D.C. HIV/AIDS Examiner http://www.thebody.com/content/art58945.html A blog by Candace Y.A. Montague at TheBody.com. http://www.thebody.com/images/blog/candace_biobox.gif Candace Y.A. Montague http://www.thebody.com/content/art58945.html 115 145 ADAP Advocacy Association Launches Directory http://www.thebody.com/content/74987/adap-advocacy-association-launches-directory.html Healthcare of this generation is all about giving the patients the power to choose instead of waiting to be assigned. ADAP Advocacy Association launched a brand new ADAP Directory in an effort to help patients get access to information and resources so that they can keep on living healthy, productive lives. Brandon Macsata, CEO of the ADAP Advocacy Association, says this directory gives the patients control. "The ADAP Directory puts patients in the driver's seat by linking them to the relevant information about all 56 ADAPs, as well as useful resources and tools."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/74987/adap-advocacy-association-launches-directory.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 8 Sep 2014 17:00:00 GMT Artist Luke James Discusses the Importance of Health and Love http://www.thebody.com/content/74502/artist-luke-james-discusses-the-importance-of-heal.html Health messages can sometimes fall on deaf ears. But when an artist sends the message, it can add some serious bump to it and makes a better impression on an audience. At a recent event at The Park on Fourteenth, Grammy-nominated R&B artist Luke James performed songs about love. The event was a fundraiser for the Reed For Hope Foundation, a non-profit organization that raises funds for HIV/AIDS awareness. RFHF teamed up with OraSure Technologies to present selected events that spotlight the importance of knowing your HIV status and getting tested. When it was time to host an event in DC, RFHF founder and CEO Robi Reed tapped Mr. James to come perform some of his hits. After his performance, Luke humbly answered questions about health and HIV among young people in an exclusive interview.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/74502/artist-luke-james-discusses-the-importance-of-heal.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 6 May 2014 12:00:00 GMT Three Things You Still Need to Know About Sexually Transmitted Diseases http://www.thebody.com/content/74343/three-things-you-still-need-to-know-about-sexually.html April is Sexually Transmitted Disease Awareness month. Many awareness months come and go but this one is particularly interesting because even though most sexually transmitted diseases aren't fatal they tend to add a cloud over the heads of many people due to stigma and ignorance. You don't have to contract one. But if you do, life can still be good. Here are three things you need to know.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/74343/three-things-you-still-need-to-know-about-sexually.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Fri, 18 Apr 2014 14:48:00 GMT How Technology Decreases the Stigma Surrounding STDs http://www.thebody.com/content/74100/how-technology-decreases-the-stigma-surrounding-st.html Mitchell Kapor once said "Getting information off the Internet is like drinking from a fire hydrant." When you want to know more about a topic, there are so many user-friendly options. There was a time when sexually transmitted diseases were mysterious to the general public. People would discover something unusual on their body, get a diagnosis and medication from a physician, and then go home with just a pamphlet or two about their "disease." There wasn't much concern about whether or not the patient had follow up questions or wanted to talk to someone who had been through the same experience. Most of all, their diagnosis was kept uber quiet for fear of isolation.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/74100/how-technology-decreases-the-stigma-surrounding-st.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Fri, 7 Mar 2014 20:00:00 GMT Safer Sex Advice From Dr. Rachael Ross http://www.thebody.com/content/73830/safer-sex-advice-from-dr-rachael-ross.html Safer sex is everything. It really is. And in the age where people are unknowingly being infected with STDs and HIV, safer sex is the only thing. To prove my point I have enlisted the help of a "sexpert" to explain how safer sex eases the mind and makes intimacy ten times more fun. Enter Dr. Rachael Ross. I call her Ross the Sex Boss in my mind because of her no holds barred, Sistah girl delivery of sexual health education. She's very blunt and direct and that's just what you need in health education. You may have seen her on the television show The Doctors giving advice about a number of health topics (she has a medical degree from Meharry Medical College). She is also a frequent panelist for the Ora Quick "Life. As We Know It" discussion series. Now she is giving advice on this Examiner's page about how to think differently about sex, protection, and how to make life more interesting in the bedroom.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/73830/safer-sex-advice-from-dr-rachael-ross.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 21 Jan 2014 16:37:00 GMT Dating Websites for People Living With STDs: Are They Worth It? http://www.thebody.com/content/73530/dating-websites-for-people-living-with-stds-are-th.html So you hear health experts say all the time that knowing your status and disclosure are a few of the best ways to help stop the spread of HIV and other STDs. OK. You get that. What they don't address is how to overcome challenges that may come with having "the talk" with partners.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/73530/dating-websites-for-people-living-with-stds-are-th.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 19 Dec 2013 09:58:00 GMT Three Ways Nelson Mandela Fought AIDS http://www.thebody.com/content/73431/three-ways-nelson-mandela-fought-aids.html Did you know that Nelson Mandela was, at first, very quiet about AIDS? Yes, Nelson Mandela. The same man who spent 27 years in prison for essentially fighting for justice for the oppressed. But he turned things around as great leaders are known to do. He became a well-known advocate for AIDS causes. Today, as we mourn the passing of Nelson Mandela, the uber advocate, this Examiner reflects on three major ways he waged an international war against AIDS.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/73431/three-ways-nelson-mandela-fought-aids.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Fri, 6 Dec 2013 19:13:00 GMT Magic Johnson and Friends Discuss Life and HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/73304/magic-johnson-and-friends-discuss-life-and-hiv.html Basketball legend and entrepreneur Earvin "Magic" Johnson collaborated with OraSure Technologies and the Reed For Hope Foundation on Tuesday to present "life. as we know it," a forum about HIV and healthy relationships within the African-American community. The panelists included Magic Johnson, reality television star Lala Anthony, author Demetria Lucas, Reverend Toure' Roberts from One Church in Los Angeles, and sexologist Rachael Ross, M.D.. The lively and colorful dialog took place at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York (yes I know this is a D.C. blog. Stay with me on this one). While discussions happen all the time and all over the place, there where four notable points that were brought to the forefront. I call these the takeaways.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/73304/magic-johnson-and-friends-discuss-life-and-hiv.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 25 Nov 2013 20:20:00 GMT How People With HIV Can Use the Affordable Care Act Website http://www.thebody.com/content/73191/how-people-with-hiv-can-use-the-affordable-care-ac.html A new web portal has just launched to help people with HIV navigate through the new healthcare law. Obamacare and You is an on-line resource dedicated to the specific needs of people with HIV and AIDS looking for health care coverage. Supported by Gilead Sciences, Inc., the site is presented as a part of the Greater Than AIDS initiative in conjunction with Kaiser Family Foundation and the Black AIDS Institute.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/73191/how-people-with-hiv-can-use-the-affordable-care-ac.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 5 Nov 2013 11:47:00 GMT Michael Douglas, HPV, and Throat Cancer http://www.thebody.com/content/71740/michael-douglas-hpv-and-throat-cancer.html So Michael Douglas got throat cancer from performing oral sex. Or not. Or maybe. It's debateable right now. The first report revealed that his battle with throat cancer nearly three years ago spurred from possible exposure to human papilloma virus (HPV). He stated in an interview with the Guardian that oral sex caused throat cancer. More recent reports claim that the 68 year-old actor did not say that oral sex caused his cancer specifically but was a potential cause of it. Semantics aside, the mere mention of HPV, cancer, and a famous movie star in the same sentence causesthe media circuit to light up and presents a time for a teachable moment. Now before everyone freaks out and temporarily swears off oral sex, let's examine what HPV is and how it relates to throat cancer.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/71740/michael-douglas-hpv-and-throat-cancer.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 3 Jun 2013 08:46:00 GMT The Sexual Health Lessons of Tyler Perry's Tempation http://www.thebody.com/content/71147/the-sexual-health-lessons-of-tyler-perrys-tempatio.html Spoiler Alert!! I am going to reveal quite a bit of this movie in this piece. If you plan to see this film, read this post later on. Also, keep in mind that this is strictly an opinion piece.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/71147/the-sexual-health-lessons-of-tyler-perrys-tempatio.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Fri, 5 Apr 2013 14:27:00 GMT Candace's AIDS News Update http://www.thebody.com/content/71085/candaces-aids-news-update.html Spring is here!!! (well ... according to the calendar it is). Time to update your news feed with information that you can read, use and share. Maybe it will spark your inner activist to come alive.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/71085/candaces-aids-news-update.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:30:00 GMT Three Condoms Rule No More http://www.thebody.com/content/70913/three-condoms-rule-no-more.html The three condom rule myth has finally been laid to rest by the D.C. Metropolitan Police. In a press release from The Women's Collective in Northeast, the Police Department has begun to distribute cards that will explain that citizens are allowed to carry as many condoms as they wish in the District. Demands from a local coalition of HIV/AIDS advocates prompted the department to clarify the "rule."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/70913/three-condoms-rule-no-more.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 11 Mar 2013 08:00:00 GMT HIV Prevention Strategies for Women Proven Ineffective http://www.thebody.com/content/70734/hiv-prevention-strategies-for-women-proven-ineffec.html Yesterday, the National Institute of Health released results from the trials of three antiretroviral-based strategies intended to prevent HIV infection among women in Africa. The results were presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Atlanta. In spite of high hopes, the strategies did not prove to be effective in preventing HIV transmission. The trials were a part of the the Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic (VOICE) study, which was launched in 2009.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/70734/hiv-prevention-strategies-for-women-proven-ineffec.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 5 Mar 2013 14:03:00 GMT Black HIV/AIDS Awareness: Eight Points to Keep in Mind http://www.thebody.com/content/70486/black-hivaids-awareness-eight-points-to-keep-in-mi.html National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is upon us again. We have some ups and downs to reflect on when it comes to infection rates. For example, the infection rates among Black women nationally dropped between 2008 and 2010. That's pretty promising. But among Black women in DC, the infection rates are still high. Young Black gay men still have the highest infection rates among homosexual men, even though studies have shown that they are no more promiscuous than other gay men. And heterosexual Black men remain absent from the conversation. In short, we still have a lot of work to do to get to the core of this issue. There are a myriad of items to consider when it comes to AIDS in the Black community. I would like to highlight eight of them.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/70486/black-hivaids-awareness-eight-points-to-keep-in-mi.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 7 Feb 2013 12:41:00 GMT Babies Mamas Show Not Rooted Enough in Reality http://www.thebody.com/content/69989/getting-to-zero-in-dc-rally-draws-a-crowd.html One man, 10 women, 11 kids and a reality show. Sounds like a bad joke but alas it is real. All My Babies Mamas is a one-hour television special that is scheduled to air on the Oxygen network in the Spring. The show is focused around Carlos Walker, an Atlanta-based rapper, and his 10 babies mamas. Yes! Carlos aka "Shawty Lo" is a sexually active straight Black male who has successfully impregnated 10 women. Obviously there isn't much safe sex practices being performed. There are so many places to go with this that I hardly know where to begin. However, this page is devoted to HIV/AIDS so let's stick with that.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/70165/babies-mamas-show-not-rooted-enough-in-reality.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Sat, 29 Dec 2012 18:02:00 GMT Getting to Zero in D.C. Rally Draws a Crowd http://www.thebody.com/content/69989/getting-to-zero-in-dc-rally-draws-a-crowd.html The Getting to Zero Rally held at the John A. Wilson building in Northwest yesterday drew more than 100 supporters and activists who searched for answers. The press conference and rally was organized to demand that Mayor [of Washington, D.C., Vincent] Gray and his Commission on HIV/AIDS write and implement a comprehensive HIV Care Plan that mirrors the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. The rally was organized by the D.C. Community Coalition, Mary's Center, The Women's Collective, Housing Works, and D.C. Fights Back.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/69989/getting-to-zero-in-dc-rally-draws-a-crowd.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 4 Dec 2012 08:00:00 GMT Stigma and Ignorance Contribute to Murder http://www.thebody.com/content/69212/stigma-and-ignorance-contribute-to-murder.html News has been widely circulated lately about a woman in Dallas, Texas who was killed by her boyfriend because she had HIV and failed to disclose her status prior to sex. The accused, who was allegedly a married man, confessed to the crime by saying "she killed me so I killed her". As shocking and sad as this is, it is eerily becoming more common. Murder cases because of HIV disclosure have been cropping up Sacramento, California, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and even Trinidad. And while D.C. has stepped up its efforts to inform the public more about HIV/AIDS, the city is not immune to murder and stigma surrounding HIV.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/69212/stigma-and-ignorance-contribute-to-murder.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 24 Sep 2012 08:00:00 GMT Health Care Law Victory for Women and HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/68490/health-care-law-victory-for-women-and-hiv.html Benefits from the Affordable Care Act are already surfacing as women now have more options for care. Kathleen Sebellius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services announced yesterday that forty-seven million women will gain greater control over their health care and access to eight new prevention-related health care services without paying more out of their own pockets. The new rules in the health care law requiring coverage of these services went into effect on August 1st for most health insurance plans and local HIV/AIDS advocates are offering praise.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/68490/health-care-law-victory-for-women-and-hiv.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 2 Aug 2012 08:02:00 GMT D.C. Community Coalition Pushes for Citywide AIDS Plan http://www.thebody.com/content/68489/dc-community-coalition-pushes-for-citywide-aids-pl.html The International AIDS Conference shined a spotlight on the epidemic in the United States and more importantly here in D.C. Now, one advocacy group is putting the pressure on city leaders to develop a comprehensive citywide plan to end the epidemic in the District. The D.C. Community Coalition held a press conference during the conference last week to highlight their policy platform. The coalition membership includes AIDS activists, faith leaders, women's groups, transgendered persons, people living with HIV, social workers, health care providers, lawyers, researchers, youth, gay men, sex workers -- some as individuals, many as representatives of community and national organizations working in D.C.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/68489/dc-community-coalition-pushes-for-citywide-aids-pl.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 2 Aug 2012 08:00:00 GMT Dr. Pierre Vigilance, Demystified -- Part Two http://www.thebody.com/content/68488/dr-pierre-vigilance-demystified--part-two.html Dr. Pierre Vigilance came to the the District in 1988 to study health in medical school. In 2008, he was chosen to run the Department of Health. There was plenty of buzz about his lack of action on health issues and much speculation about a tumultuous relationship with the director of the Department of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Dr. Shannon Hader (click here to read her interview). Dr. Vigilance, 42, admits that there were disagreements along the way but he harbors no ill feelings about anyone or any of the experiences during his tenure. He is now a visiting professor for public health practice at George Washington University.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/68488/dr-pierre-vigilance-demystified--part-two.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 1 Aug 2012 08:02:00 GMT Dr. Pierre Vigilance, Demystified -- Part One http://www.thebody.com/content/68487/dr-pierre-vigilance-demystified--part-one.html I have wanted to interview Dr. Pierre Vigilance since he began his tenure as the head of the D.C. Department of Health in 2008. But there was this wall around him and each brick was a negative adjective about his character. He's a bully. He's pretentious. He's arrogant, aloof, apathetic and another "a" word that I'm not allowed to use on this site. Eventually, I moved on. But I finally got my chance to interview him a few weeks ago. I braced myself for an interview with the "big bad wolf" who might still be a tad bitter. However, the man who met me did not fit that description. I interviewed a man who was warm, relaxed, unabridged, and attentive (which is a nicer "a" word to describe him).

