APICHA Turns 20
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Volume 13, Number 1 • Summer 2008 IN THIS ISSUE: NEAPICHAWS Turns 20 Update: HIV and STI Among 2009 marks APICHA’s 20th anniversary! Highlight- condominiums have put many community-based A&PIs ....................................2 ing the commemorative activities will be our gala organizations in great difficulty. APICHA had the benefit, “A Thousand and One Champions”, to be misfortune of being in a building that became part Client Navigation Project ...3 held on June 4, 2009 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. of the gentrification of communities as a result of You won’t want to miss this special dinner that the conversion boom. Keeping the Youth ‘Street will honor some of the many people who have been The benefit committee is now in formation. For Smart’ and Healthy .............3 good friends of APICHA, so SAVE THE DATE! information about becoming a committee mem- Executive Director Therese R. Rodriguez calls on ber, an event sponsor, or other information about Community PROMISE in the APICHA’s friends to join the effort to make this gala the event, you may call Vicki Shu Smolin at (646) a success. “In view of the increasing number of peo- 263-6044, or e-mail her at shu@yahoo.com. Making..................................3 ple who are getting infected, APICHA must remain “We have come a long way since a small group strong. Our challenge now is to ensure that APICHA of volunteers launched APICHA in 1989,” notes Editorial: Navigating through will be here for the long haul in this pandemic that Suki Terada Ports, a founder and Chair of the De- an Economic Crisis ............... 4 portends no end. APICHA’s benefit galas have tradi- velopment Committee. “It is amazing how APICHA tionally been part of our strategy to raise the funds has turned our mid-1980 hopes and dreams of be- Miss Universe 2007 Takes a to fill the gaps that are not met by contracts.” ing able to help our community into what we now The event is part of the Gift of Caring Campaign know as our one-stop shop of HIV services from Public HIV Test ....................4 that was established to address the significant in- prevention to a comprehensive HIV/AIDS health creases in operating costs incurred, including rent, clinic, the only one of its kind in the U.S. There If You Build It, Will They when APICHA lost its lease at 150 Lafayette Street are so many people and organizations we have to [Continue to] Come? ...........5 and after much searching, moved to 400 Broad- thank for their significant contributions which have way. New York City’s real estate trends for building helped us to get this far.” Skills Building: Phlebotomy .........................5 Grants and Gifts Make Our Programs Go ‘Round ...........6 Grants and Contracts ..........7 Helping Clients to Make Wiser Food Choices.............8 In and Around Our Communities ......................10 Seen On Site ......................12 Published by the Asian & Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Inc. (APICHA), a non-profit organi- zation providing HIV/AIDS related services, including primary care, counseling and testing, preven- tion education, food and nutrition, and other support services for the Asian and Pacific Islander commu- MissRiyo Universe Mori, 2007 Riyo Miss Mori taking Universe a public HIV test 2007, administered Takes by APICHA aTesting Public Counselor HIV Sunny ShiromaTest nities, especially people living with HIV/AIDS in New York City. Story on page 4 NEWS Volume 13, Number 1 • Summer 2008 Update: HIV and STI among A&PIs Client Navigation Project Keeping the Youth ‘Street Smart’ and Healthy By Melissa S. Nibungco, Development Associate/Grants Writer By Joey Akima, CTR Program Manager, and Jarron Ma- By Larry Tantay, Community Health Education Coordinator gallanes, MSW, MSM Project Coordinator Recent epidemiological data from both that among MSM who are 30 years and The smell of food and the sound of raucous ing to their sexual and ethnic identities. At the Centers for Disease Control and Pre- older, only A&PIs experienced an increase A&PI syphilis case rates In March this year funding for APICHA’s Client laughter fill the room. About ten young Asians EquAsian meetings, on average, ten youths vention (CDC), and the New York City De- (115.4%). In addition, only 31% of A&PIs Navigation Project was renewed by DOHMH/ sit around a table discussing the images of attend. The group is also opened to friends of partment of Health and Mental Hygiene have ever been tested for HIV3 and over are on the increase Public Health Solutions as part of the New Asians in the magazines they are reading. participants who are either not queer or not (NYCDOHMH) highlight