Afterhours Networking Event Schedule Event Announces
After successfully launching its Afterhours Networking event last week, the Board of Directors of The Living Affected Corporation has announced it's tentative schedule for the events. Board member Davaron Anderson stated, " we didn't know how well it would go, but we felt that it was a success and seemed to be something that would allow us to engage the community socially while sharing our vision and mission." He continued, " hopefully as these events develop, it is our goal to seek additional board prospects, donors, and volunteers to share in our work." Anderson concluded, " we all are excited about the possibilities and opportunities to reach out to interested individuals and other organizations." The proposed dates are as follows: September 5, October 3, November 7, December 5.
10 Years and the Dialogue Continues” – HIV Prevention as Social Justice for Black Gay Men/MSM 2013 and Beyond
The only National conference for and by Black gay men, the 2013 National African American MSM Leadership Conference on HIV/AIDS and other Health Disparities will be held in Los Angeles, CA from January 17– 20, 2013. Staff members of The Living Affected Corporation have expressed interest in attending this important and one of kind leadership building and networking event. In press releases, organizers have shared that they are looking forward to another large turn out with the help of the residents, government officials and the host committee of Los Angeles. The conference theme, 10 Years and the Dialogue Continues” – HIV Prevention as Social Justice for Black Gay Men/MSM 2013 and Beyond reflects the renewed sense of unity and commitment to an end of HIV. NASEM Founder and CEO, Rudolph Carn stated that "there is strength in our diversity and we have seen that we, as a community are a powerful force to be reckoned with."
Also included in the event will be the introduction of the fifth Creating Responsible Intelligent Black Brothers (CRIBB) Fellowship participants. Plus a new first time conference partners, UCLA Health and, Hope & Healing (H3) conference. The H3 conference will take place the day before the 2013 conference starts.
Its purpose is to:
1) explore the current research, examining the intersection of behavioral, psychological, socio-cultural, and biomedical risk factors contributing to the HIV epidemic, as well as protective and resiliency factors among Black MSM
2) Develop and sustain local and national relationships between current and aspiring investigators, and community based participatory research collaborative to advance research and training aimed at reducing HIV among Black MSM
3) Generate reports, monographs and manuscripts that document key issues and provide recommendations for future research, programs and funding opportunities.
You can discover conference information by visiting: www.naesm.org for additional information about the conference or call (404) 691-8880. If you are you interested assisting staff members with attending the conference through donations call 501.379.8203 or www.lacorponoline.org
Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic Black gay men have been dying quietly with nobody to call. Black gay men were shunned by their families and friends for living with AIDS. It was the shattering stories of how toxic the meds were and that the medical professionals and healthcare providers did not fully understand the disease. Here we are two decades later. Black gay men are still dying and becoming infected at alarming rates. We must ask ourselves, “What have we learned?”
Many of us felt the need to go further than asking health officials for answers. We made ourselves a part of the solution. We rolled up our sleeves and began to fight HIV/AIDS. We felt that Black gay men were better prepared to help Black gay men than any ethnic group or gender. No one knew the depth and breath of Black gay men’s feelings better than men who had walked the same path and faced the same obstacles and rejection. We were brothers by more than genes and physical characteristics. We were brothers because the spirits of brothers who led the fight two decades ago connected our souls. We promised them we would not give up nor would we give in to the pressures inside or outside.
What have we learned as Black gay men? I believe some of us have gotten stronger and wiser in the fight against the epidemic of HIV/AIDS. We learned from our past. We know now that some of the choices needed to change if we were going to remain uninfected or live a strong and healthy life with HIV/AIDS.
We learned that we needed to educate and re-educate brothers about their long term choices. We had to lead by example whether we wanted to or not. We had to show some brothers the difference one day could make. It could make the difference between putting on a condom and taking twenty pills a day.
I wish I could say we learned to fight the system without fighting each other. We could have all done better. We sometimes allowed our passion to overshadow our need to get along with each other. In my younger days, I was outspoken and sometimes arrogant at any cost. I didn’t weigh the consequences. I pushed my way through the red tape to get around the obstacles because brothers were dying. I felt I was racing against the windstorm. When I look back and when you look back, we all must examine the sole purpose of the organizations that we gave birth to. Did we create these agencies in the spirit of love or in the spirit of competition? We know by experience that the AIDS Service community is competitive and sometimes cutthroat. But let us not forget that
the true mission is not the castles we build here on earth but the brothers we save and protect from HIV/AIDS. Whether we feel the urge that we are racing against a clock or sick and tired of the statistics going up and going down and up again. There is still a need to treat each other with love, respect and dignity.