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/68487/dr-pierre-vigilance-demystified--part-one.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 1 Aug 2012 08:00:00 GMT Why Blacks in D.C. Need to Engage in More Civil Disobedience http://www.thebody.com/content/68379/why-blacks-in-dc-need-to-engage-in-more-civil-diso.html We all know by now that the HIV infection rates among African-Americans in D.C. remain ridiculously high. And we know that the rates are so high they are actually on the same level as some sub-Saharan African countries. During the International AIDS Conference last week, I witnessed six brilliant examples of what the community can do with some planning and persistence. The March on Washington and The We Can End AIDS (WCEA) Mobilization, which included five marches converging into one, shut things down. But I noticed that there were many people who came to the march from out of town and they were not attending the conference. The question that came into my mind was, where are my D.C. people?

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/68379/why-blacks-in-dc-need-to-engage-in-more-civil-diso.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:00:00 GMT A Moment with Dwight Eubanks at AIDS 2012 http://www.thebody.com/content/68304/a-moment-with-dwight-eubanks-at-aids-2012.html Dwight Eubanks, television star from the famous (or infamous for some people) reality show The Real Housewives of Atlanta, is in DC this week for a fashion show at the International AIDS Conference. The self-proclaimed style purveyor is the owner of the Purple Door Salon in Atlanta and is known for his quick wit and forthright commentary on everything from fashion to lifestyles. He's a diva if I've ever seen one. As he prepared for his show at the Carnegie Library with Sheryl Lee Ralph, Dwight shared some 'reality' on what it's going to take to get the HIV rates down.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/68304/a-moment-with-dwight-eubanks-at-aids-2012.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:52:00 GMT A Moment With Ms. Michelle the Quilter at AIDS 2012 http://www.thebody.com/content/68305/a-moment-with-ms-michelle-the-quilter-at-aids-2012.html Inside the AIDS Quilt -- making tent on the National Mall, there's a quiet spirited African-American woman with an amazing creative side. You can tell from the first few sentences she softly utters that she is a mother. And a caring one at that. She peacefully works on a quilt for a fallen angel from Chicago who loved shopping and music. I asked her if she thought of the idea for this quilt square. She humbly replied "his spirit told me what to do here". Her name is Ms. Michelle and she hails from Seattle. Her son works on Capitol Hill with one of the members of Congress. She came at his request to lend a hand and maybe some of her matronly love to the quilt. She expressed her dismay that out of 54 miles of quilt squares, only one half a mile is dedicated to African Americans.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/68305/a-moment-with-ms-michelle-the-quilter-at-aids-2012.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:01:00 GMT A Moment With One Bad Pirate at AIDS 2012 http://www.thebody.com/content/68303/a-moment-with-one-bad-pirate-at-aids-2012.html At the AIDS Quilt Ceremony on Tuesday, a muscular, tattooed man quietly pushed a wheelchair with a thin red-haired woman in it close to the stage. They slipped into the small crowd and focused squarely on the stage. As the names were being read, this tough looking man whom many would assume was a biker at first blush began to weep. He struggled to maintain his composure but broke down several times throughout the ceremony. I spoke with him and the woman he has escorting later on. His name was Bob Bowers also known as One Tough Pirate. It turns out he's an activist for youth with HIV. He was infected at age 19 from sharing needles with his girlfriend. Now he speaks up and out for like himself who are living with HIV. He and his wife traveled here from Madison, Wisconsin to be at this ceremony. I asked him who he was crying for specifically. He gave me an earful of a story.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/68303/a-moment-with-one-bad-pirate-at-aids-2012.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 24 Jul 2012 18:46:00 GMT We Can End AIDS -- A Look Back in Photos http://www.thebody.com/content/68156/we-can-end-aids--a-look-back-in-photos.html They were beyond ready from the time they stepped onto the corners of the streets of downtown D.C. They were Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Gay, Straight, Transgender, Young, Seasoned, HIV Positive, HIV Negative, Broken and Healed. Armed with not much more than some signs, bells, whistles and brave hearts, the We Can End AIDS mobilization made it's mark on the 19th International AIDS Conference. Their demands were concise.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/68156/we-can-end-aids--a-look-back-in-photos.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 24 Jul 2012 17:05:00 GMT AIDS 2012 Update: President Obama's Absence Is Not a Cause for Outrage http://www.thebody.com/content/67988/aids-2012-update-president-obamas-absence-is-not-a.html The White House announced that President Obama will not be in attendance at the International AIDS Conference next week. Instead he will send a video message. Some critics say that this is a bad move on his part. The chance to meet and greet hundreds of foreign dignitaries and leading researchers at a conference about a disease that is affecting millions around the world is a prime opportunity. This kind of move can be viewed as bad politics. However, this Examiner would like to point out a few important details that show that President Obama is not exactly ignoring AIDS like one would assume because of this absence.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67988/aids-2012-update-president-obamas-absence-is-not-a.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Fri, 20 Jul 2012 11:00:00 GMT AIDS 2012 Update: We Can End AIDS March and Rally http://www.thebody.com/content/67960/aids-2012-update-we-can-end-aids-march-and-rally.html The second march of this conference will be the We Can End AIDS mobilization. On Tuesday, July 24th, not one but five separate marches will occur simultaneously and converge onto Lafayette Park in front of the White House. The theme is "Occupy the Roots of HIV". Organizers are calling for policy makers to use the resources and tools available to end the epidemic, not treat it. Fliers for the march describe the mobilization in this manner "We will take the streets exposing the flow of money that funds harmful policies and legislators. Powerful, non-violent, and creative activities will lead all the issue focused actions to a major convergence and action at the power center where the White House, Treasury Department and the National Chamber of Commerce sit at the intersection of the barriers to ending AIDS."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67960/aids-2012-update-we-can-end-aids-march-and-rally.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 18 Jul 2012 18:38:00 GMT AIDS 2012 Update: Keep the Promise March on Washington http://www.thebody.com/content/67959/aids-2012-update-keep-the-promise-march-on-washing.html Well it wouldn't be an International AIDS Conference without a protest. This time around it's one city with two AIDS Marches. The first of the two is the 'Keep the Promise' march and rally sponsored by AIDS Healthcare Foundation. On Sunday, July 22nd at 12 noon, participants from nations across the globe will join in on the grounds of the Washington Monument to remind world leaders that the AIDS epidemic is still a major public health threat and must be stopped. Special guests will include Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Rev. Al Sharpton, Tavis Smiley, Andrew Young, Wyclef Jean, Margaret Cho, and Dr. Cornell West. The rally will precede the opening of the International AIDS Conference that is set to begin on Monday, July 23rd.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67959/aids-2012-update-keep-the-promise-march-on-washing.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 18 Jul 2012 18:28:00 GMT AIDS 2012 Update: Youth Activities at the Conference http://www.thebody.com/content/67901/aids-2012-update-youth-activities-at-the-conferenc.html The International AIDS Conference for 2012 will not just be an adult-only affair. Youth are not only invited to come, they are encouraged to participate. The D.C. Community Youth Core for AIDS 2012 has an extensive list of ways for youth to get involved. Check it out. Send it to friends. But most of all, support these programs.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67901/aids-2012-update-youth-activities-at-the-conferenc.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 17 Jul 2012 08:00:00 GMT AIDS 2012 Update: What to Expect at the Conference http://www.thebody.com/content/67883/aids-2012-update-what-to-expect-at-the-conference.html Next week officially begins International AIDS Conference here in the District. More than 25,000 delegates and 2,000 media personnel will be on deck to witness this historic event. This year's conference marks the return of the IAC to the United States in more than two decades. The theme of the conference is "Turning the Tide Together" and is supposed to signify the strength that can be found in unity. Last week, at a press conference in the Barbara Jordan Center in the Kaiser Family Foundation building in Northwest, conference co-chair Dr. Diane Havlir and Joseph Elias, Global Village Coordinator, explained the highlights of the conference.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67883/aids-2012-update-what-to-expect-at-the-conference.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 16 Jul 2012 08:50:00 GMT The Women's Collective Reacts to Heterosexual Study http://www.thebody.com/content/67744/the-womens-collective-reacts-to-heterosexual-study.html The Women's Collective, located in Northeast, is the latest group to offer a reaction to the 2011 Epidemiology Report and the study of Heterosexual Relationships and HIV from D.C. HAHSTA. Patricia Nalls founded the non-profit organization in 1993 to meet the needs of low income, marginalized women and girls of color in the District who are living with or at risk for contracting HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Infections. A few alarming statistics came from the heterosexual study including the fact that the rate among heterosexual women in the District rose from 6.3% in 2008 to 12.1% in 2010. In this opinion editorial, Toni Holness of TWC says (and this Examiner agrees) it's not just about sex.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67744/the-womens-collective-reacts-to-heterosexual-study.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 3 Jul 2012 10:58:00 GMT Three Important Ways Obamacare Helps People With HIV/AIDS http://www.thebody.com/content/67686/three-important-ways-obamacare-helps-people-with-h.html The United States Supreme Court upheld President Obama's health care law that provides health coverage for millions of Americans who are uninsured. This historic act has paved the way for so many Americans to get coverage that was previously denied to them just a few years ago. For people living with HIV/AIDS this decision is without question a victory. Here are three ways that the Affordable Care Act helps.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67686/three-important-ways-obamacare-helps-people-with-h.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:00:00 GMT Activist Reacts to HAHSTA's 2011 D.C. Epidemiology Report http://www.thebody.com/content/67685/activist-reacts-to-hahstas-2011-dc-epidemiology-re.html Last week Mayor Vincent C. Gray and officials from the D.C. Department of Health (DOH) released the 2011 District of Columbia HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD and TB Epidemiology Annual Report. This report is basically a scorecard of how we're doing in terms of fighting the epidemic. Some numbers were positive. Other numbers highlight that certain groups are still not making progress. In short, this is still a major epidemic in our city.

