WORLD AIDS DAY, DECEMBER 1ST, 2006

This "Centerpieces" is dedicated to World AIDS Day. In recognition, I've invited Modesto Tico Valle, Center on Halsted's Deputy Executive Director to step in and share his thoughts in my stead. Tico has been an activist in AIDS/HIV issues for many years. At Center on Halsted, we're fortunate to have him as a member of our executive team, and proud to announce that he was honored this year at the 15th Annual HIV/STD Conference in Springfield, Illinois with a Red Ribbon Award. Tico was recognized for his dedicated work, advocating for equitable HIV/AIDS policies within communities and among elected officials. Tico, congratulations and thank you for your tireless work!

Introduction by Robbin Burr, Executive Director, Center on Halsted

Reflections of a Pandemic – AIDS

As we draw near to December 1 – World AIDS Day - I think it is useful to reflect on where we are and how we got here. It has been over two decades since we were blind-sided by the onslaught of AIDS. We were knocked off our feet not only by the awfulness of AIDS, but also by the response of our elected leaders and of society as a whole.

This response of our elected leaders did not reflect the heart of the Federal government that was established by our founding fathers and mothers. Nor did it reveal the soul of some of this nation’s citizens.

Our society as a whole, vigorously took the opportunity to demonstrate the virulence of its homophobia and the viciousness of its righteousness. And in doing so, society revealed in glaring clarity the usually hidden cancer that eats away at the very foundation of our culture, and reveals itself only when there emerges another group of “outsiders” to attach itself to.

The response, led by gays and lesbians and joined by all truly caring people, demonstrated the high levels of magnificence and effectiveness of which humans are capable. That response will remain a standard for all of history to look back on with admiration and awe.

But, as the course of the epidemic changes, so must our work. The organizations we created from nothing must change, and as we know only too well, change is never easy. We created organizations to feed people, to walk their dogs, to clean their apartments. We found homes for the homeless living with HIV. We tended the dying, comforted the grieving, we marched, we protested, we brought about change.

Gradually, we changed minds. Gradually we softened hard hearts and opened closed and indifferent eyes. We taught a nation a mighty lesson in how a community – already discriminated against – could take care of its own in the face of the horrors of AIDS. We changed the way our drug system worked. We changed the way communities organized around a disaster of unprecedented proportions.

Well, all these years later, the end of AIDS is not yet here by any measure.

Have we done what we came into being to do?

We created a lot of AIDS organizations because people were dying of AIDS. Do we now need to create new organizations, create new methodologies, create new partnerships, supporting the needs of the ever growing number of people who are living with AIDS?

What can we do to address the ravages of AIDS in communities of color?

But we – you and me – must not give up. We must be as crafty, if not craftier than the virus, in developing new ways to support our programs. We must be as savvy as any country lawyer ever was in finding new ways to work the system. We must not get complacent and comfortable because AIDS isn’t over.

Center on Halsted has remained steadfast in its mission to bring an end to AIDS. Since the founding of Horizons Youth Program in 1973 we have preached prevention, provided testing and counseling to thousands of young people who have traveled from the border of Indiana to the far north suburbs of Highland Park. We are committed. As catalyst, we established support groups and provided free professional counseling to those in need and provided the space and professional support for other organizations to be founded. We have remained committed.

Let no one say that AIDS is over. We can be encouraged by the bud of hope of ever more effective treatments. We are called to do more, give more, care more, as long as AIDS is among us. And it is.

Tico

Modesto Tico Valle
Deputy Executive Director
Center on Halsted

For updated Center on Halsted events go out www.centeronhalsted.org

 

 

 
 
World AIDS Day

Horizons Youth Program

World AIDS Day

December 1, 2006, Center on Halsted's Horizons Youth Program, Youth Pride Center and National Youth Advocacy Coalition will present "The Movement," a national World AIDS Day Event that aims to raise awareness amongst LGBTQA youth of color, in order to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. "The Movement" will include a Youth Summit, an LGBTQA Youth Resource Fair, a Talent Showcase and a dance. The event will begin at noon and run until 10:00 p. m. at 637 South Dearborn.

