Activism in Broward county

[ieshiahiv]

I'm not seeing much being done in Broward county, although I have been informed we are number one for new hiv infections. I know a lot of you may advocate or know someone who does.

I advocate from my social sites and blog but how do I get into schools? What are other ways I can go about being heard? Our county and city officials aren't doing much. I'm 24 and I know my voice could help.

Any suggestions?

[Jeff G]

I'm not seeing much being done in Broward county, although I have been informed we are number one for new hiv infections. I know a lot of you may advocate or know someone who does.

I advocate from my social sites and blog but how do I get into schools? What are other ways I can go about being heard? Our county and city officials aren't doing much. I'm 24 and I know my voice could help.

Any suggestions?

Welcome to the forum . How about doing a little introduction and tell us about yourself . How long have you been living with HIV ?

[leatherman]

1) check with your local ASO - which probably already has prevention programs in the local high schools.

2) check with the state health department (for an HIV Planning Council) which determines the prevention strategies for your state.

3) check for a state wide task force that has prevention as one of its goals.

4) check with Planned Parenthood, or some other agency, tackling pregnancy, STDs, and HIV prevention.

You yourself won't be able to get into the schools unless you have a contact through a supervisor or principal. I mean, people have to be vetted to speak to underage minors.

I would also say that you are probably doing a disservice to the people in your county and city who have been struggling for years putting out an anti-HIV prevention message in your area. I'm sure once you contact some of the agencies I mentioned you'll see that your local officials have been spoken to frequently and that there is some sort of HIV prevention message being put out in your area. I totally agree though that your voice could help. The fact that you haven't gone to these agencies or heard their messages shows that there is a lot of work to do and you could be a big part of doing that work.

[zach]

i would think ft lauderdale would have an active aso, maybe i'm wrong. i lived in some inland counties down there have decent care

[ieshiahiv]

1) check with your local ASO - which probably already has prevention programs in the local high schools.

2) check with the state health department (for an HIV Planning Council) which determines the prevention strategies for your state.

3) check for a state wide task force that has prevention as one of its goals.

4) check with Planned Parenthood, or some other agency, tackling pregnancy, STDs, and HIV prevention.

You yourself won't be able to get into the schools unless you have a contact through a supervisor or principal. I mean, people have to be vetted to speak to underage minors.

I would also say that you are probably doing a disservice to the people in your county and city who have been struggling for years putting out an anti-HIV prevention message in your area. I'm sure once you contact some of the agencies I mentioned you'll see that your local officials have been spoken to frequently and that there is some sort of HIV prevention message being put out in your area. I totally agree though that your voice could help. The fact that you haven't gone to these agencies or heard their messages shows that there is a lot of work to do and you could be a big part of doing that work.

Please do not confuse my willingness to help with a blatant oversight of those before me. I am 24 years young and I was born HIV positive. In Broward county a reputation is more important than a life. I was informed that we are number one in the Nation for reported new infections and yet I go throughout this county and I see no events, I hear nothing on the radio. I have contacts with our planning council and have set in meetings, and majority are monthly. I have recently started to advocate two months ago. It's sad to see my peers with no regard for themselves and others, downloading obviously fake testing results to the trained eye. I definitely only want to help because this is a county full of ignorance. I know the youth, I see them and speak to them. Their ignorance is the reason I am speaking up! I only wish to help!

[ieshiahiv]

Welcome to the forum . How about doing a little introduction and tell us about yourself . How long have you been living with HIV ?

I am 24 years young and I was born HIV+. I have dealt with the hatred, the ignorance and the ugliness that I was subjected to by my peers and even family and friends. That has since died and I have been somewhat accepted back into society over the course of five years. Just when I was warming up to everyone, lying, trying to fight this "rumor", my heart is now forcing me to come clean about my own status. In Broward county, to say you are HIV+ is a sentence to be cast out and ridiculed. I am facing my fears and helping those who don't care to hear it or even be associated with this disease. We need Help here in Broward county, badly. I have decided to come out because I know other positive individuals who are knowingly having sex and withholding their status and most unprotected. I want to help end the stigma, here and everywhere! I no longer care about myself, this is more than me.

