IN THIS ISSUE
April-June 2013 Immigration Reform and HIV equality
HIV Resource: 2013 Annual AIDSVu Launch
Chasi Annexy Pedro Julio Serrano, human rights activist and HIV advocate receiving an award at Cielo Latino. Fashion Fights AIDS Featured Initiative: National Hispanic Cielo Latino 2013 Fusion of Fashion & Awareness Hepatitis On May 17, the Latino Commis- The Pioneer Award was presented Additionally, guests were treated Awareness Day sion on AIDS held it’s annual Cie- to Gilead Sciences. Fátima Ptacek, with dance performances from lo Latino fundraising gala with the famous for playing the current the Maria Torres Emerging Artists theme “Designing a World With- voice of Dora the Explorer, was Foundation and Baila Society. out AIDS” (Diseñando un Mundo also inducted as the Commission’s sin Sida). To go along with the 2013 Youth Ambassador. Special Celebrity presenters and attend- message, guests were treated to a posthumous tributes were made in ees included actor David Zayas, fashion presentation of the Spring/ honor of fashion visionaries Anto- known today for his role on Dex- Summer 2013 collection of CH nio Lopez and Juan Ramos, whose ter, Dominican Pop sensation Carolina Herrera. talents were lost early in the AIDS Panky Saviñón, designers Mondo epidemic, and actress Lupe Onti- Guerra and Casanova, and fashion This year’s gala, hosted by actor/ veros, a longtime supporter of the illustrator Carlos Aponte. Grammy director Tony Plana, and actress Latino Commission on AIDS, who award-winning singer Ray De La Elaine Del Valle, served to honor passed away from liver cancer last Paz performed at Cielo Latino’s human rights activist Pedro Julio year. Her three sons were present official after-party. For more infor- Featured Event: Serrano, receiving the Dennis de to receive the acknowledgement. mation visit: www.cielolatino.org Libérate! Leon Voz de Compromiso Award. GUILLERMO CHACON
NEVER TOO YOUNG TO COMMIT TO SPEAK The alarming rates of HIV infection among youth in the U.S. require a spokesperson who can reach this audience directly. With this in mind, the Commission named Fatima Ptacek as her newest and youngest ever Youth Ambassador. Fatima is a 13-year-old actress, best known for her “Dímelo” is a quartely publication of lead role in the Academy Award Winning 2012 short film Curfew and her the Latino Commission on AIDS, a non- role as the voice of Dora in Dora the Explorer. She and the Commission profit membership organization dedi- have committed to encourage education about HIV and AIDS in youth cated to fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS as early as possible, to align with the CDC’s recommendation to test as in the Latino/Hispanic community. early as 13 years of age. www.latinoaids.org Alex Wong/GettyImages mitment to addressing the urgent public health issues that our com A World munities still face today. We must continue to mobilize support to face the HIV & AIDS epidemic Without and reduce the impact of Hepati- tis in our communities. We must continue to design and implement innovative programs and preven- AIDS tion strategies. We must strive to limit the incidence of new HIV infections. We must empower our communities and reduce the stigma and discrimination associ- ated with HIV & AIDS. Our hope GUILLERMO CHACON for a future without HIV & AIDS is also our impetus for a renewed commitment to collaborate with Dear Friends of the Commission, our networks and partners in de- signing that world together. On behalf of the Board and Staff Supporteers of immigration reform in a rally in front of Congress. of The Latino Commission on The Commission needs each of AIDS we are extraordinarily you on this journey. Together we grateful for the support we’ve comprise an invincible force that received for our work. With con- can, should, and will be applied to tinued enthusiasm, attention, and address the health disparities and Immigration effort, we have begun to envision deficiencies in access to culturally the possibility to design a world relevant health care across all our without AIDS, so that the next communities. Your ongoing, gen- Reform and HIV generation will be an AIDS-free erous support is invaluable to the generation. Commission and to the continued development and implementation While hope is alive, we must not of cutting-edge public health pro Equality grow restless and turn from our grams and community initiatives. ongoing efforts, but instead, use As the immigration debate is at ing about “arreglar papeles” (fixing the prospect of a world without “Designing a World without its prime time in Congress, close immigration status) takes a priority AIDS to reinvigorate our com AIDS” is our theme, and is not to nothing is said about the im- in their lives and leaves health con- only a resounding echo of the hope plications of immigration reform cerns to the side. Even worse, some for a cure, but a renewed call to regarding undocumented Latino know their HIV status, but keep it solidarity, commitment, and action immigrants living with or being secret and don’t receive treatment. towards our cause. Your continue exposed to HIV. Little is said be- They are trapped in a double closet. support enables the Commission to cause the is little to no data. An es- They haven’t come out with their provide leadership development, timate of the intersection between immigration status and they haven’t prevention efforts, health promo undocumented and HIV does not disclosed their HIV status. EDITOR IN CHIEF exist. Natasha Quirch tion, capacity building, relevant research, and community mobili A path to citizenship could benefit EDITORIAL BOARD zation. We will not rest until our The lack of quantitative data can be this populations on both fronts: liv Guillermo Chacon communities are healthy, happy, replaced by other studies reporting ing lawfully in the U.S. and taking Natasha Quirch and free from homophobia, stigma how immigration status represents care of their health. Immigration re Miriam Vega and discrimination. a barrier to accessing HIV testing, form will allow them to live out of medical services, and treatment, the shadows, use medical services, DESIGN because very often, undocumented educate themselves about preven Daniel Ravelo United we can/Unidos podemos! immigrants are afraid of using tion, learn about and use life-saving medical services, as they see medi- treatments. At the end, not only un PHOTOGRAPHY Chasi Annexy cal institutions as part of the sys- documented immigrants will ben Danny Jiminian tem, a tentacle of the government. efit from an immigration reform, Mordechai Alvow Guillermo Chacón Understandably so, for undocu- but public health and society in President mented immigrants, the fear of the general benefits as well. CONTRIBUTORS Latino Commission on AIDS law is constant. For them, worry- DANIEL RAVELO Natasha Quirch Hector Torres HIV Resource
