ADAP Watch 2010

Nastad Adap Watch - March 2010[1]

AIDS Budget and Appropriations Committee

ABAC Chart 05 08 09

djterrymartin

just in case any of our readers wanted a little vintage 80's, but a choice mix, not the garden variety..

Latest tracks by djterrymartin

Gravity

Scott M (from Gravity and TEN) has written the following article which is to be published in the next TEN newsletter.

The way HIV and AIDS have evolved over the last 30 years represents so many significant and incredible strides. However some of the amazing advances that we have achieved with this disease has come with some very prevalent costs.



As a young person, I cannot imagine what life was like when this diagnosis equaled a death sentence. It must have been a terrifying and horrendous time in modern history. Today, the newly diagnosed can easily still feel some of that aftermath. Upon learning about our HIV, the first question that runs through our heads is “How long do I have to live?”


We all fall a little bit in love with our medical providers when they inform us that with a few small changes in bad habits and a strict medication regiment, HIV and AIDS should not interfere with our ability to live well into elderly age status. Indeed, the evolution of treatment has come so far. Even if it is not the “cure” that we are so desperately hoping for, it at least helps us breathe a little easier in knowing our lives won’t be cut so short.


As our initial question stops plaguing our mind, the next horrifying thought creeps its way in. “Will people still like me?” It seems almost silly to think that you might be rejected because you have a disease. Such nonsense does not occur with cancer or diabetes. But HIV is different. As the notion of death has eased off our shoulders, a deep rooted stigma has taken its place. And we learn that while the gay community supports us with their dollars and words of encouragement, their actions often speaks otherwise.


Nowadays, there is a strong social desire for perfection, leaving all of us in a world where “good” is no longer good enough. In the HIV community, this can affect anybody regardless of age, race, gender or sexual orientation. But one demographic that seems to share this struggle most of all is that of the younger generations.


Eventually all of us would like to be at a place where we better understand what is important in life and can dismiss the little things. But this tends to be a much greater struggle for today’s youth. Like Bambi fresh out of the womb, young people are falling over themselves trying to figure out their own social footing. And the majority of us put a greater effort in this than we should… whether it is in order to fit in or to act like we don’t want to fit in at all. And if that doesn’t seem confusing enough, add HIV into the mix and suddenly our Rubix Cube of social configuration has crumbled right in our hands.


The general public’s (including the gay community’s) misunderstandings and almost unprecedented fear about HIV has led this disease to warrant the awful stigma that exists today. Therefore even though we can prevent HIV from killing our bodies, it is still very much killing our spirits. The resulting factor is that many young people go into hiding about their HIV status, deeply stigmatizing themselves. This leads into consequential feelings of loneliness and even depression.


As more and more young people are getting diagnosed with HIV, there is a greater need for these kinds of social connections. Thus a not-for-profit social group is emerging in the local Denver area called Gravity. While this may sound like breaking news, Gravity has already begun working its way into the community by reaching out to those living with HIV of the younger generations. We do this by creating a social networking opportunities for our demographic as well as monthly events.


Gravity generally defines “younger” as individuals in their twenties and thirties. We invite people of all races, genders, and sexual orientations within these age ranges. Our goal is not necessarily to exclude older people living with HIV. We very much respect our predecessors, especially those who have died in the name of this disease. But being that HIV can touch lives so differently from younger generations to older ones, a group needed to be created in order to meet the social difficulties specifically geared towards the youth.


Gravity’s monthly events offers young, HIV positive people a way socialize in an environment that is discrete yet fun. This way, attendees can have the privacy they might need and still have a good time while meeting others who have been in their shoes. The events themselves do not focus around the topic of HIV; giving each participant the opportunity to talk as much or as little about it as they would like. Thus technically Gravity is not a support group. However showing up and seeing the face of your peers provides a new level of support not yet covered by the HIV community in the Denver and surrounding areas.


Most importantly, Gravity is a group that is “for the people / by the people.” It is created and facilitated by the very demographic we are reaching out to. Its strength and survival are contingent upon people’s decisions to simply show up and have a good time. While we will accept donations to assist us in creating events for Gravity, we will never have membership fees or ask our attendees for money in order to participate. Because it should not cost anything to just feel normal again.


For more information, you can visit our website at: http://www.gravitydenver.com or email us at denver.gravity@yahoo.com.

Fundraiser for Women's Lighthouse Project

wlp

Welcome to Tweaker.Org

Tweaker.org is an online outreach and educational entity housed at the San Francisco Aids Foundation website and is designed for people who are (or have) actively using methamphetamine. It is competent, thoughtful, and inclusive in its approach and has been an active part of the HIV community in SF since 1997. It has indeed grown up a lot since then (but haven't we all?) If you haven't checked it out, you may want to peruse its colorful and considerable offerings. You never know how  or when it may be useful.

WELCOME TO TWEAKER.ORG

 If you’ve been here before, thanks for checking us out again! Take a good look around. We're adding and changing things all the time so there might be something you haven’t seen before. Or weren't looking for the first time you visited.
We keep tweaker.org going because a lot of gay men make some potentially dangerous choices while they're high on speed. A lot of the choices we make when we're high come with results that we didn't think about, couldn't think about or didn't want to think about.
Some of these choices are about the sex we have and our sexual health. A lot of gay men get infected with STDs and HIV while they’re high on speed. It’s a really big deal in San Francisco, where we have our home base.
Speed use and its physical, emotional and social side effects continue to be a huge issue nationwide. And, if what some of you have been telling us is true, around the globe.
We hope you find what you need inside the site and that you enjoy yourself while finding it.

ENTER HERE

T E N Gets A Double Nod

OUTFRONT Colorado - Denver's most established LGBT news organization has announced its  annual Reader's Choice OUTstanding Awards for 2010. Treatment Education Network got 2 mentions. We are thrilled and encouraged. You can read the rest of the 2010 awards at OUTFRONTonline here...

OUTstanding HIV/AIDS Organization/Service
Shadowcliff Retreat, http://www.hivretreat.blogspot.com/
OFC readers love this affordable three-day mountain getaway where they can connect with others living with HIV and enjoy workshops, discussion groups, social activities and body therapies.

OUTstanding Organization (eco-friendly)
Treatment Education Network, http://www.ontheten.org/
OFC readers love this all-volunteer, grassroots nonprofit works to educate and empower individuals with HIV by providing information, skills and knowledge in a proactive and supportive environment.