Larry Bryant, Director for National Advocacy & Organizing for Housing Works in Northwest, was outraged that there was no prevention recommendations to accompany the report. He makes his viewpoint known in this brief op-ed.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67685/activist-reacts-to-hahstas-2011-dc-epidemiology-re.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:00:00 GMT AIDS 2012 Update: The Grassroots Guide to the Conference http://www.thebody.com/content/67552/aids-2012-update-the-grassroots-guide-to-the-confe.html The International AIDS Conference will be here in a little more than one month from now. It will be one of the biggest conferences to come through the District. In fact, the Washington Business Journal predicts it will generate about $33 million. But you don't need millions of dollars to attend the conference. This conference is being planned to include every budget so that you can get involved and stay there. Here's a list of some no-cost and low-cost activities in and around the IAC 2012.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67552/aids-2012-update-the-grassroots-guide-to-the-confe.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:30:00 GMT "The Normal Heart's" Stunning Debut at Arena Stage http://www.thebody.com/content/67608/the-normal-hearts-stunning-debut-at-arena-stage.html Question: How do you tell the world that your house is on fire without using the word "fire?" This is the conundrum facing Ned Weeks, a feisty, young gay male writer in New York during the 1980s in Larry Kramer's play The Normal Heart. Just in time for the International AIDS Conference, this stage production about the beginnings of AIDS in New York during the early 1980s, has come to Arena Stage's Kreeger Theater with an extremely talented cast, a mesmeric storyline, and high acclaim. It is the perfect accentuation to the conference.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67608/the-normal-hearts-stunning-debut-at-arena-stage.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 18 Jun 2012 22:30:00 GMT Trauma, Mental Health and HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/67420/trauma-mental-health-and-hiv.html One issue that this Examiner keeps on her radar is the strong connection between domestic violence and HIV infection. A study was published in March that revealed some stunning results about trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and HIV. The University of California-San Francisco's Women's HIV Program found that trauma led to women putting themselves at risk for HIV infection. Furthermore, another study showed that PTSD and abuse were a main factor in treatment adherence failure.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67420/trauma-mental-health-and-hiv.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 5 Jun 2012 08:00:00 GMT Whitman-Walker Health Goes the Extra Mile http://www.thebody.com/content/67331/whitman-walker-health-goes-the-extra-mile.html Whitman-Walker Health honored four distinguished guests while celebrating the legal community last week in a benefit in Georgetown. The Going the Extra Mile reception highlighted the work former President Bill Clinton, ONE, Sheila C. Johnson and Susan Koch for their efforts to fight HIV.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67331/whitman-walker-health-goes-the-extra-mile.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 30 May 2012 10:25:00 GMT La Clinica Leads the Charge for Improving Latino Health http://www.thebody.com/content/67306/la-clinica-leads-the-charge-for-improving-latino-h.html Latino health issues took center stage last week at a conference downtown. La Clinica Del Pueblo hosted their first community health conference, "Tu Salud en Tus Manos -- Your Health in Your Hands." In conjunction with the D.C. Department of Health, a sea of 80 participants convened at the Barbara Jordan Conference Center in the Kaiser Family Foundation in Northwest to review results from a study. Together they brainstormed ways to effectively address Latino health concerns. Alicia Wilson, Executive Director of La Clinica Del Pueblo, squeezed out a few moments to discuss Latino health, the obstacles to wellness and the unique issues that come when addressing Latino health needs.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67306/la-clinica-leads-the-charge-for-improving-latino-h.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 24 May 2012 15:00:00 GMT HIV Testing Coming Closer to Home http://www.thebody.com/content/67198/hiv-testing-coming-closer-to-home.html If you could have your way, would you prefer to take an HIV test at home or at a physician's office? Well one advocacy group says take it at home. According to whospositive.org, a national HIV awareness group, support for over-the-counter HIV testing is growing. They released the results of their year-long survey that measured potential support for an over-the-counter HIV test. It seems that increasingly the tide is turning and testing is coming out of the doctor's offices and clinics. But is it wise to leave testing up to untrained consumers at home without consultation from a medical professional?

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67198/hiv-testing-coming-closer-to-home.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 17 May 2012 15:45:00 GMT FDA Advisory Panel Approves Truvada and Home HIV Tests http://www.thebody.com/content/67176/fda-advisory-panel-approves-truvada-and-home-hiv-t.html The Food and Drug Administration's Blood Panel Advisory Committee has approved both Truvada PrEP and the OraSure Rapid HIV test for home use. The panel voted yesterday after deliberation and testimonies in support and against both products. Truvada, a pill with a combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine, has been recommended for use as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV-negative partners in serodiscordant relationships. The OraSure Rapid HIV test is an oral-swab based test that can give results in about 20 minutes. The FDA does not have to accept the recommendations from the committee but it usually does.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67176/fda-advisory-panel-approves-truvada-and-home-hiv-t.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 16 May 2012 22:00:00 GMT Homelessness Proves to Be a Major Block in Treating HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/67167/homelessness-proves-to-be-a-major-block-in-treatin.html Hello there! This Examiner has been on a bit of a hiatus thanks to a writer's block. I am happy to report that it is over. What's new? A study from the researchers at the University of California in San Francisco about HIV and homelessness. AIDS advocates have been screaming for years that housing is treatment. Who can forget the stunning piece about a homeless HIV positive woman named Crystal that was published last year for CNN? Now yet another study has been published that further proves their point. The study was published in the April 25th issue of PLoS One.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/67167/homelessness-proves-to-be-a-major-block-in-treatin.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 8 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT Working Group for Women and HIV Falls Far Below Radar http://www.thebody.com/content/66526/working-group-for-women-and-hiv-falls-far-below-ra.html Here's a story that you're probably not hearing much about. But I cannot remain silent on it. Allow me to make some noise for a moment. Last month during PACHA's meeting on women and girls, the White House established a crucial working group for women and girls and HIV, a timely move for a movement that has been focused on gay men for many years.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/66526/working-group-for-women-and-hiv-falls-far-below-ra.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 5 Apr 2012 15:38:00 GMT AIDS Activists Arrested for Protesting Ban on Federal Funded Syringe Exchange http://www.thebody.com/content/66392/aids-activists-arrested-for-protesting-ban-on-fede.html Nearly 30 activists were arrested while protesting the ban on federally funded syringe exchange programs yesterday. A total of 75 activists gathered at the US Capitol to participate in a chained 'sit-in' at the offices of Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT), Mike Rogers (R-MI) and Eric Cantor (R-VA). Yesterday was the National Day of Action when many non-profit organizations asked their supporters to voice their opposition to the ban. The arrested protestors represented Housing Works, Health Gap, and Harm Reduction Coalition. They were detained for 14 hours and released just after midnight.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/66392/aids-activists-arrested-for-protesting-ban-on-fede.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 22 Mar 2012 19:12:00 GMT Dr. Grant Colfax Appointed as New Director of ONAP http://www.thebody.com/content/66247/dr-grant-colfax-appointed-as-new-director-of-onap.html The White House announced yesterday that Dr. Grant Colfax, a San Francisco based research scientist, will be the new director of the Office Of National AIDS Policy (ONAP). Dr. Colfax has 20 years of experience in HIV/AIDS care and research including developing interventions that reduce new infections among substance abuse populations. He will replace Jeff Crowley who resigned in last November.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/66247/dr-grant-colfax-appointed-as-new-director-of-onap.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:15:00 GMT The Testimony of Hazel Smith: An HIV-Positive Woman, Part Two http://www.thebody.com/content/66214/the-testimony-of-hazel-smith-an-hiv-positive-woman.html Hazel Smith is an HIV positive woman who is the quintessential survivor. She went through hell, hurt people who loved her along the way yet somehow made it back. In the past, she may have been viewed as a villain or maybe even a victim of society. She is the victor now. This is not a story about shame and blame. It's an honest conversation about how ending the AIDS epidemic takes more than condoms, billboards and awareness days. It's going to take conquering social ills, economic woes, and policy struggles as well.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/66214/the-testimony-of-hazel-smith-an-hiv-positive-woman.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 8 Mar 2012 15:02:00 GMT The Testimony of Hazel Smith: An HIV-Positive Woman http://www.thebody.com/content/66215/the-testimony-of-hazel-smith-an-hiv-positive-woman.html National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day was Saturday, March 10th. Instead of providing lots of statistics and dropping names of educational programs, which is always helpful, I've decided to provide a profile of HIV/AIDS from the perspective of a woman who is actually living with the virus. It doesn't get anymore "aware" than that.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/66215/the-testimony-of-hazel-smith-an-hiv-positive-woman.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 8 Mar 2012 15:00:00 GMT New Documentary About Church and HIV Coming Soon http://www.thebody.com/content/66040/new-documentary-about-church-and-hiv-coming-soon.html This week is the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS. The church has always been a staple in the Black community. It is the source of inspiration, comfort, and support. But the Black church has also been criticized for ignoring the AIDS crisis and fostering stigma. AIDS activists believe that the church could be one of the main sources for turning the tide on the epidemic. Now a new documentary hopes to shed a positive light on churches that are working to end the epidemic.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/66040/new-documentary-about-church-and-hiv-coming-soon.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 5 Mar 2012 15:00:00 GMT I, Too, Am Black History: Bayard Rustin http://www.thebody.com/content/65759/i-too-am-black-history-bayard-rustin.html Since this is Black History Month, I would be remiss if I didn't highlight some of the African-American LGBT pioneers who paved the way for equality and acceptance. What does this have to do with AIDS? It's simple. Stigma comes from ignorance. Stigma drives hate and forces people to conceal their true selves and their struggles (such as with HIV). Stigma can lead people to engage in unhealthy and risky behaviors behind closed doors. So in order to demolish stigma, we need more education. During the month of February I will implant a few lessons for my readers about some great members of the African-American LGBT community who lived out loud. They were trailblazers. Fierce, outstanding, unapologetic, and courageous people who simply would not take "no" for answer.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65759/i-too-am-black-history-bayard-rustin.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:56:00 GMT AIDS Activists Face Prosecution for Chanting http://www.thebody.com/content/65739/aids-activists-face-prosecution-for-chanting.html Ten months, five court appearances, three prosecutors, and one U.S. Attorney. This is the backdrop of an excessively lengthy court battle over activists exercising their right to protest a cut in needle exchange funding. A group of AIDS activists have been misled into thinking that a few hours of community service and drug testing would absolve them of charges of misdemeanor trespassing. Now they are facing trial and six months in jail. How harshly should someone be punished for exercising his or her first amendment right to free speech? The answer to that question apparently varies from person to person.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65739/aids-activists-face-prosecution-for-chanting.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:44:00 GMT Abstract Writing Workshop at DOH http://www.thebody.com/content/65703/abstract-writing-workshop-at-doh.html The International AIDS Conference will be here in July. It is my greatest wish to get as many of my readers there as possible (especially those of you who live with HIV). One great way to be there is to be a presenter. There is a very informative abstract writing workshop that is coming up at HAHSTA on this Friday. It promises to be just one hour long. Please make an effort to get there and learn whatever you can about submitting an abstract for a potential workshop. Here's the info straight from HAHSTA to you.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65703/abstract-writing-workshop-at-doh.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 8 Feb 2012 12:02:00 GMT New Documentary About Blacks and AIDS Set to Premiere at IAC http://www.thebody.com/content/65681/new-documentary-about-blacks-and-aids-set-to-premi.html If you're still buzzing from National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, have I got news for you. The Dream Factory, a local multimedia production company, is currently working on a a movie about Blacks and HIV called 13 Percent. In this documentary, warriors who are on the front line in the battle against HIV speak candidly about the virus, their experiences, and what it will take to defeat AIDS within the black population. The production will debut during the International AIDS Conference in July and will be the talk of the conference (you heard it here first).

