appropriate, accurate prevention education and services, but the rapidly rising rates of HIV infection indicate that this responsibility is often unfulfilled.
The rate of new HIV infections among U.S. black women is about 18 times that among white women. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) suggests that poverty, unemployment, and other socioeconomic issues contribute largely to the growing rate of HIV among black women. To read the full report please visit, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5404a2.htm
To read an op-ed by actress and comedian Mo'nique on how HIV and AIDS has affected her life and the lives of other women of color, please visit http://www.blackaids.org/oped_monique.htm (no longer available).
Advocates' online peer education program, Sistah2Sistah, offers peer-to-peer peer support for young women of color. To view bios of young women from diverse backgrounds and to select an online peer educator to answer your questions and direct you to resources about sexual health, please visit http://www.mysistahs.org/
Youth of Color Partner Program
The Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies (IWES), New Orleans, Louisiana
The mission of IWES is to improve the physical, mental, and spiritual health and the quality of life of women of color and their families. To realize this mission, IWES develops culturally competent, holistic, sexual and reproductive health programs, activities, and research models that empower, educate and support women and youth of color through information, education and communication (IEC), training, community research, and collaboration. One of the programs at IWES is Pillow Talk.
Pillow Talk
Pillow talk is a peer mentorship program, established in 2001 to address the growing incidences of HIV and STIs among African American females, ages 13 to 24, living in New Orleans. The project helps adolescent women to make healthy choices and to improve their self-esteem, self-confidence, and communication and negotiation skills. Participants are recruited from local middle schools and high schools. The program strives to provide a supportive environment, devoid of the external stressors that can stifle open dialogue about HIV and AIDS, STIs, sex, and relationships. Over a period of four months, the participants engage in comprehensive exercises that include peer education sessions, slumber parties including role plays, group discussions, and individual mentoring. Pillow Talk's unique approach provides an atmosphere conducive to learning, development, openness, acceptance, and self-discovery.
Since the start of Pillow Talk in 2001, the program has succeeded in bringing together young African American women from diverse social and economic background and experiences, increasing dialogue about HIV and STIs. The program has reached over 150 participants with HIV/STI prevention education and youth development opportunities.
Capacity Building & Professional Development
The National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) invites you to attend the first National HIV Testing Day Skills-Building Conference, April 7-9, 2005 in Silver Spring, Maryland. The theme this year will be "Creating Effective Campaigns to Promote Voluntary HIV Counseling and Testing." This two-day conference will: 1) build local capacity to create effective social awareness and community mobilization campaigns around voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT); 2) build collaborations to create successful local and/or regional events for National HIV Testing Day (NHTD), June 27, 2005; 3) increase participants' ability to promote and/or provide accessible VCT services in their communities; and 4) provide opportunities to network with others who have experience with NHTD events and/or mobilization campaigns. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.napwa.org/
The National HIV/AIDS Update Conference will be held April 10-13, 2005 in Oakland, California. The National HIV/AIDS Update Conference attracts health care professionals, service providers, community advocates, and people living with HIV and AIDS, and presents the latest information on critical prevention, treatment, and care issues. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.amfar.org/
Funding Opportunities
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) announces the availability of funds for its Substance Abuse, HIV, & Hepatitis Prevention for Minority Populations and Minority Reentry Populations in Communities of Color Initiative. Specifically, the initiative aims to engage community-level domestic, public, and private nonprofit entities to prevent and reduce the onset of substance abuse, and transmission of HIV and hepatitis among minority populations and minority reentry populations in communities of color disproportionately affected by substance abuse, HIV and AIDS, and/or hepatitis. The application due date is March 17, 2005. For more information, please visit http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/2005/nofa/sp05001_HIV.aspx
The Division of AIDS (DAIDS) at the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health, is requesting proposals to solicit applications to establish partnerships with community-based organizations to carry out the agenda of the HIV Vaccine Communications Campaign's (HVCC) Community Education and Outreach Partnership Program (CEOPP). Only nonprofit, community-based organizations are eligible for funding. Organizations that have established HIV prevention or AIDS care and treatment programs will be given priority for funding under this RFP. The project period will be from April 18, 2005 to November 15, 2005. For a copy of the application and more information about the CEOPP program, including full eligibility criteria, please visit: http://www.extranet.ogilvypr.com/niaid/rfp/ (no longer available) or contact Joanna Katzman, Senior Health Communications Specialist, Henry M. Jackson Foundation/DAIDS/NIAID/NIH at (301) 451-2744 or by e-mail at katzmanj@niaid.nih.gov
Announcements
The National Organization for Women Foundation invites you to join the Women of Color Allies Summit April 1-3, 2005 in Arlington, Virginia. Some of the topics to explore will be: HIV and AIDS, empowering young women, women's health, reproductive health and rights, sexuality, violence against women, institutionalized racism and sexism, and religion and spirituality. For additional information or to register, contact Zenaida Mendez, 202-628-8669, ext. 143, or visit http://www.nowfoundation.org/issues/diverse/woca2005/
The National Indian Health Board: Direct Service Tribes 2nd Annual Meeting will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, April 25-28, 2005. Some of the conference's themes and topics include behavioral health, historical trauma and traditional healing, eliminating and/or addressing health disparities (prevention), health facilities, and legal and historical roots of health care for American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States. For more information or to register, please visit http://www.directservicetribes.org/
Resources
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/PUBS/Facts/women.htm
Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies
http://www.iwes.org/
Minority Women's Health
http://www.4woman.gov/minority/index.htm
MySistahs
http://www.mysistahs.org/
You can help Advocates for Youth with a contribution today. To donate, visit http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/about/donatetoday.htm
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