DISCLAIMER: Photos used in this 2013 Annual AIDSVu Launch newsletter imply nothing about the health status, sexual orientation, or life history of the subjects. The Rollins School of Pub- level data maps for new U.S. cit- planning processes, resource al- lic Health at Emory University ies, and a number of improved location, presentations, and grant 24 W 25th Street, 9th Floor launched its third annual update site functionalities. writing and review. Maps can be New York, NY 10010 of AIDSVu (www.aidsvu.org), the downloaded to develop presenta- P. (212) 675.3288 online mapping tool that displays AIDSVu’s interactive maps can tions or handouts that highlight f. (212) 675.3466 HIV prevalence in the U.S. This be used to better understand the the geography of HIV in the U.S. [email protected] DANIEL RAVELO www.latinoaids.org year’s AIDSVu features 2010 U.S. HIV epidemic across geo- HIV prevalence data, ZIP code graphic levels, and to assist with Featured Initiative: National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness Day
In 2009, Latinos, the fastest- growing minority population in the US, received a diagnosis of Hepatitis A twice as often as non- Hispanic whites. Hepatitis C is twice as often a cause of death for Latinos than it is for whites. Lati nos also have more rapid build-up of liver scarring than non-Hispan ic whites. As a response to these alarming facts, the Latino Com mission on AIDS created the Na tional Hispanic Hepatitis Aware ness Day (NHHAD), which is honored every year on May 15th. This initiative aims to bring awareness to the impact viral hepatitis is having in our commu nities by engaging and empower ing patients to seek treatment and demand access to care. In a gov ernment arena, NHHAD works to TV personality Carson Kressley was one of the speakers at the National Hispanic Hepatitis Awareness 2013. Archive engage federal entities and public health officials to increase ef leadership, religious leaders, ce holding a press conference on the and community rally on Friday, forts to reach those that may be lebrities, media and civic leaders steps of City Hall in New York May 17. San Francisco held a living with viral hepatitis and do to become partners in spreading City on May 14. This press con- large pubic screening event and not know it, and to scale up ef the word. ference was a joint effort with press conference on Saturday, forts to ensure vaccination. Simi New York Hep C Task Force and May 18. Other events took place larly, NHHAD looks for ways This year, the Commission kicked the New York Hep B Coalition. throughout the country. to engage elected and appointed off this awareness campaign by Los Angeles held a media event GUILLERMO CHACON Featured Event: Campaign Against Homophobia: ¡Libérate!
On May 16, 2013, one day before which was recently featured on the International Day Against HBO Latino. JC’s stance against Homophobia, Juntos Construy- homophobia in Latino communi- endo (JC) delivered a new beat ties was celebrated with the Medi- to public health at the launching terranean flavor provided by the party for their first ever -com Lower East Side’s newest hot spot munity mobilization and social Mezzetto and Brooklyn based DJ. Exhibiton of PSA at the lauching of the Libérate! campaign. Danny Jiminian marketing initiative: Libérate. Local music sensation Jose San- The Libérate PSA was released in tiago, whose track “My Story” NYC and San Juan, Puerto Rico scored the Libérate PSA, ended from harboring homophobic sen- stigma, xenophobia, etc. Irrespec- as part of the movement march the celebration. timents. Being discriminated, tive of the ism, these discrimina- for LGBT rights. Among those assaulted, harmed, and harassed tory experiences create lasting so- in attendance were, public health Libérate addresses homophobia because of homophobia is no cial wounds for the one projecting professionals, academics, and from a different perspective; that different than experiencing dis- these sentiments, as much as they directors, including Gary Terrac- of the consuming, draining, and crimination, assault and harass- do to those experiencing them. ino, the Director of Elliot Loves, overwhelming energy that arise ment because of sexism, racism, HECTOR TORRES INSIGHTS OF A PUPIL Actress, Academy Award Nominee, and HIV advocate Rosie Perez reminesces about the lessons taught to herWAR by Dennis ON deLeonHEPATITIS (with her,NHHAD Guillermo press conference Chacon, and deLeon’rallied community partner, Bruce members, Kiernan). advocates and partners to PALABRASspread awareness DE UNA about DISCIPULA Rosiehepatitis. Perez, Actriz, Nominada a los premios de la Academia yNO defensora MAS HEPATITIS de los derechos delLa conferencia la gente viviendo de prensa con VIH,de NHHAD recuerda atrajo las enseñanzasmuchos demiembros Dennis dedeLeon la comunidad (con ella Guillermoquienes se Chacón comprometieron y Bruce a Kiernan,concientizar la pareja sobre de el problemadeLeon). de hepatitis.
Hugo Ovejero FASHION STATEMENT Designers and Project Runaway contestants Mondo Guerra, Viktor Luna, and Casanova wore their best fashion at the recent Cielo Latino 2013
LA MODA IMPONE Mondo Guerra, Viktor Luna y Casanova, todos ellos diseñadores y participantes del Project Runway, lucieron unos llamativos trajes en Cielo Latino 2013.
Chasi Annexy