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65681/new-documentary-about-blacks-and-aids-set-to-premi.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 8 Feb 2012 11:00:00 GMT D.C. Activist Chosen as Spokesperson for Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day http://www.thebody.com/content/65674/dc-activist-chosen-as-spokesperson-for-black-hivai.html Christopher Barnhill thought life was over at age 16 when he found out that he was HIV positive at a health fair one day. His mother died of complications due to AIDS in 1989. Yet he soon discovered that his journey was just beginning and that his testimony would be the springboard to help many other people come to terms with their diagnosis. Now thriving at age 26, Chris is healthy, vibrant, and working as the Schools Engagement Manager for Metro Teen AIDS, a popular youth-oriented non-profit organization in Southeast. He was recently chosen as one of the esteemed national spokespeople for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Chris shared his perspective with me in a recent interview.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65674/dc-activist-chosen-as-spokesperson-for-black-hivai.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 7 Feb 2012 11:15:00 GMT Brief D.C. Must-Do List: Black AIDS Awareness Day 2012 http://www.thebody.com/content/65658/brief-dc-must-do-list-black-aids-awareness-day-201.html National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is Tuesday, February 7th. But the District will have to look extra hard to find events that recognize this day. Unlike World AIDS Day, when I am flooded with emails about vigils, cocktail parties, congressional briefings, demonstrations and so forth, I have a short list of activities for you this time that pertain to Black AIDS Awareness. In DC, 4.7 percent of African-Americans live with the virus. Among African-American males, the infection rate is an alarming 7.1 percent. It's a crisis that has been so perpetual that the rest of the world has seemingly become immune to the stats. Please don't tune out. Take the time to learn and do something new to fight HIV/AIDS among African-Americans.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65658/brief-dc-must-do-list-black-aids-awareness-day-201.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 6 Feb 2012 10:03:00 GMT Komen's Snub to Planned Parenthood Hurts HIV Efforts Too http://www.thebody.com/content/65592/komens-snub-to-planned-parenthood-hurts-hiv-effort.html Planned Parenthood is once again under attack but this time from someone that was once a strong ally. The Susan G. Komen Foundation announced that they would cease all financial support of Planned Parenthood because the organization is under congressional investigation. Critics say that the Komen is succumbing to political pressure because Planned Parenthood has been scrutinized lately for providing abortions. The Komen Foundation vehemently denies this by saying in a released statement "We are dismayed and extremely disappointed that actions we have taken to strengthen our granting process have been widely mischaracterized." Their decision to pull funding from Planned Parenthood not only hampers breast cancer prevention but it also cuts into HIV and STD screenings and prevention as well.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65592/komens-snub-to-planned-parenthood-hurts-hiv-effort.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 1 Feb 2012 14:06:00 GMT AIDS 2012 Update: Plenary Speakers Announced With Few Positive Women http://www.thebody.com/content/65568/aids-2012-update-plenary-speakers-announced-with-f.html Have you heard the news? Many of you have by now. The slate of plenary speakers has been announced for the 2012 International AIDS Conference. The plenary speakers will begin each day of the conference, which is set for July 21st through July 27th 2012 here in DC. The line up of speakers includes a range of leaders from global organizations. They are all well-known and respected experts in the fields of science, politics, and advocacy. But there's a blank space in the list of speakers on HIV/AIDS that leads keen observers question: where are the female speakers who are openly living with HIV?

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65568/aids-2012-update-plenary-speakers-announced-with-f.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:50:00 GMT Rapid Hepatitis C Testing Debuts at NBC Health and Fitness Expo http://www.thebody.com/content/65449/rapid-hepatitis-c-testing-debuts-at-nbc-health-and.html Community Education Group and Kappa Youth Development teamed up to provide free HIV and hepatitis C testing at the 19th annual NBC Health and Fitness Expo this past Saturday at the convention center. The expo is a Washington tradition in January and has plenty of events and activities surrounding wellness. Hepatitis C testing was offered for the first time using the new rapid results test manufactured by Orasure Technologies.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65449/rapid-hepatitis-c-testing-debuts-at-nbc-health-and.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:00:00 GMT Los Angeles Council Votes in Favor of Condoms for Porn Actors http://www.thebody.com/content/65424/los-angeles-council-votes-in-favor-of-condoms-for-.html The Los Angeles County Council has been the center of a battle over condoms in recent weeks. The proposal to require porn actors to wear condoms during filming was tentatively approved on Tuesday. The council voted 11-1 in favor of the ordinance. Now it will go for a second approval next week. The council also agreed to form a group of stakeholders such as state occupational safety regulators, law enforcement personnel, and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to decide how the law will be enforced.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65424/los-angeles-council-votes-in-favor-of-condoms-for-.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:15:00 GMT What's New in HIV-Related News http://www.thebody.com/content/65380/whats-new-in-hiv-related-news.html Happy New Year! A few noteworthy events have popped up on my radar over the break so I have compiled them into one list here. Check them out. Support them all.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65380/whats-new-in-hiv-related-news.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:13:00 GMT D.C. Students Get a Taste of "Shuga" http://www.thebody.com/content/65153/dc-students-get-a-taste-of-shuga.html Love. Sex. Money. Friendships. Lies. Regrets. Drama. These are the ingredients of Shuga.  And it's an addictive mix. MTV International and BET joined forces to host a live bi-coastal broadcast of the drama series Shuga on World AIDS Day.  Students from Georgetown Day School in D.C. and select students in Nairobi, Kenya were invited to watch episodes two and three of the hard-hitting show and engage in a live video discussion about how the issues presented on the show hit home.  The discussion was charismatically facilitated by BET Entertainer Big Tigger in D.C. and MTV Africa VJ Kule in Nairobi.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65153/dc-students-get-a-taste-of-shuga.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 5 Dec 2011 09:11:00 GMT President Obama Uses Millions to "Get to Zero" http://www.thebody.com/content/65048/president-obama-uses-millions-to-get-to-zero.html The One Campaign set the platform for one big announcement on World AIDS Day. President Obama made a bold pledge today at George Washington University in an effort to end the 30-year AIDS epidemic in the United States. He pledged to put $50 million dollars towards spending on HIV treatment. President Obama also pledged to help six million people worldwide to get access to antiretroviral treatment by the end of 2013. "We are going to win this fight. But the fight is not over. Not by a long shot."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/65048/president-obama-uses-millions-to-get-to-zero.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 1 Dec 2011 11:37:00 GMT Vaginal Gel Study Discontinued http://www.thebody.com/content/64920/vaginal-gel-study-discontinued.html The National Institutes of Health NIAID announced Friday that it will discontinue the trial of a microbicidal vaginal gel used in the VOICE study. The study looked at the use of three forms of anti-retroviral treatment; a vaginal gel containing tenofovir, a tenofovir pill and Truvada which is a pill containing tenofovir and a booster drug. The results of the study found that there was no difference between the effects on women who used the gel and women who used a placebo. More than 5,000 women in three African countries took part in the study.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64920/vaginal-gel-study-discontinued.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:25:00 GMT Three Reasons to Not Reveal Your HIV Status During the Holidays http://www.thebody.com/content/64841/three-reasons-to-not-reveal-your-hiv-status-during.html The holiday season is upon us once again. For some it is joyous. For others it is torturous. No matter how you feel about visiting relatives and eating countless plates of food, it is safe to say that the holiday season is not a good time to disclose to your family that you are HIV positive. Here are three simple reasons why:

