From the Executive Director

What's New

City Hall was the setting for a May 1 summit to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in Central America. APLA, the City of Los Angeles AIDS Coordinator’s Office and la Coalición de Organizaciones Gay de América Central (Conga) joined forces for the event, which looked at current HIV epidemiology, trends and programmatic efforts in Central America and Los Angeles and the impact of migration on HIV risk locally and abroad. (Pictured above from left are Steven David Simon, City of Los Angeles AIDS Coordinator; Evelyn Gonzalez-Figueroa, APLA associate director of international programs and Rafael Gonzalez of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office.) It was also the occasion for the Los Angeles debut of "No Mas en el Tintero," a blueprint for creating HIV prevention programs for gay men and other MSM in Central America. "Tintero," which resulted from an international collaboration of leaders from eight multilateral community organizations, is part of a larger initiative between Conga and APLA to curb HIV infections by working together at the local and global levels.

Profile

When Albert Geiser jokes and talks easily with friends at APLA's weekly Mpowerment meetings, he can hardly imagine that he once described himself as "quiet and very shy."

The 23-year-old (pictured at right) began attending the meetings on the advice of a friend nearly two years ago, and he's come weekly ever since.

"I was just beginning to come out to my family and friends," Albert recalls. "I had a lot of questions and really wanted a safe place to find answers."

He found that place at Mpowerment, a weekly group for gay, bisexual and questioning Los Angeles County youth ages 13 - 24.

"We talk about everything: family issues, jobs, relationships, coming out and staying safe," Albert explains. At each meeting, facilitators discuss HIV/AIDS and safer sex, and participants --many of whom may often feel isolated by homophobic peers -- can be themselves.

Group members conduct outreach, too.

"I volunteered at Long Beach Pride last year," Albert says, "and I talked to other young people about feeling good about themselves and staying safe." He laughs: "Yeah, I’m definitely not so shy anymore."

Giving

D. Chen and his partner keenly understand how HIV/AIDS can change lives.

"We’ve both been touched by friends and loved ones lost to AIDS," Chen (pictured at right) explains.

The couple began giving more than a decade ago because "we were impressed by the scope of services that APLA offers for people who may feel overwhelmed and who don’t know where to start."

But it wasn't just APLA's programs and services for people living with HIV/AIDS that moved them to give.

"It’s is one of few organizations that transcends communities," Chen and his partner explain. Though the pair lives 30 miles south of Los Angeles, the agency "is very important to us because it advocates beyond just the local level," they say, citing APLA's work with state and federal leaders to shape HIV/AIDS policy.

"Ultimately, HIV isn’t bounded by geography or community or characteristic," Chen's partner adds. "It’s truly a societal issue, and APLA’s work reflects that."

Take Action

APLA's Government Affairs Division has created a series of video profiles of people with HIV/AIDS whose lives could be impacted by reductions in funding to state HIV/AIDS programs. (APLA client Richard is at right.) The videos are being sent to policy makers and their staffs in Sacramento in preparation for upcoming discussions about the $11 million in proposed funding cuts. You can watch them here.

The division has also begun an e-mail campaign about the new farm bill (H.R. 2419). There are key elements in both the House and Senate bills that are necessary to ensure food security and nutritional resources for all people who benefit from America's vast food programs -- including people living with HIV/AIDS. In the United States, there has been a 41 percent surge in prices for wheat, corn, rice and other cereals over the past six months. This will critically impact food programs serving people living with HIV/AIDS. Learn more by joining APLA's "In The Loop" action network.

Photo of the Month

On April 18, more than 250 women gathered at "Let's Get Fired Up," the second annual Los Angeles women's HIV/AIDS treatment summit. The event, which was hosted by APLA and community partners, featured an update on the latest HIV/AIDS treatment options for women; a candid examination of mental health challenges for women living with HIV/AIDS; and a dynamic discussion on community mobilization surrounding woman-specific advocacy, activism and policy change. The summit's planning committee is pictured above.

The Last Word