6 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE November 30, 2007
Mu Crew works to head off a second wave of infections
by Andrew Hyde
Dayton-The Mu Crew, a group of young gay, bisexual and questioning men, has begun working to mobilize their community to change current trends in the health and stability of their peers. The group is creating unique campaigns aimed at increasing awareness of serious issues affecting gay men, especially HIV.
The majority of recent diagnoses in Dayton have been young gay men, the youngest being only 17 years old.
Statistics show that gay men also have higher occurrences of drug abuse, low self esteem, suicide attempts, and HIV and other sexually transmitted disease rates than those in the general population.
The Mu Crew, an outreach and prevention program of AIDS Resource Center Ohio, was the state's first program based upon the Mpowerment model developed at the University of California's Center for AIDS Prevention Studies. The Dayton group, now three years old, will involve more than 400 participants this year from all walks of life, including college students.
The project shows young men that it is time to stand up and realize that they are in control of their health and that of the gay community. Program activities included emphases on self-acceptance, drug-free activities, knowing one's HIV-status, safer sex, and other aspects of a healthier lifestyle.
The group is hoping to remind the younger generation of the effects of AIDS in the 1980s and '90s. In recent years, HIV cases have increased 47% among 20-24 year old gay men. This increase suggests gay men in their 20s are undergoing a "second wave" of the U.S. AIDS epidemic.
Internet porn is finding its way back to "bare-backing" and the once-prevalent HIV prevention messages to young guys are disappearing. It would appear the community is making some of the same mistakes again.
An October retreat is one example both of
the program's success and how it involves its members. For an entire weekend, nearly 60 participants spent three days together focusing on a variety of activities that reinforced overall health and personal and interpersonal well-being. Speakers led skillbuilding exercises and discussions on HIV transmission, substance abuse, healthy relationships, and other topics.
Gregory, one of the group's participants, wrote to express his gratitude for the program.
"The empowerment of young gay men will lead to HIV prevention. I am absolutely convinced that, had there been no Mu Crew,
I would be HIV-positive at this point,” he wrote. "The Mu Crew has steered me to a different path of making right choices and living a happier and healthier life. For that, I am eternally grateful."
For its success, the local program has received national recognition and is serving as a model for programs elsewhere. The Mu Crew-which targets young men ages 18 to 29-meets regularly for social events such as trips and sporting events, for peer education training, and the October educational retreat. All activities occur in a drugand alcohol-free, supportive environment. HIV prevention messages are woven
Life is not a fairy tale
by Jemall Stuart
"Little precious has a natural obsession for temptation that he just can't see. She gives him loving that his body can't handle, but all he can say is baby it's good to me. One day he goes and he takes a glimpse in the mirror but he doesn't recognize his own face. His health is fading and he doesn't know why, three letters took him to his final resting place... y'all don't feel me."
When I first heard TLC's "Waterfalls," I instantly fell in love with the second verse of the song, not knowing the message behind it. I always got a chill, thinking to myself, "What made this girl up and kill this boy?”
But now as I listen to it, I fully understand the true meaning behind "Waterfalls." The epidemic has increased a lot since the song was released over 13 years ago, meaning we have to gain more knowledge about this vicious epidemic.
When I say "we," I'm talking everyone, especially the LGBTQ community, because the majority of the gay community is lacking knowledge about HIV and AIDS. Not knowing that "we" are putting ourselves at higher risk of being the new statistic. Ohio is one the states that has
a high rate of infection and again, it's because we
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lack knowledge and sources.
I think since some people are not as educated about HIV/AIDS, they should have more facilities where they do workshops and more places people could go to in order to have a chance to see that the epidemic is nothing to play with.
Before I knew anything about the Beyond Identities Community Center, I can honestly say that I was engaging in risky behaviors and that's because I was ignorant to the fact that my life could have been in danger. I had some type of knowledge about AIDS, but I felt that if someone didn't look like they had it, then they probably don't have it. But now that I am more mature and have more knowledge, I know better.
When I started working for BICC, I thought back on all the things that I used to do, and then I said to myself, "I could have been a victim of the game, but instead I had a chance to start over and I won."
As I look at some of my peers, a lot of them are commercial sex workers and don't know that they are engaging in risky activities. A lot of people younger than myself are HIV-positive and don't know they are, or if they do they don't know who passed it to them.
A lot of gay youth drop out of school, but why?
Two-faced lover
This stark drawing was created by a young artist from the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland's Beyond Identities Community Center for the World AIDS Day issue. Artist Lafayette T., a Cleveland native, explains:
"The inspiration behind this drawing is the fact that many people let the physical qualities of someone blind them to the hazards of not practicing safe sex. It captures the urgency in recognizing all of the secrets that your sexual partner may be hiding because of fear, or simply because they don't care.”
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throughout the curriculum along with ways to encourage mental and physical health.
The Dayton program is so successful that ARC Ohio is now initiating MPowerment activities for Northwest Ohio through its Toledo office. Funding for the Toledo region program will come from United Way of Greater Toledo and the Toledo Community Foundation.
For more information, call 937-461-2437 visit www.arcohio.org www.TheMuCrew.com.
or
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Andrew Hyde is the MPowerment coordinator for the AIDS Resource Center Ohio.
Gay and lesbian students often feel invisible in their schools. Their invisibility is typically reinforced by heterosexism in their environment, which causes gay and lesbian young people to feel invisible, unsupported and isolated.
When I was 15, I dropped out of school for a couple of reasons. I felt as if I were just another statistic and everything the heterosexual youth were saying was true. I was going through depression a lot and I didn't feel comfortable around the straight youth. I was kind of struggling with my sexuality along with dealing with other personal issues.
As of now, I took all the negative and made it my motive to show those who tried to put me down that I am going to make it and succeed in life, and to this I day I am making it and succeeding in life!
"Don't go chasing waterfalls, please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to. I know that you're gonna have it your way or nothing at all, but I think you're moving too fast."
Jemall Stuart is a former staff member of the Beyond Identities Community Center, a youth drop-in program of the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland.
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