AEGiS-BAYW: ConConference targets HIV in communities of colorference targets HIV in communities of color

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

ConConference targets HIV in communities of colorference targets HIV in communities of color

Bay Windows - August 25, 2005
Laura Kiritsy, lkiritsy@baywindows.com.

The Boston AIDS Consortium will hold a conference Sept. 15 and 16 focusing on the epidemic within communities of color, and several workshops throughout the conference will focus on LGBT people of color. Parita Patel, the conference coordinator, said the conference would bring HIV/AIDS service providers and consumers to the table to pool their ideas about how to confront the rising rates of HIV infection in communities of color.

"I think it's going to be a great opportunity for consumers and policy makers and advocates to come together and share their policy and expertise," said Patel, who said she expects about 300 attendees from all across the state.

The conference activities are divided into five separate tracks, each focused on one subpopulation: LGBT people, immigrants and refugees, men, women, and faith-based communities. Attendees can use the tracks to choose panels and discussions that match their interests.

The first day of the conference will focus on education about the impact of HIV in the five targeted communities, and the second day will feature workshops on the politics and policies around HIV/AIDS in communities of color, as well as on organizational capacity building. The conference will end with a speak out session, in which attendees will have the chance to voice their own perspectives on how best to tackle the issues at hand.

The conference is co-sponsored by other local organizations that have been on the front lines tackling HIV/AIDS among LGBT communities of color, including the Multicultural AIDS Coalition, Boston Gay and Lesbian Adolescent Social Services (GLASS), and the Latin American Health Institute, as well as the Boston Public Health Commission and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

The registration deadline for the conference is Sept. 2. To attend, visit www.bacboston.org/conference2005 to download a mail-in registration form or call 617-867-0144 x21 for more information.

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