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 National Latino AIDS Awareness Day: Para Nuestra Cultura by GYT Campus Ambassador Anthony 

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Para Nuestra Cultura (For Our Culture)

October 15th marks the end and beginning of two significant Latino events. The date concludes the end of Latino Heritage Month, a month used to promote cultural awareness to the rest of our fellow Americans. What this date is more importantly known for is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. There aren’t any major celebrations associated with this event but it doesn’t imply that this day is any less important than the festivities of the month prior. If anything, National Latino AIDS Awareness Day is a symbolic reference that purposely takes place at the end of Latino Heritage Month. It should serve to us, Latinos, as a reminder that regardless of our religious beliefs, political views, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background, HIV/AIDS is affecting millions of Latinos around the world.

I speak of this through personal experience. My uncle passed away from AIDS after contracting HIV at its peak in the late 1980s. Since the time of his death, I’ve been sharing his story and how his death has affected me to countless people. His stories and experiences have driven me to dig deeper into the public policy aspect that affects million of HIV/AIDS patients in the U.S and how it can be more effective to those with the disease. However, speaking out about my personal experience of HIV/AIDS to other Latinos, like me, has been challenging for several reasons.

Many in the Latino community still believe HIV/AIDS is a “gay” disease. But many heterosexuals also died from HIV/AIDS when the disease first spread. The famous salsa singer Hector Lavoe committed suicide one he discovered he had acquired the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from sharing drug needles. The thing to take from this is that HIV/AIDS has never been a “gay” disease since its inception in the late 1970’s.

Being gay in the Latino community is typically met with social stigma. As a result, many men who have sex with other men (MSM) feel uncomfortable and ashamed to get tested. However, Latinos have the second highest development of new HIV infections among men and women, right behind African Americans. This statistic speaks to the entire Latino community, regardless of our stereotypical gender roles.  Machismo is a cultural term that infiltrates the lives of Latino males from the moment we are born. It is a term that upholds the importance of males as head of the house, having children, and working hard to provide the household income. Many Latinos who “come out” to their families increase their chances of being disowned, looked down upon by other family members, kicked out of their homes, and/or living in the streets without a place to call home, cultural risks that dissuade MSM from coming out. HIV infection rates increase as MSM continue to have sex without getting tested and without knowing their HIV status. This is also how the disease is transmitted to women who are unaware of their partner’s sexual activity. Brushing all stereotypes and generalizations aside, HIV/AIDS will continue to exist and coming to accept this disease is challenging for many Latinos.

These are just some of many reasons why HIV/AIDS is increasing in the Latino community, why my uncle could not disclose his HIV status earlier to his family, and why it is important to recognize that this disease does not discriminate against anyone, including Latinos.

October 15 is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day. On this day, I ask that all Latinos push all gender roles and stereotypes about gay males aside. HIV/AIDS will still exist no matter what roles and expectations we are expected to live up to. Our biggest conquer over this disease is if we acknowledge and accept its increasing presence among Latinos. Millions of people have died from this disease, millions more are currently infected. Latinos are already seen in high statistical ratings for other diseases in this country. HIV/AIDS should not be one of them.

“I’m a person living with AIDS and I’ll be living with AIDS until I take my last breath”

-Pedro Zamora, a Cuban-American television star from “The Real World: San Francisco” who battled with HIV/AIDS

 

 INTERVIEW: GYT Campus Ambassador Anthony 

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GYT Campus Ambassador Anthony gets real about living GYT.  Check out why knowing yourself and knowing your status is so important to Anthony.

My name is Anthony. I am an International Relations major and a Dance minor. During my free time I love to dance- a lot. My specialty is in Latin music (salsa, merengue, bachata, cumbia, etc.) but I love dancing all types of music.   I also write spoken word poetry as a way to balance out my emotional health. When I’m not in class or doing one of the above, I remain very involved in the New London community by working with children in the middle school and high school level as a tutor/counselor.

GYT: What’s the most played song on your ipod?

On the Floor by Jennifer Lopez. It’s been played well over 2,200 times.

GYT: What’s your all time favorite MTV show?

My favorite MTV show is True Life. The topics are either unusual or ridiculous, but they’re always very interesting. Does anyone remember Daria? I also love that show too.

GYT: What inspired you to be a GYT ambassador?

R.I.P. Uncle Louis. He passed away from AIDS a few years ago, but the impact he has had on me is tremendous. I am a huge advocate for getting everyone tested because of the huge risks that currently exist. Being able to educate at least one person about safer sex practices is all the motivation I need to continue my advocacy for GYT because if my uncle would’ve known about these practices I know he would still be alive.