[Matty the Damned]

Broward County includes Ft Lauderdale, right? I might be on the other side of the world but from what I can tell the place is absolutely leaking fags.

So, in my humble 'pinion, the OP needs to chill the fuck out.

As much as I hate to say it Leatherman has the biscuit on this one. Re-read his post. Stop whining in cyberspace and try doing something in meatspace.

You never know, you might actually achieve something for once in your life.

MtD

[Joe K]

Ieshiahiv,

Let me start with your reporting Matty's post for the use of the word "fag".  While it may not be the best choice of wording, it can refer to many types of gays and as such, it's not considered offensive, when used in a general sense.

Now, about Fort. Lauderdale.  We are talking about Broward Country in Florida, where I lived for 15 years and those folks have more messages and prevention programs than they know what to do with them.  Have you been to the Gay and Lesbian Community Center and Stonewall Library?  It's a great place to start to see where you can help.

I also don't understand your position that to be poz in Broward is to be cast out and ridiculed, when the are has some of the highest poz concentration in the States.  While you may have experienced such treatment from your own family and friends, I can assure you that there are many organizations that will support you in whatever you want to do.

I also caution you about using your past experience, in assuming that the people you meet are just the same, in shaming as your family and friends, because they are not.  There is so much acceptance to be had in that area and once you get out and meet the people who actually live there, I believe you will be pleasantly surprised.

Please do not confuse my willingness to help with a blatant oversight of those before me. I am 24 years young and I was born HIV positive. In Broward county a reputation is more important than a life. I was informed that we are number one in the Nation for reported new infections and yet I go throughout this county and I see no events, I hear nothing on the radio. I have contacts with our planning council and have set in meetings, and majority are monthly. I have recently started to advocate two months ago. It's sad to see my peers with no regard for themselves and others, downloading obviously fake testing results to the trained eye. I definitely only want to help because this is a county full of ignorance. I know the youth, I see them and speak to them. Their ignorance is the reason I am speaking up! I only wish to help!

One other idea is to get that chip off your shoulder and stop thinking that you are the morality police and that you understand all about Broward County and its HIV needs.  It's a very diverse community and you have no idea what is being done to stem the illness.

What will not stop the illness is you going around telling others about their ignorance, because you have some unresolved issues with how you have been treated.  I suggest you tread very lightly.  If you come off to these organizations, as just another angry poz person, you will not get very far, as anger solves nothing.

Personally, I think your time would be much better spent, resolving your own personal issues, before taking on anything new.

Joe

[Matty the Damned]

Ieshiahiv,

Let me start with your reporting Matty's post for the use of the word "fag".  While it may not be the best choice of wording, it can refer to many types of gays and as such, it's not considered offensive, when used in a general sense.

Now, about Fort. Lauderdale.  We are talking about Broward Country in Florida, where I lived for 15 years and those folks have more messages and prevention programs than they know what to do with them.  Have you been to the Gay and Lesbian Community Center and Stonewall Library?  It's a great place to start to see where you can help.

I also don't understand your position that to be poz in Broward is to be cast out and ridiculed, when the are has some of the highest poz concentration in the States.  While you may have experienced such treatment from your own family and friends, I can assure you that there are many organizations that will support you in whatever you want to do.

I also caution you about using your past experience, in assuming that the people you meet are just the same, in shaming as your family and friends, because they are not.  There is so much acceptance to be had in that area and once you get out and meet the people who actually live there, I believe you will be pleasantly surprised.

One other idea is to get that chip off your shoulder and stop thinking that you are the morality police and that you understand all about Broward County and its HIV needs.  It's a very diverse community and you have no idea what is being done to stem the illness.

What will not stop the illness is you going around telling others about their ignorance, because you have some unresolved issues with how you have been treated.  I suggest you tread very lightly.  If you come off to these organizations, as just another angry poz person, you will not get very far, as anger solves nothing.

Personally, I think your time would be much better spent, resolving your own personal issues, before taking on anything new.

Joe

MtD

[Jeff G]

I have been out as gay and HIV positive since 1985 ... there is still a long way to go in our fight against stigma so good for you if you choose to come out with your HIV status . Those of us that did it 30 years ago paid a price but thankfully the toll is a little less steep these days .

