by abryant

HIV Prevention, Barriers, and Latinx Communities

 

In 2018, 27 percent of the 37,968 new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. were among Hispanics/Latinos.

The prevalence of HIV is a threat to Latinx communities that frequently gets swept under the rug due to the stigma surrounding HIV. 1 in 6 Latinx folks with HIV do not know that they have the virus. This generates a dangerous cycle where individuals who are unaware of their status unknowingly transmit HIV to other people. When a person is unaware of their HIV status then they cannot take the proper preventative or treatment methods. 

Most new HIV diagnoses among Hispanics/Latinos were among gay and bisexual men. “Machismo” which is the strong or aggressive masculine pride, is very present in Hispanic/Latino culture. This culture creates a barrier for individuals to acknowledge the risky behaviors that they may be participating in such as male-to-male sexual contact or substance abuse.

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by abryant

How Far We’ve Come: Coming Out Day ’21

As we honor this year’s National Coming Out Day, October 11th,  let us not forget what it has taken for us to come this far.

In 1966 there was the Compton Cafeteria Riots.  Transgender women stood up against police brutality and discrimination in the San Francisco Tenderloin District.  Today, the Tenderloin District is home to the first and only legally recognized transgender district in the world.

In 1969, while people were sharing love in the countryside of New York, down in the city the Stonewall Riots were happening.  LGBT people were fighting the police for their lives, respect, and dignity.  The nation caught on, sparking liberty marches that have led to the PRIDE Day parades we celebrate today.

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by abryant

Absentee Voting and the November 2nd Municipal Elections

With the procedural changes in Georgia’s recent election law, Georgians may be unsure of what voting looks like this year versus last year. Especially regarding absentee ballots, as they were such a pivotal tool in last year’s election and hold strong interest due to the ongoing COVID pandemic. 

Georgia runs under a Request-Required, Mail-In Ballot absentee ballot system. This means the VOTER MUST MAKE THE REQUEST for an absentee ballot. The absentee ballot will not be sent to the voter otherwise.

 

For this upcoming election on November 2nd, you must have been registered to vote prior to October 4th. 

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by abryant

Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Wrap-up

In 2019, the Southern AIDS Coalition, a nonprofit organization that aims to end the HIV and STI epidemics in the South by promoting accessible and high-quality systems of [HIV and STI] prevention, treatment, care, housing, and essential support services, along with its many partners, Georgia Equality included, introduced the first Southern HIV & AIDS Awareness Day on August 20, 2019. In 2020, the Center for Disease Control recognized SHAAD as a National Awareness Day.

Why the South? Georgia Equality’s Ending the Epidemic Fellow, Taylor Brown, explains in his recent article published in Project Q: “Georgia had the highest rate of new HIV diagnoses and the fourth highest total number of diagnoses in the United States in 2019, according to the CDC’s most recent HIV Surveillance Report. That same year, the Georgia Department of Public Health cited 2,504 newly diagnosed individuals, bringing the total number of Georgians living with HIV to 56,000.”

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by abryant

Voting and Georgia’s New Policies

It’s time to vote again! Although there are no statewide elections this year, there are still  municipal positions to be filled this November. Voter registration is taking place in various parts of the county, but there are some noticeable and controversial changes to the process.

If you want to vote absentee but have not requested your absentee ballot yet, it may be too late.  Georgia’s new law requires all requests for absentee ballots to be provided only as far out as three months.  NO government entity will mail you a ballot unless YOU request one.  And make sure you have enough time to mail the ballot in.  There will be a reduced number of district voting ballot-boxes available.

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