Planning for the event began in June when staff and youth from Horizons Youth Program were chosen to attend a leadership institute sponsored by the National Youth Advocacy Coalition (NYAC). An organization that organizes and advocates on behalf of LGBT youth across the country, NYAC brought representatives together from six organizations to teach leadership, organizational and collaboration skills. Organizations were charged to return home and plan a public forum on HIV/AIDS in tandem with other local groups.

Also represented at the NYAC institute was Youth Pride Center (YPC), the other major local contributor. Youth from both organizations will present workshops during the Youth Summit and will be responsible for organizing all aspects of the event. Leading up to the event is a poster contest; youth across the city have been asked to submit their artwork in response to the question, “How will I affect HIV?” - an attempt to turn the table on the older question, “How does HIV affect me?”

Also contributing to the event are the seven Americorps Members who help staff local organizations including the Horizons Youth Program, Chicago House and Social Service Agency, Haymarket Center and Children’s Memorial Hospital – Uptown Clinic. Funded by the National AIDS Fund and the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, the Americorps Members are bringing together various organizations to provide a resource fair and HIV testing during the event.

Following the resource fair, youth will perform in their talent showcase. Included will be the youth who have been working all fall on a performance piece at Horizons Youth Program through an After School Matters funded program. Well-known Chicago poet and performer Avery R. Young has guided these young people in creating a performance people will not want to miss. The event will end with a celebratory dinner and dance. Please e-mail Janine Denomme at jdenomme@centeronhalsted.org for more information.

Janine Denomme
Youth Program Director
Center on Halsted

Horizons Youth Program is open 3:00 – 8:00 pm Monday through Thursday, and Saturday, noon until 5:00.

Anti-Violence Project

HIV as a Tool of Abuse

The nature of HIV as a highly stigmatized disability makes it an especially effective tool of abuse. Additionally, HIV will create additional obstacles for the victim and may aggravate the consequences of such abuse. The realities of living with HIV infection may present significant barriers to leaving an abusive relationship and accessing necessary services.

In blaming the victim and his HIV status for the violence, the batterer projects onto his partner society’s negative attitudes about people living with HIV/AIDS. Batterers use blame as a justification for violenceincluding making physical, emotional, economic, or sexual threats, or threatening to abandon or neglect the person when he or she is sick.

A batterer may also use “AIDS- phobic control” where the disclosure (outing) or threat to disclose an individual’s HIV status to any person who could hurt the victim.

The realities of living with HIV infection may present significant barriers to leaving an abusive relationship and accessing necessary services. Most people with HIV and AIDS are also quite conscious of the fact that at some point in their lives they might need someone to physically take care of them. Also, in many instances even though an individual whom has HIV might be in an abusive relationship, they will acknowledge the abuse, but survivors frequently say, “ I don’t want to die alone”, or “ I know that it is bad but he is all I got”, or “ I’ll never meet anyone else”. This will only exacerbate STRESS which generally is regarded as a significant co-factor in HIV disease progression. It is also clear that living in an abusive situation also creates tremendous amounts of stress.

Making a direct link between abuse and decline in health can be an excellent tool for assisting a client in seeing the importance of safety and self-protection. The Center on Halsted Anti-Violence Project recognizes the barriers that a victim of LGBTH violence faces and will work with the victim at their comfort level, walking them through the system, accompanying them every step of the way.

If you or someone you know is the victim of LGBTH discrimination, domestic violence, hate crime, pick-up crime, police misconduct or sexual assault please call the Anti-Violence Project 24-hour crisis line at 773-871-CARE (2273).

Laura Velazquez
AVP Manager
Center on Halsted

Mental Health Services

World AIDS Day

“Many people have truly come back from the dead and are, viscerally and without qualification, hopeful. But this truth cannot erase the reality that people are still dying from AIDS, and that new people are still becoming infected. Nor can it blot from memory those who have died. . . What is amazing, miraculous, and consistently inspirational to me is that in the midst of all this, people manage to construct belief systems that include hope at the core. The ability to maintain hope even in the depths of the most dire situations is one of the most astounding and uplifting--ultimately hopeful--aspects of the human psyche. . .” Michael Shernoff, Psychotherapist and Author, 1997

World AIDS Day is an opportunity to take stock of the epidemic, remember those lost to us and renew the energy necessary to keep fighting this disease. It is now 25 years since the initial handful of AIDS cases appeared among New York City’s gay male community. As a social worker who “came of age” in the 1980s, I witnessed the devastation of AIDS first hand—both privately and professionally. I also witnessed a rebirth of hope in the 1990s with the introduction of more effective medications and their dramatic impact on the health and longevity of persons living with AIDS.

