November 30, 2001 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE
New Taskforce campaign has provocative billboards
by Judy Price
:
Cleveland The AIDS Taskforce of Cleveland announced that it has launched a major, multi-year effort to counteract increases in HIV infection among men. who have sex with men in the Cleveland area.
The effort includes a billboard campaign, a social marketing project in gay bars and businesses, and a five-year peer education program designed to reduce HIV among young Latino and African American men
'The silence around black gay identity in Cleveland has frustrated efforts to reach those at risk of HIV.
who have sex with men. These initiatives are funded by grants from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the City of Cleveland Department of Public Health.
In June of this year, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that nearly 70% of men living with HIV or AIDS in Cuyahoga County became infected as a result of having unprotected sex with other men, and that about 60% of African American men with HIV in Ohio became infected as a result of having sex with other men.
A June, 2001 CDC report also indicated a need to respond to a new wave of HIV infection. In a national multi-site survey of men in their 20s who have sex with other men, the report found an HIV rate of 14%, or one out of seven, among Latinos; and an HIV rate of 32%, or one of three, among African Ameri-
cans,
"There has been growing concern over the course of the year that young African American and Latino gay and bisexual men are not getting the prevention messages and services they need and deserve to stay healthy," said Earl Pike, executive director of the AIDS Taskforce. "The CDC report in June was particularly alarming: literally, it found an HIV infection rate among young African American gay and bisexual men that was higher than the HIV infection rate in South Africa. This initiative responds to a clear need for expanded programming."
A key element of peer education initiative
is a partnership between the Taskforce and BlackOut Unlimited, northeast Ohio's largest organization serving African, American gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.
"BlackOut has, over the last several years, achieved significant success in providing health-enhancing programming for the community," said Derek Barnett, BlackOut president. "This partnership will allow us to increase that programming in order to reduce HIV infection among African American gay, bisexual, and transgender youth."
"The silence around black gay identity in Cleveland has frustrated efforts to reach those at risk of HIV," said Robert Burns, coordinator of the Brother2 Brother program at the AIDS Task force. Burns and others were highlighted in a recent feature article on black gay identity in the Cleveland weekly Scene. "The new initiative will help end the silence."
The billboard and social marketing campaign targets both younger gay and bisexual men who have come to believe that "a cure is just around the corner," and older gay and bisexual men who are experiencing, after 20 years of the epidemic, "AIDS fatigue."
The campaign will include a series of images designed by local gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender artists, to be posted on billboards and distributed on postcardsized handouts to be distributed at gay bars and businesses. The message-to practice safer sex-is supported by the campaign tagline: Express Yourself, Protect Yourself. In addition, the AIDS Taskforce has set up
a special telephone line that will allow callers to request free safer sex kits for pick-up or confidential mail delivery.
John Chaich, project coordinator for the social marketing campaign, expects the images to raise some eyebrows.
"Our concern is getting out a message that will capture the attention of gay, bisexual, and transgender men," he said. "Our first billboard will show a man's naked torso. While staying within broad community standards, it's definitely eye-catching, dramatic. While there may be some who think it too provocative, we're taking a public health approach: We need to stop a virus."
The first billboard will be unveiled shortly after World AIDS Day, December 1. Afterwards, a series of nine additional billboards. each designed by a different artist, will be unveiled over the next year at various locations in Cleveland.
Judy Price is the director of corporate and media relations.
Dinner, prayer service to mark Trumbull AIDS Day
Warren, Ohio-Last year, 125 people joined together on World AIDS Day for a unique commemoration. The annual international observance of World AIDS Day is Saturday, December 1. The Trumbull County AIDS Task Force will sponsor its 11th annual observance of this event in two ways this year.
First, a dinner will be held at Mollica's Banquet Center in Niles on Saturday. At 5:30, a BYOB social hour will occur; soft drinks will be provided.
At 6:30, a full dinner will be served, including a selection of desserts and coffee and tea. Following the dinner, a guest speaker will lead a brief program, which will then be followed by various fund raising events.
Tickets may be purchased at the door for $25. Mollica's Banquet Center is located at 123 N. Main Street in Niles.
For more information, call 330856-3902 or 330-372-7181.
On Sunday, December 2, there will be a prayer healing service open to members of all faiths. The service will start at 7:00 pm, and will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, 3654 North Main Street (Ohio 46), in Mineral Ridge. The church's phone number is 330-652-5712-01-197 The Trumbull County Area AIDS Task
Force can be reached by calling 330399-2437, or send letters to P.O. Box 1638, Warren Ohio 44482-1638.
Be the flower.
V2W.
10431 Clifton Blvd. Cleveland, OH 44102 iel 216.631.1441 Jax 216.634.8364
♡
Keith Haring
Felix Gonzalez-Torres
Robert Mapplethorpe
David Wojnarowicz
ALL GAY MALE ARTISTS
who have exhibited at the Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art
ALL GAY MALE ARTISTS
who have died from
AIDS
Through December 30th, the Center continues the message
of World AIDS Day with the energetic video,
Frame by Frame Fierce
On view in the Center Cafe, this video features a series of four animated HIV/AIDS spots developed by New York's Visual AIDS through workshops with a diverse group of teens and young adults including gay, bisexual, transgendered, HIV infected and affected, African-American, white and Latino youth. Please join us.
Cleveland Center for Contemporary Art Second floor of the Cleveland Play House Complex 8501 Carnegie Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44106 ww.contemporaryart.org
(216) 421-8671 Tues-Sun 11am 6pm
Thursdays 11a