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64841/three-reasons-to-not-reveal-your-hiv-status-during.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:50:00 GMT Magic Johnson, Heterosexual Men and HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/64748/magic-johnson-heterosexual-men-and-hiv.html November 7, 2011 marked the 20 year anniversary of Magic Johnson making his bold and courageous announcement to the world that he has HIV. Magic stated that he contracted the disease from sex. At the time, Magic urgently wanted to stress that HIV doesn't discriminate. "We sometimes think only gay people can get it, that it's not going to happen to me. And here I am saying that it can happen to anybody, even me." Somewhere along the way, that message fell on deaf ears and unfortunately some heterosexual men still think that it cannot happen to them. They think that getting HIV can only happen to gay people and Magic Johnson (Magic must have been a fluke, right?). It's time to bring that message back to the heterosexual men. Yes, it can happen to you.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64748/magic-johnson-heterosexual-men-and-hiv.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 9 Nov 2011 11:02:00 GMT The Road to AIDS 2012 Leads to More of the Same http://www.thebody.com/content/64734/the-road-to-aids-2012-leads-to-more-of-the-same.html The Road to AIDS 2012 town hall meeting was held last Thursday at FHI 360 Conference Center in Dupont Circle. The meeting brought together a mixture of leaders and community members to discuss the state of HIV today and what is expected out of the upcoming International AIDS Conference in July 2012. Similar to many other town halls, community discussions, and leadership meetings this lackluster gathering revisited many of the same issues that always come up and introduced very few action steps.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64734/the-road-to-aids-2012-leads-to-more-of-the-same.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 7 Nov 2011 10:28:00 GMT Jeff Crowley Set to Leave ONAP http://www.thebody.com/content/64676/jeff-crowley-set-to-leave-onap.html Jeff Crowley, Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, announced yesterday that he is resigning from his post effective in December. He stated that there is never really a good time to leave a position like his and that he is ready to move on to the next phase of his life. Crowley was appointed to the position in 2009 by President Obama. He previously served as Deputy Executive Director for programs at the National Association of People with AIDS, Senior Research Scholar at Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute and a Senior Scholar at the University's O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. In a statement last night at the Road to AIDS 2012 town hall meeting, a somber Crowley told the audience "I'm not going away or disappearing forever. I just want to make sure everyone keeps moving toward a common path to really seize the moment we have right now."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64676/jeff-crowley-set-to-leave-onap.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Fri, 4 Nov 2011 10:28:00 GMT NBLCA and Rep. Lee Push for Women of Color to Come First http://www.thebody.com/content/64677/nblca-and-rep-lee-push-for-women-of-color-to-come-.html The National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS sponsored the debut of a groundbreaking documentary about HIV/AIDS and African-American Women at a Congressional briefing last Tuesday. Many Women, One Voice was screened before an audience of Congress members, staff, non-profit organizations, and advocates. The screening was followed by a panel discussion on the importance of keeping Black women at the forefront of the battle against HIV as they are the ones who carry disproportionately high infection rates. The screening/discussion was co-sponsored by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), co-chair of the newly formed Congressional HIV Caucus and co-produced by Gilead Sciences, Inc.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64677/nblca-and-rep-lee-push-for-women-of-color-to-come-.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 2 Nov 2011 10:27:00 GMT DC Councilmember-at-Large Proposes Program for Seniors to Learn About HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/64646/dc-councilmember-at-large-proposes-program-for-sen.html DC Council Member at-large David Catania (I) introduced legislation last month to help senior learn more about HIV/AIDS from each other. The Senior HIV/AIDS Education and Outreach Program Establishment Act of 2011 would provide funding for the Department of Health to train seniors to become peer educators on the subject of sexual health and HIV. The educators would present workshops at senior centers, churches, and various gatherings around the city.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64646/dc-councilmember-at-large-proposes-program-for-sen.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 1 Nov 2011 15:45:00 GMT Rick Perry Says "No" to Comprehensive Sex Education http://www.thebody.com/content/64604/rick-perry-says-no-to-comprehensive-sex-education.html Rick Perry says he is against comprehensive sex education for youth. The Austin Chronicle reports that the Texas Governor and Republican 2012 presidential candidate has made a firm stand in favor of abstinence-only education. Governor Perry made his opinion known publicly in an interview with Evan Smith from The Texas Tribune last year. Abstinence-only sex education teaches youth to refrain from sexual activity until marriage. It generally does not address sexual orientations other than heterosexual and does not endorse condom use. Texas has the fifth highest rate of teenage pregnancy and the third highest repeat teen pregnancy rate in the country. It also ranks the fourth highest among the 50 states in cumulative reported AIDS cases, 10th in the country for syphillis, and 17th for chlamydia infections according to the CDC. Perry stated in the interview "I'm just going to tell you ... from my own personal life, abstinence works."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64604/rick-perry-says-no-to-comprehensive-sex-education.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:25:00 GMT Farewell Frank Kameny http://www.thebody.com/content/64433/farewell-frank-kameny.html Frank Kameny, longtime D.C. gay activist and founder of Mattachine Society of Washington -- one of the earliest LGBT rights organizations in the U.S. -- passed away Tuesday from an apparent heart attack. Kameny was known as one of the founding fathers of the gay rights movement and was an outspoken advocate for gay and lesbian citizens to live their lives in the open. Ironically, he passed away on National Coming Out Day, an informal day for gay and lesbians to "come out of the closet." Kameny was known as the person who coined the phrase "Gay is Good." He was 86 years old.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64433/farewell-frank-kameny.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:54:00 GMT AIDS 2012 International Conference Update, Part One http://www.thebody.com/content/64458/aids-2012-international-conference-update-part-one.html Are you curious about what's been going on in preparation for the 2012 International AIDS Conference? What'd you mean "no"? There is a lot going in D.C. to prepare for this massive conference. Some of the preparation is very necessary. Some of it is the city cleaning up before company arrives. But it's all news to this Examiner. Here are a few notable highlights:

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64458/aids-2012-international-conference-update-part-one.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:50:00 GMT Us Helping Us and La Clinica Awarded CDC Funds http://www.thebody.com/content/64166/us-helping-us-and-la-clinica-awarded-cdc-funds.html Us Helping Us, People Into Living and La Clinica del Pueblo, both based in Northwest, were awarded funds to expand their HIV/AIDS prevention services for young gay and transgender men of color yesterday. The announcement came on National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a day set aside for recognition of the impact of the disease on gay men. As of lately, HIV among gay men has been rising at an alarming rate. According to the CDC estimates, released in August, between 2006 and 2009, the annual number of new HIV infections increased 48 percent among young black MSM. Among Latinos, men who have sex with men are by far the most severely impacted, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all new infections. Now Us Helping Us and La Clinica del Pueblo will have additional funds to fight HIV among these endangered populations.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64166/us-helping-us-and-la-clinica-awarded-cdc-funds.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:54:00 GMT Marsha Ambrosius Uses Music Video to Teach About HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/64079/marsha-ambrosius-uses-music-video-to-teach-about-h.html I don't generally watch music videos because they are just plain old disappointing. Music videos have gotten away from the story telling format that once matched the lyrics of the song and have basically boiled down to just waterfalls of graphic, soft core pornographic images. However, I tuned in to VH1's Soul Player last night just for kicks and was pleasantly surprised. Marsha Ambrosius, one half of the British R&B duo Floetry, has used her sensual hit song to infuse a lesson about safe sex and HIV. And it's a good one. (Yes, I know the video has been out since June. I will admit I am pretty slow.)

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64079/marsha-ambrosius-uses-music-video-to-teach-about-h.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Fri, 23 Sep 2011 10:31:00 GMT AIDS and Seniors: An Interview With Dr.Tanya Bender-Henderson http://www.thebody.com/content/64024/aids-and-seniors-an-interview-with-drtanya-bender-.html September 18, 2011 is the fourth annual National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day. The senior population often goes unnoticed when it comes to sexual health because people feel more comfortable with the thought that 'seasoned citizens' just don't have sex. Not true, say the statistics. In fact, HIV among the senior population is growing rapidly. In 2009, people aged 50 and older accounted for 17% of the new HIV diagnoses in 40 states with long-term confidential name-based reporting.

This Examiner had a chat with Dr. Tanya Bender-Henderson, faith-based outreach coordinator for Damien Mininstries in Northeast and member of the DC Department of Health's Places of Worship Advisory Board. She explained that seniors of the past are different from today's seniors and they experience some of the same struggles with sex and dating as their children and grandchildren do.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/64024/aids-and-seniors-an-interview-with-drtanya-bender-.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:13:00 GMT Nine Ways to Get Involved in the Fight Against AIDS Right Now http://www.thebody.com/content/63941/nine-ways-to-get-involved-in-the-fight-against-aid.html Ready to make a fourth-quarter resolution? How about resolving to get involved in social action to fight HIV? There are oodles of opportunities to get you started or help you continue your work. Well break out your calendars. Here are some local and national events coming up in the next 60 days.

Local events that you should absolutely not miss:

  • Real TalkDC ReMix Fashion Show. Friday, September 16th 6:30-9:00 pm. K Street Lounge 1301 K St. NW, Washington, D.C. (McPherson Square Metro). Metro Teen AIDS brings continuous sexual health education, awareness, testing, and brands from local D.C. designers to D.C. youth. Metro TeenAIDS very own FreeStyle youth are competing in the "FreeStyle Your T-Shirt Design Challenge" and will showcase their design in the show. Special performance by Young Motive, 14 y/o D.C. native Motivational Hip Hop Artist and Rico Jerome (Trojan Man). Sponsored by Metro Teen AIDS.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63941/nine-ways-to-get-involved-in-the-fight-against-aid.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:32:00 GMT Reaction to the AIDS Funds Strip Club Scandal http://www.thebody.com/content/63845/reaction-to-the-aids-funds-strip-club-scandal.html As if the "Hurriquake" experience wasn't enough to rock the metro area, now there is another force that has shaken us up. The latest scandal involves a familiar non-profit organization that is supposed to be aimed at working to improve the lives of people in D.C. with HIV/AIDS. Miracle Hands, located in Northeast, has been accused of using nearly $330,000 of grant funds to open up a strip club. Miracle Hands applied for the funds to open a job training facility on Queens Chapel Road for people who have HIV or AIDS. Now this former warehouse has been transformed into The Stadium Club which continues to operate today. D.C. Attorney General Irvin Nathan wants the city to be paid restitution in excess of $988,000.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63845/reaction-to-the-aids-funds-strip-club-scandal.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 5 Sep 2011 12:02:00 GMT Prison, HIV and Congresswoman Lee http://www.thebody.com/content/63776/prison-hiv-and-congresswoman-lee.html Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced H.R. 2704 earlier this month. The Justice for the Unprotected against Sexually Transmitted Infections among the Confined and Exposed (JUSTICE) Act is a push to provide condoms to prison inmates. It also calls for reinstatement or re-enrollment into Medicaid for inmates who test positive for HIV before reentering the community. Lee said in her press release "As we mark the 30th anniversary of the first discovery of AIDS cases in the U.S., we can no longer afford to ignore the reality that sexually transmitted infections can be spread within our correctional system. I introduced The JUSTICE Act to provide a comprehensive response to the spread of STIs in correctional facilities."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63776/prison-hiv-and-congresswoman-lee.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:47:00 GMT What's Going Wrong With Transgender People and HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/63755/whats-going-wrong-with-transgender-people-and-hiv.html The Center for Disease Control published a report about transgender people and HIV earlier this month. Although it is difficult to collect data on transgender populations, the numbers that have been found are disheartening. There are several obstacles that keep health educators from truly reaching and helping this population. Stigma and discrimination are at the top of the list.

