POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => AIDS Activism => Topic started by: david25luvit on January 30, 2007, 10:13:03 am
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Andy and others have been instrumental in getting me to seek other ways to get involved here in Mobile. I posted a thread a couple of months
ago highlighting the problems with M.A.S.S. and I wanted to share my progress. An organization called A.Q.U.A. recently held a silent auction to
raise money to assist those with HIV in our community. As one of the board members told me yesterday they are a small organization with no
charter no officers or whatever but have chosen to remain small in order to be more productive and less political. The man I spoke to sits on the
board of both MASS AND AQUA... and hearing of my difficulties with MASS he contacted me by email and then by phone and we discussed not only
my bad experiences with MASS but how I might be able to get involve with AQUA. I'm very excited to be connected with someone who's got his
finger on the pulse of Mobile and one who maybe able to assist me in finding an outlet to my activism. At this point I'm not sure what the best course
of action is...but I am having a meeting with this man Wednesday night to discuss my involvement in AQUA... I have expressed a huge interest in serving
on the board of AQUA...as they have only two board members who are actually HIV positive. I believe most of you will agree that being HIV positive
gives us a better perspective of the challenges we face and although this may offend certain members here I have offered to donate a large sum of money
to the organization hoping to speed up the process... Last year they raised forty thousand dollars for AQUA....having run political fundraisers in Mississippi
I believe I can double that amount this year if given the opportunity... I am convinced I can make a difference....and I want to try!
WISH ME LUCK..............
I'll give you update on my progress after the meeting and thereafter....
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Great stuff, David. And you're absolutely on target about the need for those living with HIV to be on Boards and in every way represented.
From early on it has been those living with the disease who bring that special level of information and understanding to the table and help to keep alive a sense of urgency in everything.
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Kisses on all your openings my friend.
Wow, you've come a long way Baby!
This post really brought tears to my eyes this morning, and it is all because David is taking the time and talents he has to REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!
One coment on AQUA. I feel that there needs to be some oversight, but formal organization is not always the answer. Their goal to stay away from formality, and from "Government" funding, is the key to new activism. Those government dollars are truly wonderful and not too difficult to get, but oh the strings attached are worse than handcuffs. They will bind you to do things that in your heart you know from the outset are not right and true.
Please keep AQUA independent and clean. You being on the board would really be a good thing, as what Andy has pointed out is so very true. It just keeps 'em honest.
Move with caution, listen carefully, and weigh everything you hear against the truth in your heart and you will do fine.
Please keep us posted.
Thanks from the bottom of my heart.
Tim.
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You GO Davie baby!! :o
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David should one of the afore mentioned groups decide to make it's self a non-profit I group I can assist with that endevor beacuse as the last Pres of The Steel City Centurions I still retain the paper work that was used to set the club up as a non-profit way back when along with the copies of who got paid what at that time .
So if that does happen and no one knows how to make it happen let me know and we can go from there :)
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Thanks everybody.... and yes both organizations are non profit....
I heard from AQUA again and the guy has gotten me in touch with MASS...
Although I made a call to MASS and their phone system makes it almost impossible to reach anyone....
and in the past they did not return calls or emails. Today a gentleman from MASS called me...sounds
like they can find me "something" to do around the office. If I didn't know better I might think I was
getting a polite brush off. I was told today that AQUA doesn't actually do anything....but rather they
assist others who actually assist those in need. It all sounds rather vague to me. Perhaps I'm wrong.
I'll know more after my meeting next week with Mr. Little at MASS.
Again...thanks for everybody's encouragement and support.
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can anyone tell me what M.A.S.S. and A.Q.U.A. stand for?
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As crazy as it may sound I can not tell you what A.Q.U.A. stands for...Mass stands for Mobile Aids Support Services....which I think is a joke
considering how impossible they are to contact and the apathy that seems to abide there. I have discovered in the past few days that there
are other ways in which I can make a difference...here on line....with AIDSMEDS.
A.Q.U.A concerns me....any organization that says it doesn't actually do anything....(they do have fundraisers oddly enough)...but rather help
those who help others....In my way of thinking this is just too vague. I can't in good conscience contribute to an organization (although I already have during their silent auction in December of 2006) that can't or won't actively get involved with the very people they pretend to want to help. It makes no sense to me to have an organization....to raise funds....take funds from government and pharmaseutical companies and not actually reach out into the community and help people directly.
Perhaps I'm being naive'. But this is just the way I see it. So rather complain and bitch about such organizations any further....I'm going to do what I can to help others...If there are others here on the forum who could suggest or recommend ways in which I could be of assistance to those who desperately need help because of HIV please send me a PM and give me the particulars. I do want to make a difference....and I think you can only do that if I reach out to those who need help and get involved....and not just write a check!