the need for HIV 40% of those newly diagnosed are not in NYC Primary and Secondary Syphilis Cases York City Council Communities of Color (NYC- There aren’t many to discuss. In one maga- A&PI. We’ve found from previous EquAsian primary prevention services - especially care within 3 months of diagnosis.4 NYC Primary and Secondary Syphilis Cases COCHA) Initiative. The purpose of the grant is zine – queer and based in New Jersey – the meetings and in speaking with youth during among A&PI men who have sex with men When we examine rates of sexually 9 to enhance APICHA’s existing HIV prevention only photo of Asian people are three work- outreach that many queer A&PI youth have (MSM). Among A&PIs, the vast majority transmitted infections, the picture is not 8 programs. The program was first implement- ers in rice fields in traditional garb, wearing friends who are not queer A&PI but are quite of existing and new HIV cases is among quite as clear. Analysis of data from the 7 ed in 2007 with a grant of $109,163. This year large round hats that obscure their faces. In supportive of them. Based on the comfort of males and the most common transmission NYCDOHMH, Bureau of Sexually Transmit- 6 the award was reduced to $54,417 because some of the Asian fashion magazines, there the group, we allow up to two friends to at- route is MSM. CDC recently reported that ted Diseases is made difficult by limitations 5 A&PI of the number of grantees. are more White faces than Asian. “For queer tend the meeting. The focus, however, is al- from 2001 to 2006, the largest proportion- within the data set.5 Approximately 50% of 4 All As a result of the enhancement monies, Asian youth who read these magazines, ways on the needs of the queer A&PI youth. ate increase (255.6% [EAPC = 30.8]) was gonorrhea and Chlamydia cases, and 33- 3 APICHA staff was able to increase the fre- what is this doing for their self-esteem and This is part of the larger YMSM Project. among Asian/Pacific Islander MSM aged 50% of syphilis cases are missing race/eth- Rate(per 100,000) 2 quency of outreach sessions conducted at their feelings about their own bodies?” one YMSM stands for Young Men who Have 13–24 years.1 nicity data. What is important to point out 1 various venues where MSM convene from of the Youth Leaders asks. This is just one Sex with Men. We use “YMSM” instead of In NYC, A&PI MSM experienced a is that A&PI syphilis case rates are on the 0 once a week to three or four times a week. topic among many that are covered every Fri- “gay” to be inclusive of those who may be 57.1% change during the same time period increase. 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Condoms and HIV prevention materials were day during EquAsian. involved in the same sexual behaviors and (see chart below).2 It is important to note provided to over 2,776 individuals in two EquAsian is a social support group for Year risks as young gay men but who don’t iden- New HIV Diagnoses among Men who Have Sex with Men (MSM) months. At the end of the grant period on queer Asian youth – aged 22 and younger – in tify that way. The main intervention provided NYC Early Latent Syphilis Cases New HIV Diagnoses among Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) June 30, 2008, this number is expected to NYC. Many other youth groups in NYC seem by the YMSM Project is Street SMART – a NYC Early Latent Syphilis Cases 70 go up an additional 4,000. Although this fund- to focus on either being gay or being Asian multi-session program which enhances the 57.1 14 60 ing is for a very short time period, it provided but not both. The end result is that queer participants’ knowledge in preventing HIV 12 much needed support for our outreach ser- A&PIs are being alienated from both sides. infection. It is one of the evidence-based 50 vices that are no longer funded by the city’s It’s necessary to give queer A&PI youth a behavioral intervention models approved for 40 10 Health Department. space to meet and discuss issues pertain- Continued on page 8 30 8 A&PI APICHA’s Counseling, Testing & Referrals 20 6 All and Prevention Units collaborate to imple- -3.2 10 -4.9 2.2 -16.9 4 ment the project. Due to the funding cutback, 0 Rate(per 100,000) for the current grant period, the NYCCO- Community PROMISE in the Making % change (2001-2006) %change 2 -10 All Blacks only Hispanics Whites only A&PIs only CHAC funds are dedicated to hiring of addi- By Diana Roygulchareon, Women and Youth Program Manager 0 tional peers who are instrumental in recruit- -20 only 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 ing clients to access services at APICHA’s In 2005, the Young Peoples Project (YPP) em- This intervention has been tested for other -30 Year off-site events.