In 2009, the CDC found that newly identified HIV infection was at 2.6 percent among transgender people. Further studies showed that nearly 30 percent of transgender women tested positive for HIV. When testing was not a part of the study, only 11 percent of transgender women identified themselves as being HIV positive. In D.C., approximately 14 percent of transgender people are HIV positive. The data collection from this population is incomplete and inconclusive. There are several stumbling blocks when trying to service this population.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63755/whats-going-wrong-with-transgender-people-and-hiv.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:45:00 GMT How DC Measures Up With the National HIV Prevention Conference http://www.thebody.com/content/63574/how-dc-measures-up-with-the-national-hiv-preventio.html The National HIV Prevention Conference concluded yesterday in Atlanta, Georgia. According to the highlights from the conference, DC, for the most part, is ahead of the strategies and suggestions that came from the various presenters at the conference. However there are some areas that could use a tad more focus. The AIDS community will be watching to see if the city government and department of health will use the conference information to bring forth new, bold strategies that will be implemented immediately.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63574/how-dc-measures-up-with-the-national-hiv-preventio.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:23:00 GMT Big Tigger's Ride for Life Connects D.C. to Prince George's County http://www.thebody.com/content/63545/big-tiggers-ride-for-life-connects-dc-to-prince-ge.html Big Tigger, popular morning radio disc jockey at WPGC 95.5, hosted his fourth annual Motorcycle Ride for Life on Saturday between two locations. The ride began in Prince George's County at the Bowie Baysox Stadium and extended 25 miles to United Medical Center (formerly known as Greater Southeast Hospital) in Southeast D.C. Bikers from D.C., Maryland and Virginia registered to support the motorcycle ride that was sponsored this year by Suzuki Motor Corporation. The focus on two locations for this year's ride was an idea that Big Tigger wanted to do to highlight the impact of this disease on both areas. "I live in PG County. If I'm gonna live here I have to do right by the people who live here. I proposed the idea [to County Executive Baker]. He thought it was a great idea and it was that simple." The funds raised from the event go to the Street Corner Foundation, Big Tigger's non-profit organization dedicated to educating communities around D.C. about HIV/AIDS. There is no word on whether or not some of the funds from the ride will benefit Prince George's County's communities.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63545/big-tiggers-ride-for-life-connects-dc-to-prince-ge.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 16 Aug 2011 20:10:00 GMT HIV Infection Rates Stabilize Overall but Rise Among Young, Black MSM http://www.thebody.com/content/63370/hiv-infection-rates-stabilize-overall-but-rise-amo.html The Center for Disease Control published data yesterday that revealed a stabilization in the HIV infection rates in the US overall. Over the past four years (2006-2009) the average number of HIV infection rates in the country has hovered around 50,000 per year. However, the infection rates remain disproportionately high for African-Americans coming in at 44 percent in 2009. What is even more disparaging is that young, African-American men who have sex with men (MSM) ages 13-29 are the leading subgroup of infections. Their rates have rose 61 percent in 2009. Now some local organizations are reacting to the news.

Carl Schmid, Deputy Executive Director of The AIDS Institute in Northwest, says that the numbers clearly show that something more must be done.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63370/hiv-infection-rates-stabilize-overall-but-rise-amo.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 3 Aug 2011 22:00:00 GMT Stigma Prevents Many African-American Doctors From Testing for HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/63353/stigma-prevents-many-african-american-doctors-from.html A recent survey revealed that African-American doctors do not routinely test for HIV because of stigma. The study, commissioned by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, finds that although African-American doctors are concerned about HIV among their patients many of them only tested about one-third of them within the past year.

African-American physicians cited that social stigma keeps them from routinely testing their patients. The study results showed that doctors feel that testing every patient seems judgemental and offensive.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63353/stigma-prevents-many-african-american-doctors-from.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 3 Aug 2011 21:00:00 GMT AIDS Healthcare Foundation Announces March on Washington http://www.thebody.com/content/63285/aids-healthcare-foundation-announces-march-on-wash.html AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a California-based organization who operates the Blair Underwood Clinic in Northwest D.C., announced at a press conference on Tuesday that they will host an AIDS March on Washington prior to the commencement of the 2012 International AIDS Conference. The conference is set for July and planning is steadily under way. The "Keep the Promise on HIV/AIDS" march is set to begin before the opening ceremony and will serve as a call to world leaders to provide universal access to care and treatment, lower the price of AIDS drugs, and to fully fund the Global Fund as well as support PEPFAR. Omonigho Ufomata, Director of Global Advocacy and Policy for AHF says it's time to step up our efforts. "There's hardly any family that hasn't been affected by this disease. I think there's no more important time to fight, to scale up treatment, to find people who have this disease and get them treatment."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63285/aids-healthcare-foundation-announces-march-on-wash.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:00:00 GMT HGTV Star David Bromstad Wants You to "Know Yourself" http://www.thebody.com/content/63119/hgtv-star-david-bromstad-wants-you-to-know-yoursel.html HGTV star David Bromstad has teamed up with Janssen Therapeutics to begin a new HIV testing initiative. The Know Yourself: Get tested for HIV campaign kicked off yesterday with a special focus on members of the gay community who are at higher risk of HIV infection. Bromstad, winner of the first season of HGTV's Design Star and current host of Color Splash, will use his artistic ability to create a community inspired traveling mural to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. The mural will be unveiled at an event in New York for Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in September. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are most severely affected with more than 53% of the new HIV infections occurring within this population according to the Center for Disease Control.

Bromstad sat down for an interview about the mural, scare tactics, and why he is seeking input from the community to design this very important piece.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63119/hgtv-star-david-bromstad-wants-you-to-know-yoursel.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:00:00 GMT HAHSTA Rolls Out HIV Prevention Plan for 2011-2012 http://www.thebody.com/content/63071/hahsta-rolls-out-hiv-prevention-plan-for-2011-2012.html The office of HIV/AIDS, Heptatitis,STD, and TB Administration (HAHSTA), in conjunction with the DC HIV Prevention Community Group, announced the release of the 2011-2012 HIV Prevention Plan for the city on Monday. The inclusive plan is an update from the 2006-2010 plan and includes a new Community Services Assessment. This feature uses epidemiology, behavioral and ethnographic data to help demonstrate and meet the needs of subgroups more effectively. The plan will be instrumental when HAHSTA applies for HIV prevention funds from the Center for Disease Control. DC is one of the cities selected to participate in the 12 Cities Project sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/63071/hahsta-rolls-out-hiv-prevention-plan-for-2011-2012.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:12:00 GMT A "Non-Interview" With Sapphire About AIDS and Her Latest Novel http://www.thebody.com/content/62913/a-non-interview-with-sapphire-about-aids-and-her-l.html Sapphire entered the crowd at Politics and Prose yesterday evening in an unassuming fashion. The slender black female with close cropped hair wearing a simple, Mrs. O-style, sleeveless black dress appeared to be unflappable and focused. The bookstore, located in upper Northwest, seemed incompatible with the author of such gritty street tales. Three out of every five audience members were white and the women outnumbered the men. Still, they had no problem easing up to the microphone to timidly ask questions and give praise about Push (her first novel) and The Kid (her newest book -- a continuation of Push). The Kid is a book about Abdul, son of Precious Jones, who becomes an AIDS orphan after watching his mother die from the disease in chapter one.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/62913/a-non-interview-with-sapphire-about-aids-and-her-l.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:30:00 GMT ADAP Advocates Ask, "When Will Washington Come to the Rescue?" http://www.thebody.com/content/62873/adap-advocates-ask-when-will-washington-come-to-th.html The fourth annual ADAP Advocacy Association conference is being held in D.C. this week, and the theme for the conference is "When will Washington come to the rescue?" Activists, service providers, and members of the AIDS community have come together to brainstorm ideas and develop action plans to attack the problem with the growing AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) waiting list. They are demanding that Congress step up and work harder to save ADAP programs in various states. Brandon Macsata, CEO of ADAP Advocacy Association and managing partner of Macsata-Kornegay Group Inc., asked, "What do we have to do to make enough noise to get Congress to do something?"

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/62873/adap-advocates-ask-when-will-washington-come-to-th.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 7 Jul 2011 14:30:00 GMT July 7: National Call-In Day to Support HIV/AIDS Programs http://www.thebody.com/content/62850/national-call-in-day-to-support-hivaids-programs.html Calling all five minute activists! If you can spare a few moments in your day today, you can help make a difference. Today is National Call-In Day to pressure members of Congress to spare crucial safety net programs that will help men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS. Congressional negotiations to reduce the federal deficit have slowed down. These negotiations could benefit Medicaid, the Ryan White Program, housing, and other critical programs. Now National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC), AIDS Alliance, and other local AIDS Service Organizations need your help to to get the ball rolling again before the vote on August 2nd.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/62850/national-call-in-day-to-support-hivaids-programs.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 7 Jul 2011 13:27:00 GMT HIV Drugs at the Center of a Local Pharmacy Battle http://www.thebody.com/content/62807/hiv-drugs-at-the-center-of-a-local-pharmacy-battle.html Is another big box retailer trying to stomp out a local "mom and pop" shop? Cathedral Pharmacy seems to think so. The pharmacy, located on Connecticut Avenue in Northwest who is noted for delivering medications to those who are unable to get them on their own, will lose its contract with CVS Caremark tomorrow because of a recent audit's findings. The Washington Post reported yesterday that Cathedral Pharmacy was found to be out of compliance with the agreement they had with CVS Caremark.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/62807/hiv-drugs-at-the-center-of-a-local-pharmacy-battle.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:50:00 GMT Why People Probably Won't Get Tested on National HIV Testing Day http://www.thebody.com/content/62726/why-people-probably-wont-get-tested-on-national-hi.html Today is National HIV Testing Day. It is a day set aside for AIDS Service Organizations to push the public to get tested for HIV. Release the stigma and get tested for a change. A campaign such as this one has a suitable amount of hype set around it. But hype eventually fades and reality will assuredly set back in. According to the CDC, only 39.5 percent of Americans over the age of 18 have ever been tested for HIV in their lives. That's a low number for a huge epidemic. The latest epidemiology report shows that DC has had a remarkable increase in the number of people tested from 42,000 in 2006 to 110,000 in 2010. However, getting people tested is no walk or festival in the park. There are four possible reasons why the number of people tested today alone will not hit record highs (although that is certainly the goal).