You can join and ASO or local Aids outreach and volunteer your time if you want to do something for people living with HIV . I have found that being open about my status has given me opportunity's to educate people about HIV in a personal one on one way . You do not have to be an activist to make a meaningful difference in a persons life . You can start first by volunteering ... that way you can actually give of your self and your time, later on you can tell the world you are living with HIV and helping others do the same if its right for you .

There are established organizations in your area that will be happy to have you give them a hand ... you can find them on Google, so get some phone numbers and make some calls . 

[ieshiahiv]

Thank you all for your contributions, I will be sure not to post here again because clearly you all are more interested in belittling than just providing helpful information. For the useful pieces I did gather, thank you. I just really wanted to know if anyone had any other avenues of advocating that could be useful. I am not angry, I am baffled at how that would even be concluded because I would like to help. Obviously you can relate to a more positive avenue! Unfortunately, the young and the black are totally different and I was looking for other ways I could reach those individuals and possibly how I could go about doing so.

Sorry if I offended anyone hard at work advocating for hiv/aids because that was not my intentions.

Have a blessed one you all :-)

[Jeff G]

Thank you all for your contributions, I will be sure not to post here again because clearly you all are more interested in belittling than just providing helpful information. For the useful pieces I did gather, thank you. I just really wanted to know if anyone had any other avenues of advocating that could be useful. I am not angry, I am baffled at how that would even be concluded because I would like to help. Obviously you can relate to a more positive avenue! Unfortunately, the young and the black are totally different and I was looking for other ways I could reach those individuals and possibly how I could go about doing so.

Sorry if I offended anyone hard at work advocating for hiv/aids because that was not my intentions.

Have a blessed one you all :-)

Why this reaction ? . You are more than welcome to stick around and exchange ideas, hope you do in fact  .

Do you not like the suggestion to volunteer ? 

[leatherman]

downloading obviously fake testing results to the trained eye.

wow. do people really ask to see a piece of paper for a test result before they'll fuck? it seems people would understand that something printed, or even just the reply to the question (are you neg?), are not to be trusted. Nothing but protecting your own self can be trusted.

There's you a teaching/advocacy venue. Teach people not to ask for a test result, verbal or printed. simply believe that anyone could be infected with anything infectious and then take precautions to not get anything. But i guess since we can't get little girls to believe they might get pregnant it's no wonder we can't keep little gay boys from thinking they can't get HIV. 

[ieshiahiv]

Why this reaction ? . You are more than welcome to stick around and exchange ideas, hope you do in fact  .

Do you not like the suggestion to volunteer ?

I have already started to volunteer and speak to the youth. So that was a great idea! I love helping the youth and when I inform them of my status they always are so shocked. I've even be told, "I'm too pretty!" Countless times and I love that. I love for them to see that even a pretty face can be infected, looks do not say if a person have or does not have the virus or disease.

I choose to limit my interactions here because of certain responses and assumptions that are being directed to me and I don't feel they were helpful and a little hurtful. I don't want to step on any toes so I'll be sure to be more thoughtful should I choose to post in the future.

[Jeff G]

You can continue to count on receiving multiple views and opinions . Its a good thing to have our views challenged and discussed because it allows us to broaden our horizons . 

Don't take it so personal ... thats just the way a message board works .

[Almost2late]

Hi Ieshiahiv,

Hope you get this message.. I read your post and just wanted to thank you for trying to be a part of a solution to the problems here in Broward county.. I live in Broward and am newly diagnosed as of late January and wish I would have tested sooner but that wasn't the case.. Wound up in the hospital with aids, so I think what your trying to do is a wonderful thing.. I did find that there is groups in our area that also have participated in Aidswalk in fort lauderdale cause I was there and was impressed.. But you are right, the info is not reaching young people as it should especially minorities.. Here is a link to some groups who may help you with your quest.. 

https://www.broward.org/HumanServices/CommunityPartnerships/RyanWhiteProgram/Pages/SupportGroups.aspx


And I believe this group would appreciate your help www.mountolivemodco.org

I hope this helps, sincerely Frank