Sadly, I am now witnessing indifference to the disease by institutions eager to classify AIDS as a “manageable” illness like diabetes or high blood pressure. All things being equal, I would agree. However, this assumption is based on the false premise that AIDS is the only thing being “managed.” In fact, research has shown there is a high correlation between HIV, substance abuse and mental illness. A typical AIDS case in 2006 involves a client with multiple presenting issues—not to mention other chronic health problems. While there is reason to rejoice that AIDS is not the death sentence it was 20 years ago, it is equally important to emphasize that there is still no cure for AIDS and it remains a serious medical condition. Having worked with hundreds of homeless individuals barely able to maintain their daily survival much less a complicated medication regimen, “manageable” is an option reserved for the privileged few.

I am concerned about the implications of this sort of minimization: what does this mean for gay youth who may buy into these reassuring messages and engage in high-risk behaviors that they erroneously believe carry no consequence for their future? What does this mean for older gay men exhausted by pervasive homophobia, scary prevention messages and “condom fatigue” who may embrace the virus and its transmission as their inevitable destiny? What does this mean for HIV+ persons struggling with medication adherence, quality of life concerns, disclosure issues, as well ever-dwindling resources? These are the types of dilemmas that the mental health staff here faces every day.

As mental health professionals, we have a responsibility to our HIV+ clients in attending to the whole person. Studies prove that it is no longer effective to segregate interventions by role (“this is the case manager’s job” or “that is the doctor’s role.”) Every provider involved in the life of an HIV+ person must work in unison to promote a unified message of wellness, adherence and prevention. A holistic approach, incorporating mental, physical, emotional and spiritual care, is necessary for optimal functioning. Without it, our clients are at risk for many things—including “super infection,” the potentially catastrophic acquisition of more than one strain of HIV.

J. Buzz von Ornsteiner, Ph.D., a New York State-licensed psychologist and author of the “Psychologically Speaking” column in Body Positive Magazine, recommends that HIV+ individuals do 10 things to establish a comprehensive wellness plan:

  • Build a strong, supportive, trusting relationship with an HIV/AIDS doctor
  • Develop consistent contact with a health care case manager
  • Join an HIV/AIDS support group
  • Get a psychotherapist
  • Attend workshops or other HIV/AIDS events to stay on top of new developments
  • Stay informed about your HIV/AIDS medications
  • Address any substance use issues you may have
  • Exercise regularly and maintain good nutrition
  • Work if you can to benefit from the fulfillment that employment provides
  • Seek a sense of self outside of HIV/AIDS: start a hobby, travel, volunteer, etc.

With its wide range of programs and services, Center on Halsted is uniquely poised to help HIV+ clients and their allies in developing such a plan. The Mental Health Program currently offers a free support group for HIV+ men ages 24-30 (Poz 20’s Group) and will shortly announce several new support groups for HIV+ individuals forming this winter. We also receive funding from the Chicago Department of Public Health to make mental health services available to qualified individuals with HIV at no cost. In addition, we offer grief support groups for those impacted by loss. Finally, social, recreational, educational, legal and wellness services are available through a number of other Center programs, including Community and Cultural Programs, Horizons Youth Program and Just4Adults. These resources can be invaluable to relieve and counter stress—a crucial component of coping with any illness.

We recognize the toll the disease takes not only on those who serve as caregivers to the infected but the power of anti-gay rhetoric for those attempting to stay negative. With its mission to ameliorate the corrosive effects of systemic homophobia through gay affirming services, Center on Halsted is proud to serve those living with HIV, those working to protect their best interests and those committed to staying negative through proactive self-care.

Please call our Client Services Coordinator at (773) 472-6469 x261 to explore ways that our Mental Health Program can be helpful to you. As an organization, we heeded the call to arms in the early days of the disease and we remain dedicated to helping those impacted by HIV/AIDS. On this, the 25th anniversary of the entry of HIV/AIDS into our collective psyche, let us take time to honor our dead, celebrate our hard work and accomplishments, rage against institutional apathy and rededicate ourselves to making it through “the long haul.” The work goes on . . .