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/62726/why-people-probably-wont-get-tested-on-national-hi.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:50:00 GMT Local Reaction to the DC Epidemiology Update http://www.thebody.com/content/62586/local-reaction-to-the-dc-epidemiology-update.html Mayor Gray and officials from the Department of Health released the HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD and Tuberculosis (HAHSTA) Epidemiology 2010 Update yesterday at a press conference. The update showed gains in areas such as reducing new infections and increasing access to care. But in the area of reducing health disparities the solution has yet to be found. As in previous years, little progress has been made to slow down the epidemic among African-Americans and men who have sex with men. Local AIDS Service Organizations expressed mixed emotions regarding the report.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/62586/local-reaction-to-the-dc-epidemiology-update.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:50:00 GMT START at Westminster Celebrates 3 Years of Service http://www.thebody.com/content/62538/start-at-westminster-celebrates-3-years-of-service.html An intimate group of friends and supporters gathered together in the sanctuary of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Southwest Wednesday evening to celebrate the START program. START (Syringe, Treatment, Advocacy, Resources and Training) is a harm reduction initiative that works to reduce HIV and Hepatitis infection in the city through needle exchange, counseling, referral services and condom distribution. It began as just a brainstorm from a small group of comrades talking around a kitchen table. Now it has bloomed into a full service program that has helped hundreds of citizens in the city get help and protection from HIV and Hepatitis A, B, and C. The reception was a reflection on START's achievements as well as a charge to the community at large.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/62538/start-at-westminster-celebrates-3-years-of-service.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:50:00 GMT Study Finds That PReP Acceptance Depends on Cost Instead of Effectiveness http://www.thebody.com/content/62501/study-finds-that-prep-acceptance-depends-on-cost-i.html A study out of UCLA and Lima, Peru show that people are more willing to use Truvada, the anti-retroviral drug for HIV, if they can pay less money for it regardless of its effectiveness. The International Study of STD and AIDS published the results of the study last week. Using consumer marketing techniques, the study found that female sex workers, male-to-female transgender persons and men who have sex with men would be willing to take the pill if the cost to purchase it was low. The participants also said that they would be willing to take the pill if it were 100 percent effective and only required to be taken right before sex. The results from the scientific research published earlier this year showed that in order for the pill to be effective, participants would have to take it daily regardless of sexual activity and it only cuts the risk of infection by 44%.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/62501/study-finds-that-prep-acceptance-depends-on-cost-i.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 8 Jun 2011 17:10:00 GMT AIDS at 30: Views From the Community -- Mark Fischer http://www.thebody.com/content/62499/aids-at-30-views-from-the-community--mark-fischer.html Today's guest commentator is Mark Fischer, Executive Committee Member of the Ryan White Planning Council for the DC Metropolitan Region. Mark has lived in Washington, DC since 1978, been HIV positive for more than 25 years and has been involved in HIV efforts since the beginning of the epidemic. He sees himself as a "human being, first and foremost ... all the rest, being male, White, gay, etc. are just accidents of birth for which I deserve neither privilege nor blame." As such, he is committed to meeting the needs of all people living or at risk of infection with HIV throughout DC and this region as well as elsewhere.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/62499/aids-at-30-views-from-the-community--mark-fischer.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Sat, 4 Jun 2011 17:05:00 GMT 5 Key Questions From the Live White House Discussion on HIV/AIDS http://www.thebody.com/content/art62470.html The White House hosted an open discussion about HIV/AIDS yesterday in recognition of the 30th anniversary of the publishing of a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report that highlighted pneumocystis pneumonia found in five gay men in Los Angeles. This connection soon led to the discovery of HIV and subsequently AIDS in America. Suregeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, Jeff Crowley from the Office of National AIDS Policy, and Dr. Carl Dieffenbach from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH sat down for Open for Questions: 30 years of AIDS to take questions from Facebook and email about AIDS in America. Here are a few key questions posted from the public and excerpts of the answers that were provided.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art62470.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 2 Jun 2011 14:53:00 GMT AIDSVu Debuts in DC http://www.thebody.com/content/art62411.html The Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University has launched an interactive online map of AIDS in the US at a press conference yesterday at the Barbara Jordan Conference Center in Northwest. AIDSVu provides an exhaustive view of the prevalence of HIV around the country by state and county. For DC and New York, it has data by zip code. The website will provide the latest information about where the need for HIV prevention and treatment is most urgent. Jeffrey S. Crowley, MPH, Director, Office of National AIDS Policy, Patrick Sullivan, PhD, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University and Jennifer Kates, MA, MPA, Director, HIV Policy, The Kaiser Family Foundation were in attendance for the debut.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art62411.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 1 Jun 2011 13:06:00 GMT AIDS at 30: Views From the Community -- David Phillips http://www.thebody.com/content/art62372.html On June 5, 2011, the AIDS community will recognize 30 years since the publication of the report from the Centers for Disease Control's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report noting pneumocystis pneumonia found in a cluster of gay men in Los Angeles. Years later, we are now facing and fighting a virus that has claimed more than a million lives around the world. This week, I will highlight a few Washingtonians who have witnessed or experienced the devastation and lived to tell about it.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art62372.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 31 May 2011 15:30:00 GMT Playboy Sex Survey Presents Interesting Results http://www.thebody.com/content/art62317.html Playboy has just published their sex survey for 2011 and from a sex education stand point its a good one. The questions varied from number of sex partners to how many people answer the phone during sex (16%). Some results were no surprise to this Examiner (men cheat more frequently than women -- I'm looking right at you Arnold). Other results were disappointing in the world of HIV prevention. Here are a few notable highlights and how they connect to prevention and education.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art62317.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 25 May 2011 12:57:00 GMT What's So Special About Research? Dr. Carl Dieffenbach Answers http://www.thebody.com/content/art62165.html Today is National HIV Vaccine Awareness day. It is a day to recognize the thousands of volunteers who have given their time and bodies for research. It is also a day to spotlight how participation in trials is critical in the pursuit of a cure. Dr. Carl Dieffenbach, Director of the Division of AIDS at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, answered my questions (and questions from others) about clinical trials recruitment and the impact of the failure of FEM-PrEP.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art62165.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 18 May 2011 09:30:00 GMT Schwarzenegger's Affair Could Have Done More Than Produce a Child http://www.thebody.com/content/art62065.html Actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed that he had an affair which resulted in a child from a former staffer. The child was born 10 years ago and Schwarzenegger did not tell his wife, Maria Shriver, until earlier this year. The news came on the heels of their announcement to split up after 25 years of marriage. The regretful "Terminator" said that he "takes full responsibility for the hurt he has caused." While no one is perfect, causing harm and conceiving a child are really mild consequences in the scope of sexual health. Mr. Schwarzenegger could have, indeed, brought on even more harm from having unprotected sex.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art62065.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 17 May 2011 15:18:00 GMT Latest Research Results Show Hope After 30 Years of AIDS http://www.thebody.com/content/art61975.html Since the International AIDS Conference of 2010, we have seen a few progressive breakthroughs that will potentially prevent new infections from occuring. We have seen the microbicidal vaginal gel, which contains Tenofovir, prevent women from contracting the virus. Then came the announcement of positive results from a study of the Truvada pill with men who have sex with men. In December, news broke out about the 'Berlin Patient' Timothy Brown who underwent a risky stem cell transplant and was 'cured' of AIDS. (That patient is still alive to this day and discussed the success of his treatment with POZ magazine. Click here to see a video interview with Brown.) Now we are witnessing another medical advancement in the area of prevention.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61975.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Sun, 15 May 2011 16:36:00 GMT D.C. Council Member Under Fire for Sacrificing AIDS Funds http://www.thebody.com/content/art61934.html Council member Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) wants the health department to spend more money in her ward on health issues. She insists that the department must do more to attend to the health issues that plague her neighborhoods such as obesity, diabetes, teen pregnancy, and hypertension. The trouble is she wants the focus to be taken off of the HIV/AIDS, where it is needed the most. Activist groups, non-profit organizations and citizens are disturbed by this and want answers.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61934.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 12 May 2011 16:04:00 GMT Demand the Test Ladies -- Ignorance Is Not Bliss http://www.thebody.com/content/art61882.html It's National Women's Health Week. Now more than ever women's health has taken center stage especially since selected members of Congress used Planned Parenthood to hold out on budget negotiations. Even in 2011, women are still regarded as expendable and our lives are not valued. Well, if men won't make us a priority, then we have to do it ourselves. One way to hold ourselves in high regard is to ask to be tested for Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV if one is participating in risky sexual behavior.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61882.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 10 May 2011 08:47:00 GMT Hateful Words From DC Writer Keeps Stigma and Ignorance Going http://www.thebody.com/content/art61850.html Last week, Washington Examiner columnist Gregory Kane, wrote an op-ed about the savage beating of a transgender woman named Chrissy Polis in a Baltimore McDonald's. The article stated that the victim "has been repeatedly referred to in news stories as a "woman." Not because he was born a woman, and not because he has two x chromosomes that women have, but merely because he thinks he is." Kane also stated "Because Polis is transgendered, he's entitled to extra protection, according to the "hate crimes" police. Had Polis, who's white, been just an actual white woman taking a beat-down because of the color of her skin, not her sexuality, we wouldn't have heard word one from anybody about filing "hate crimes" charges against Polis' assailants." Using incorrect pronouns and down-playing the crime as just a simple assault is part of what keeps stigma alive and well in our community.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61850.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 3 May 2011 09:28:00 GMT C. Virginia Fields Discusses the Future of NBLCA http://www.thebody.com/content/art61791.html C. Virginia Fields, CEO of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, is standing tall these days. She can stand tall because her organization is making waves in the fight against AIDS. In an exclusive interview, Ms. Fields explains how NBLCA is dealing with Southern churches, what happened at the conclave held here in DC in April, and what is coming soon from the oldest and largest non-profit of its kind.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61791.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 2 May 2011 18:25:00 GMT D.C. Mayor's Proposed Budget Leaves Very Little for People With HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/art61633.html On Monday, the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute published its report on Mayor Gray's proposed budget for FY 2012. The budget shows that many of the cuts that were made a few years ago will stay in place and deepen in some areas where people with HIV are most dependent. According to Defeat Poverty D.C., one out of every three (33%) of the District's residents lives in poverty. These residents are highly concentrated in Wards 7 & 8. Moreover, these are also the Wards where the highest number of HIV infections rates are as well as the highest percentage of unemployment. Mayor Gray has not only asked to make cuts to programs designed to help impoverished citizens but his proposal also suggests cutting housing assistance for these residents as well.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61633.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:08:00 GMT April Is STD Awareness Month: Time to Take the Test http://www.thebody.com/content/art61609.html April has been designated as sexually transmitted diseases awareness month. According to the CDC, over 19 million new STD cases are found ever year (no that's not a misprint). This month is about more than just knowing how many sexually transmitted diseases there are in the world (there are over 25 by the way). It is also about knowing which ones are deadly, how many are treatable, and how you can find out if you have one.

Let's start with the basics. Here's a quick and dirty (no pun intended) list of the most common STD and how they are treated ...