 

 INTERVIEW: GYT Ambassador Martina 

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GYT talked with Campus Ambassador Martina to find out her inspiration for getting involved in GYT.  Feeling inspired yourself?  Then put your passion into action here by applying to become a GYT Ambassador!

Hey! My name is Martina, and I’m a public health major at UT Austin. I’ve been involved in our campus newspaper as a designer and can’t seem to get away from that basement. In my spare time, I love baking new recipes (cookies are my favorite) with some good music playing. I’ve taken up the nearly impossible task of trying to eat at every restaurant with 4 or more stars on Yelp. Most of the time I’m perfectly content watching movies, laughing with my friends and spending time with my family.

What’s the most played song on your ipod?

It’s probably an Adele song. I’m addicted to her album. Her music is perfect for anything and everything.

What’s your all time favorite MTV show?

I’ve followed the teen moms ever since they were 16 and pregnant. But Jerzday is also one of my favorite days of the week.

What inspired you to be a GYT ambassador?

I wanted to get involved with a campaign that was meaningful to me. I realized how little I knew about the health services that our university provides and wanted to help spread awareness on campus about having a healthy sex life. I’m excited about all the possibilities of promoting the message to students and collaborating with other organizations to promote GYT. People can get involved by simply educating themselves about GYT and passing on their knowledge.

 

 Interview: GYT Campus Ambassador Ally 

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Campus Ambassador Ally from Clark University shared with GYT why she’s passionate about sexual health, and what she’s doing to spread the word about GYT. Interested in becoming a campus ambassador yourself? Click here to learn how to get involved!

Tell us a little about yourself!

Hi! My name is Ally Boguhn, and I am a senior at Clark University in Worcester, MA where I am studying Communications and Art History. I am originally from Buffalo, NY but my father was in the military so we’ve lived just about everywhere and settled down in Maine about ten years ago. I have two cairn terriers, Piper and Baxter, and they mean the world to me.

I am the Co-President of my Vox (Voices for Planned Parenthood) chapter as well as Co-Director of Choices, a sexual education and health club. This basically means I spend most of my time advocating for sexual health and reproductive rights–something I am incredibly passionate about. I hope to be able to continue this work after college by working in advocacy.

What’s the most played song on your iPod?

The most played song on my iPod is definitely Skinny Love by Bon Iver. I can’t get enough of it!

When you’re not out spreading the word about GYT, what do you like to do in your free time?

I spend a lot of my free time during the summer working at a ropes course, which I absolutely love. It is so much fun to get paid to climb! During the school year I don’t have much time to myself because I’m so busy and active on my campus. My favorite activity is advocating for the causes I believe in, so thats what I’m always doing! I even write a sexual health and feminism themed blog,  so I guess I never really stop trying to get the word out about the things that matter to me!

What’s your all-time favorite MTV show?

My favorite MTV show has got to be 16 and Pregnant. I think it deals with a lot of really important issues and I love watching it! Television can be such a great teaching tool, and I believe this show really helps spread the word about contraception and sexual health to people who may not otherwise get that message.

What inspired you to be a GYT ambassador?

Working with my campus Choices group for the past three years has shown me how much students at my school really needs this vital information. Many people simply do not know that they should get tested, how to go about doing so, and how to protect themselves. Seeing this has inspired me to take action and make sure as many people as possible can protect themselves and have the knowledge to have the safe, happy, and pleasurable sex life they deserve!

How do you live GYT?

I live GYT by ensuring that the students on my campus have every opportunity to protect themselves and have a healthy sex life. I truly care about making this happen and do everything in my power to make it so. I blog, pass out condoms, get petitions, and rally to make sure Clark students and people all over the country will be safe and protected.

Have you hosted any GYT events at your school or in your community? What did you do and how did it go?

My campus is planning our first official GYT event this upcoming semester! This year, we will be incorporating some of the GYT material into our annual Sexfest–one of the most popular events at Clark University! I am also looking to bring STI testing to our campus for a day in the Spring in order to ensure that everyone who needs to can know their status!

How can people in your area get involved with GYT?

People in my area can get involved in GYT a number of ways. If you’re on a college campus, join your VOX chapter (or equivalent sexual health group)! These groups almost always participate in the GYT campaign. If your college doesn’t have one of these groups, start your own! It only takes one passionate person to start a great change. If you’re not on a college campus you can get involved by supporting your local testing centers like Planned Parenthood. Go to a rally, sign petitions, and call and write your state representatives to let the world know these vital services cannot be lost!

If you’re in the Worcester area, you can do your part by getting yourself tested. There is a Planned Parenthood in the city as well as several non-profits like AIDS Project Worcester that will get you tested if you need it!