Jason T. McVicker, LCSW, RDDP
Director of Mental Health Services
Center on Halsted

State of Illinois AIDS/HIV & STD Hotline

World AIDS Day

While we celebrate the incredible medical advances made in testing and treatment, the fight to protect people from the spread of HIV is as imperative now as it was 25 years ago. The statistics below highlight the need for a place where people from all over the state can get information and support regarding AIDS/HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). As the population of those impacted by HIV and AIDS becomes more diverse, well-researched and culturally sensitive information must be easily accessible.

The State of Illinois AIDS/HIV & STD Hotline is the first point of contact for thousands of people each year who are seeking reliable help. Every day we answer callers’ questions regarding HIV/STD transmission and symptoms and free or low cost testing locations. In a non-judgmental and compassionate way, our Spanish/English speaking resource counselors help callers assess risk, interpret conflicting information, or just talk about topics or concerns that can be difficult to address face to face.

If you have questions about Sexually Transmitted Diseases, need a testing location near you, or would like a referral to a social service or health care agency that cares for AIDS/HIV or STD impacted people, call the free and anonymous State of Illinois AIDS/HIV & STD Hotline at 1-800-243-2437 • 1-800-782-0423 (TTY). You may also visit our online searchable resource database by visiting www.centeronhalsted.org and clicking on the magnifying glass icon.  

Illinois Statistics

  • The majority of HIV cases in Illinois are disproportionately found in men who have sex with men.
  • Injection drug use is the second leading mode of HIV transmission.
  • 68% of women living with HIV in Illinois are African American.

Chicago Statistics

  • In Chicago as of 2004, African Americans accounted for 55% of people diagnosed with HIV, Whites were 25%, and Hispanics were 15% of the total cases.
  • 26% of HIV diagnoses were female, 74% were male.
  • An estimated 7,000 residents of Chicago are HIV+ but do not know it.
  • Metropolitan Chicago has the 4th largest population of people living with HIV/AIDS among U.S. cities.

Jill Dispenza
Hotline Manager
Center on Halsted

 

Community & Cultural Programs

Recommendations for World AIDS Day

The city is alive with Community & Cultural Activities that commemorate World AIDS Day and we encourage you to read about the pandemic, visit art exhibitions around the city, and listen to the voices of those who are touched by this disease. The Community & Cultural Program recommends:

CenterPages

AND THE BAND PLAYED ON

In recognition of the 25 th Anniversary of HIV/AIDS, Center on Halsted has placed And The Band Played On by Randy Shilts on its new recommended reading list CenterPages . Currently, you can see displays for CenterPages in the Lincoln Park and Uptown Borders Bookstores. The book can also be found at many local independent bookstores.

Michael McColly



Please join us for a book reading and signing with Michael McColly. This event is co-sponsored by The Ragdale Foundation, Center on Halsted, and Guild Literary Complex.

Journey into Spiritual Activism: Story and Images of Two Artists in Vietnam with Michael McColly, author of The After Death Room: Journey Into Spiritual Activism

Free of charge and all ages welcome. Be advised there is adult content.

[DOWNLOAD PDF FLYER]

Start: Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2006 7:00 PM
End: Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2006 9:00 PM
Location: Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Street

COLUMBIA COLLEGE EVENTS

Youth World AIDS Day Activities – November 30

 Essay Slam – 31 E Balbo – 3pm & Doors Performance – 8pm

World AIDS Day – December 1

Awareness Expo – Hokin Annex, 731 S Plymouth

Dan Savage Open Discussion: Can Art Save Lives – Conaway Center – 2 pm to 3:30 pm

HIV Rapid Testing ( Columbia College Students Only) – 1104 S Wabash – 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus Presentation & Programming – Conaway Center – 6 pm to 7:30 pm

Picturing Hope Reception and Dinner – Hokin Annex & Gallery – 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm

[ DOWNLOAD COLUMBIA COLLEGE WORLD AIDS DAY PDF EVENTS FLYER - 4MB]