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61609.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:11:00 GMT Whitman-Walker Clinic Wins Clinic of the Year Award http://www.thebody.com/content/art61523.html The Whitman-Walker Clinic, located in Northwest, has been recognized as "Clinic of the Year" by Capital City Area Health Education Center. The clinic received the award for its work in educating future health care providers about HIV/AIDS and helping them become certified HIV testers. WWC has been a longtime supporter of Capital City Area Health. Executive Director Don Blanchon said in a statement issued yesterday that Whitman-Walker is honored to be recognized by CCAHEC. "Our work with them helps to better educate health care workers about community health and especially issues of HIV/AIDS and LGBT care."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61523.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:27:00 GMT D.C. Gospel Singer Teams Up With NBLCA to Promote AIDS Awareness http://www.thebody.com/content/art61447.html Local rising gospel star Tre Thomas announced last week that he would be working with the D.C. chapter of the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS (NBLCA) to promote AIDS awareness. The announcement comes after a recent AIDS conclave involving local church leaders and city leaders. Thomas will be working with the D.C. affiliate of NBLCA on reaching younger generations to inform them about AIDS.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61447.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 11 Apr 2011 04:16:00 GMT Elizabeth Taylor, Actress and AIDS Activist, Dies at 79 http://www.thebody.com/content/art61157.html Hollywood fans mourn the loss of Elizabeth Taylor today. The actress was best known for her movie roles such as "Cleopatra" and for her multiple marriages. She was also known as a humanitarian which some might consider her most important role of all. The legendary star was well-known as a longtime AIDS activist who raised more than $50 million to fight HIV/AIDS through her foundation.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61157.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:08:00 GMT AIDS Conference Host Committee Illustrates "One City" With Two Faces http://www.thebody.com/content/art61131.html On Wednesday, Mayor Gray announced the Host Committee for the 2012 International AIDS Conference, which is scheduled to be held in D.C. This is the second announcement in the past 30 days of an assembly of people brought together to tackle AIDS in D.C. The AIDS Commission commenced last week with its first meeting and swearing in ceremony. The newly minted Host Committee has some prominent figures as members such as former D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt, former HAHSTA Chief Dr. Shanon Hader, NMAC Executive Director Paul Kawata, and Destination D.C. President and CEO Elliot Ferguson. But for one local activist organization, the announcement has incited outrage. D.C. Fights Back says they are disappointed by this announcement because the appointees do not appear to be people who are openly living with HIV. They are demanding answers from Mayor Gray.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61131.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:24:00 GMT AIDS Olympics? Really? An Interview With Its Creator http://www.thebody.com/content/art61023.html The AIDS Olympics will premiere in D.C. on Friday, March 18th and Saturday, March 19th. No, that's not a joke. It's an actual two day event created by Devin T. Robinson X a poet/actor/activist from Atlanta, Georgia. Robinson X is the author of How Good Is Sex?, a workbook about relationships, and the star of several one man shows. The Olympics will feature track and fields events and live poetry. Robinson X answered a few questions about the AIDS Olympics, how he came to choose D.C. as his setting and why an AIDS Quilt must be burned for the event.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61023.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Sun, 13 Mar 2011 20:39:00 GMT United Medical Opens Infectious Disease Center in D.C.'s Ward 8 http://www.thebody.com/content/art61024.html United Medical Center, formerly Greater Southeast Hospital, opened a new infectious disease center last month. The center is a welcomed addition to Ward 8 where new HIV infection rates in 2006 alone topped more than 1,000 people. After months of planning and advocating, Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick, Associate Professor of Medicine at Howard University, saw this brainstorm manifest into reality. Dr. Fitzpatrick is a recent appointee to the Mayor's commission on AIDS which convened last week.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art61024.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Sun, 13 Mar 2011 19:10:00 GMT D.C. AIDS Commission Commences While the Government Gets Its "Report Card" http://www.thebody.com/content/art60853.html Local non-profit organizations leaders react to two events that took place yesterday regarding AIDS in DC. First, DC Appleseed, a non-profit group devoted to solving public policy problems, released its first 'report card' on the District's response to the AIDS crisis in five years. In the report, Appleseed gave grades to the different ways the District government addressed the AIDS crisis in the last sixteen months. Also, Mayor Gray called the first meeting of the recently established DC Commission on AIDS. The panel had 20 of its 27 slots filled by members of the education, business, and medical community. But according to some local AIDS Service Organization leaders more input from the community will be necessary to completing this process.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60853.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 8 Mar 2011 15:44:00 GMT Motivational Speaker Promotes Abstinence Only; Shuns Homosexuality http://www.thebody.com/content/art60816.html Author and motivational speaker Tara White is visiting D.C. this week to promote her new book Don't Curse Your Wedding Bed Before You Say I Do. She is also the guest speaker at a forum tonight for teens at a local church to kick off their Abstinence Only Week. Ms. White, a North Carolina based author, had a book signing at the John 3:16 Christian Bookstore in Lanham, Maryland on Saturday. In an interview, Ms. White explained her thoughts on teen sex, abstinence only education, and homosexuality.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60816.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Sun, 6 Mar 2011 23:25:00 GMT If You Lived Here: HIV and Housing -- Homes for Hope, Part Two http://www.thebody.com/content/art60715.html Dr. Jenkins continued to build her dream by adding a fifth property right next to the first four buildings that were currently in use. It needed major renovations. When she looked for help though, her desire quickly turned into despair.

Dr. Jenkins had eight residents living comfortably in her units and was aiming to get her fifth building renovated so that she could not only move more patients in but also set up an office there to treat them on site and provide classes during the day. She mortgaged her house to pay the $175,000 cost for purchasing that building. She chuckled, "The amount of personal money I put into this project, I could have built a house in the Bahamas by now. All I wanted to do was help and all it was doing was causing more strife."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60715.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 1 Mar 2011 10:15:00 GMT If You Lived Here: HIV and Housing -- Homes for Hope, Part One http://www.thebody.com/content/art60714.html In this third entry to the series, we learn about Dr. Veronica Jenkins a medical professional who wanted to provide housing for her HIV positive patients. She hoped that housing would save lives. She did not count on financial obstacles and government red tape getting in the way.

Dr. Veronica Jenkins, an internist in Southeast, was just an ordinary doctor seeing patients while working for an HMO in the late nineteen eighties. She wasn't allowed to treat patients with HIV/AIDS because it was considered an infectious disease and therefore, not her specialty. A close friend suggested that she volunteer at Family Medical Counseling Services in 1996. Her interest in treating HIV positive patients grew from there and she left the HMO to practice full time at Family Medical. For a time, she kept hearing from patients that they were not able to adhere to their medications because they had nowhere to live. Dr. Jenkins recalled that she decided to do something about it and thus Homes for Hope was born. She was not prepared for the obstacles that would come her way.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60714.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 28 Feb 2011 10:12:00 GMT The 2012 International AIDS Conference Is Coming to D.C. http://www.thebody.com/content/art60645.html On Friday morning, Mayor Vincent Gray along with the International AIDS Society (IAS) announced that the 2012 XIX International AIDS Conference will be held here in Washington, D.C. The dates for the conference are July 22nd to the 27th. The conference will bring more than 20,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries. It is the first one held in the United States since 1990. Mayor Gray stated, "I am excited to host this conference here in D.C. It's a chance to share best practices, exchange expertise and it's a chance for people to get to know our city."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60645.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Sun, 27 Feb 2011 11:07:00 GMT Mayor Gray Announces the First D.C. Commission on AIDS http://www.thebody.com/content/art60628.html On Wednesday of this week, Mayor Vincent Gray announced that his administration will initiate a commission on AIDS in DC. The commission will be charged with the task of ending the epidemic by focusing on treatment, prevention and taking care of the needs of people living with the disease. Mayor Gray, who was the director of the DC Department of Human Services when the first agency on HIV/AIDS was created, will serve as chair of the commission. The newly appointed director of the Department of Health, Dr. Mohammad Akhter, will serve as vice chair and the new director of HAHSTA, Dr. Gregory Pappas, will serve as Executive Secretary. They will be joined later by 27 appointees from the faith, medical, and business communities.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60628.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:36:00 GMT Republicans Cut Costs But Health Care Pays the Price http://www.thebody.com/content/art60528.html Debate begins today about a proposed $78 billion resolution (known as H.R.1) to cut funding to programs that provide services in many health care areas including AIDS programs. The proposal, presented by Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY), presents 70 cuts as a part of a Continuing Resolution (CR) that is used to keep the government going until the end of the fiscal year (March 4th).

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60528.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:25:00 GMT Upcoming AIDS Watch Arouses Questions About Its Purpose http://www.thebody.com/content/art60508.html The annual AIDS Watch advocacy convocation will begin on Wednesday in Northwest DC. The three-day event is designed to get members of the AIDS community (those who are infected and affected) involved in advocacy through advocate training and visits with members of Congress. AIDS Watch is sponsored by the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA). This year AIDS Watch has come under attack by the AIDS Policy Project for not demanding a cure during AIDS Watch. NAPWA says not so fast as they post the Legislative 'Asks' on their website as a part of their training for people involved in Hill visits.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60508.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:43:00 GMT Prevention Works! to Close at the End of This Month http://www.thebody.com/content/art60456.html Prevention Works!, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals with drug addiction, has announced today that it will be closing its doors after 12 years of service. Prevention Works! is known for needle exchange in DC which has been a long time proven method of reducing HIV infections. In a public statement, the Northeast based organization claims that they are "unable to build and sustain the financial and organizational capacity worthy of its work". The last day for business will be Friday, February 25th.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60456.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 8 Feb 2011 14:00:00 GMT South Africa Meets Southwest DC: Local Church Hosts Youth AIDS Social http://www.thebody.com/content/art60406.html Westminster Presbyterian Church in Southwest DC was the scene of a international youth social on Saturday. The Bokamoso Youth Foundation from Winterveldt, South Africa spent time talking, dancing, and sharing their country's struggle with HIV through performance poetry with DC youth from the Children's Hospital TASA (Teens Against the Spread of AIDS) program.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60406.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Mon, 7 Feb 2011 21:07:00 GMT Dr. Hader Has Her Say: Part Two -- An Exclusive Interview http://www.thebody.com/content/art60393.html The Department of Health's HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Administration has been in existence (under several other names) since the mid 1980's. HAHSTA's reputation has been embrued by scandal, mismanagement, political battles, financial turmoil and high leadership turnover rates. Dr. Shannon Hader was the twelfth person to hold the senior administrator position. In spite of the negative press and disappointments that arose during her watch (such as the report that showed that DC's HIV infection rate was and still is 3%), she put on a brave face and met the challenge. Part two of the interview reveals what her last day at HAHSTA was like and the advice she offers her successor.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60393.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 1 Feb 2011 21:16:00 GMT Dr. Hader Has Her Say: Part One -- An Exclusive Interview http://www.thebody.com/content/art60392.html As I stated once before, if Dr. Shannon Hader ever wanted to tell her side of the story I would be listening. Well the time has come. Her unceremonious exit from HAHSTA last June, left many of us in the community bewildered. Today, she graciously emerged in an exclusive interview to give just a little more insight on her perspective. In part one, we see what her high and low points were while serving as the top administrator and what she would do if Mayor Gray offered her old position back to her.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60392.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 1 Feb 2011 11:54:00 GMT Report Shows D.C. LGBTQ Youth in Need of Urgent Support http://www.thebody.com/content/art60309.html A report released this week by Southeast based SMYAL (Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League) shows that the needs of DC area LGBTQ youth are not being met. The report shows disparities in how youth are being treated at home, in school, and the amount of information about sex geared towards their lifestyle. Ignoring the needs of this population puts them more at risk for bullying, homelessness, suicide and HIV than their heterosexual counterparts. The report is based on survey results from several studies including Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), Center for American Progress and the United States Census.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60309.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 26 Jan 2011 17:05:00 GMT NMAC Welcomes a New Deputy Executive Director http://www.thebody.com/content/art60262.html The National Minority AIDS Council announced yesterday that Daniel Montoya will be its new deputy executive director. NMAC is a Northwest-based AIDS service organization that provides information to community-based organizations, hospitals, clinics, community groups and others who help people with HIV. Mr. Montoya has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and is a candidate for a Master's degree in Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin. He has served as Senior Policy Advisor to the National Institute of Allergy and Infections Diseases, Division of AIDS, Government Affairs Director at AIDS Project Los Angeles and Executive Director of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS. He has been in public health for 22 years and has been HIV positive for 23 years.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60262.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:34:00 GMT Repealing the Affordable Health Care Act Means Woes for People With HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/art60200.html Today the House Leadership of the 112th Congress will consider repealing the Affordable Health Care Act that passed last year. President Obama, key democrats, and health care advocates worked hard to get that act passed. Local AIDS service organizations had their issues with selected parts of the bill in the past but it was a good place to begin. Now the Republican dominated House wants to repeal the act. According to the News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 60 million or 1 in 5 Americans have no health insurance. The Act, as it stands now, will provide coverage to an 32 million uninsured Americans and strengthen the Medicare program. For people with HIV/AIDS, it will mean much more.

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60200.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 18 Jan 2011 13:44:00 GMT Stroke Numbers Rise Among People With HIV http://www.thebody.com/content/art60220.html Research suggests that people with HIV are up to three times more likely to have a stroke than those who are not infected. The study will be published tomorrow in the online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Bruce Ovbiagele, Professor of Neurosciences at the University of California conducted the research. He stated that, "Our findings showed that stroke hospitalizations in the United States decreased by seven percent in the general population within the last decade while stroke hospitalizations for people with HIV rose 67 percent."

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]]> http://www.thebody.com/content/art60220.html writeoncm@gmail.com (Candace Y.A. Montague) Tue, 18 Jan 2011 10:49:00 GMT