Most importantly, if you believe in GYT live the part. If you’re upset about what is going on in the world, and especially in our country, you need to do something about it! Get passionate about the issues. Go out and vote, or even better, campaign for the officials that can make the changes we need. Sign petitions, pass them on, tell everyone you know what they can do to help.  Remember  that where you put your money makes a difference, so when you can shop at the places in line with your personal beliefs and who donate to the causes you care about. Give change a chance. If you don’t, who will?

 Interview: GYT Campus Ambassador Kirstie 

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GYT sat down with college student Kirstie to talk about why and how she lives GYT.   So get inspired- check out this interview with Kirstie!

Kirstie: My name is Kirstie, and I am a 21 year old senior with an Individualized Major in Visual Arts, Criminal Justice, and Psychology at Roger Williams University in Bristol, RI.   On campus, I am one of 10 Health and Wellness Educators (HAWEs). The HAWEs educate and promote how to life a healthy lifestyle for college students. We do workshops, presentations, one on one motivational interviewing, and campus wide campaigns on alcohol and other drugs, safe sex, fitness, nutrition, stress management, and other general wellness topics.

GYT: What’s the most played song on your ipod?

Kirstie: “Take it off” by Ke$ha

GYT: What is the best thing you learned from MTV’s 10 Most Outrageous Sex Myths show?

Kirstie: The best thing I learned from MTV’s 10 Most Outrageous Sex Myths show was about “double bagging”. I didn’t actually even know that people believed wearing two condoms was better than just one! It was a great thing for me to learn, because if another student came to ask me questions about double bagging, I would have had no idea what to tell them!

 

GYT: What inspired you to be a GYT ambassador?

Kirstie: I received my first condom demonstration and sex education my freshman year through a popular health group on our campus that had a huge impact on my college life, the Health and Wellness Educators (HAWEs), which I joined at the end of my freshman year and have been involved with ever since. In April 2010, I lead my school to win the GYT Campus Challenge with the help and support of other HAWEs, my supervisor, and our Health Services’ Office. I was amazed at how many students did not know that they could get tested and have it be covered under our student health insurance at school. I loved working with our Health Services’ office staff, and other Health and Wellness Educators (HAWEs) about how to spread the word to our student body.

GYT: Tell us about your school joining the GYT campaign

Kirstie:   Back in April 2010, my campus won the GYT Campus Challenge.   Our Health Services’ Office ran out of rapid HIV testing kits during that time because so many students went and got tested there! We spread the word about GYT through creative flyers designed by MTV as well as flyers we created ourselves specific for our campus, Facebook event invitations, emails from our Student Senate Office, and business card sized handouts to give to people as they walked around campus.   Since last April, GYT has been incorporated into every sex workshop we offer through our office, which are our most requested workshops.

We’ve had a great response to GYT on our campus from both the student body and our professional staff. The student body at Roger Williams University takes their health very seriously, and the number of students who went and got tested sky-rocketed after they found out the shocking statistic that 1 in 2 sexually active young people would get an STD by 25.   Our Health Services’ Office provides testing for students for little or no cost, and our student health insurance covers $100 in testing costs every academic year, so even for the testing that does cost money, students can get tested at least once a year and have it be completely covered under the student insurance.

GYT:   Sounds like your school has a lot going on, so how can students best get involved on campus?

Kirstie: First, it’s important to start with yourself. You can’t fully spread the word on GYT if you don’t know your own status. So Get Yourself Tested… then get your partner(s), family, friends, peers, etc to GYT too. You can brag about how easy it was to GYT to others so that more people will listen to you.

If you are a student at Roger Williams University, you can apply to work in the Health Education Office. We have work study positions available, as well as internships and independent studies for up to 3 credits. In these positions, you would work both directly and indirectly with the HAWEs and Director of Health Education on health topics, including safe sex and GYT!

If you are a local Rhode Island resident, you can volunteer or donate to an organization that provides testing and other services, like Planned Parenthood or AIDS Care Ocean State in Providence, RI. You can find these places, and others that are similar, by searching for a local clinic on GYTNOW.org

 

 GET INSPIRED: Spotlight on Ohio State University Student Health Services 

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College students!   Health Center Staff!   Peer Health Educators!   Looking for some ideas on how to spread the word about GYT on campus?   Get inspired by Ohio State University’s Student Health Services Blog.   OSU’s Student Health Center is all about helping their students to get the facts, talk openly with their clinicians, and GYT.   Check out this post to see how OSU is providing all the GYT info that students need.   Want to take action like OSU?   If you’re a high-school or college student, apply to be a GYT Campus Ambassador or if you’re a health center staffer, sign your student health center up to join the GYT campaign.

And if your school doesn’t have a student health center, GYT’s testing center locator will find the STD testing centers nearest you- just enter your zip code here.   It’s that easy.   So what are you waiting for?   GYT today.