There is an African proverb that says, “When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.” In my own words, when Black gay men unite, we can overcome the odds. We can overcome the dissension that overshadows our voices in a room. We can rise above the criticism that lingers in the air. We can even run faster if we learn to pass the baton of leadership to brothers whose legs are stronger and muscles are bigger. The baton could be technical assistance to the ASO with only two staff and no money. I remember those days when I wondered how I was going to make payroll. Those days were not easy. They caused sleepless nights and fatigue. On a positive note, the rough spots make us ready for the bend in the road. Most of us face the unknown, every year when we race against the clock to submit grants and continuation applications. We know that our agencies cannot remain effective if we lose major funding. So, we ready ourselves for the next bend in the road. Sometimes, we have to wait for the answer and for the next leader to be prepared.
The cure for AIDS may come long after my life and your life. But the fact still remains, we hope for a cure for AIDS. When it is all said and done, we want to leave a legacy that says, “Black gay men united and their voices and deeds crippled the affects of HIV/AIDS. They stood ready for a cure and ready to continue the fight.”
After successfully launching its Afterhours Networking event last week, the Board of Directors of The Living Affected Corporation has announced it's tentative schedule for the events. Board member Davaron Anderson stated, " we didn't know how well it would go, but we felt that it was a success and seemed to be something that would allow us to engage the community socially while sharing our vision and mission." He continued, " hopefully as these events develop, it is our goal to seek additional board prospects, donors, and volunteers to share in our work." Anderson concluded, " we all are excited about the possibilities and opportunities to reach out to interested individuals and other organizations." The proposed dates are as follows: September 5, October 3, November 7, December 5.
10 Years and the Dialogue Continues” – HIV Prevention as Social Justice for Black Gay Men/MSM 2013 and Beyond
The only National conference for and by Black gay men, the 2013 National African American MSM Leadership Conference on HIV/AIDS and other Health Disparities will be held in Los Angeles, CA from January 17– 20, 2013. Staff members of The Living Affected Corporation have expressed interest in attending this important and one of kind leadership building and networking event. In press releases, organizers have shared that they are looking forward to another large turn out with the help of the residents, government officials and the host committee of Los Angeles. The conference theme, 10 Years and the Dialogue Continues” – HIV Prevention as Social Justice for Black Gay Men/MSM 2013 and Beyond reflects the renewed sense of unity and commitment to an end of HIV. NASEM Founder and CEO, Rudolph Carn stated that "there is strength in our diversity and we have seen that we, as a community are a powerful force to be reckoned with."
Also included in the event will be the introduction of the fifth Creating Responsible Intelligent Black Brothers (CRIBB) Fellowship participants. Plus a new first time conference partners, UCLA Health and, Hope & Healing (H3) conference. The H3 conference will take place the day before the 2013 conference starts.
Its purpose is to:
1) explore the current research, examining the intersection of behavioral, psychological, socio-cultural, and biomedical risk factors contributing to the HIV epidemic, as well as protective and resiliency factors among Black MSM
2) Develop and sustain local and national relationships between current and aspiring investigators, and community based participatory research collaborative to advance research and training aimed at reducing HIV among Black MSM
3) Generate reports, monographs and manuscripts that document key issues and provide recommendations for future research, programs and funding opportunities.
You can discover conference information by visiting: www.naesm.org for additional information about the conference or call (404) 691-8880. If you are you interested assisting staff members with attending the conference through donations call 501.379.8203 or www.lacorponoline.org
What Have We Learned As Black Gay Men?
By Rudolph H. Carn, Founder and CEO – NAESMSince the beginning of the AIDS epidemic Black gay men have been dying quietly with nobody to call. Black gay men were shunned by their families and friends for living with AIDS. It was the shattering stories of how toxic the meds were and that the medical professionals and healthcare providers did not fully understand the disease. Here we are two decades later. Black gay men are still dying and becoming infected at alarming rates. We must ask ourselves, “What have we learned?”Many of us felt the need to go further than asking health officials for answers. We made ourselves a part of the solution. We rolled up our sleeves and began to fight HIV/AIDS. We felt that Black gay men were better prepared to help Black gay men than any ethnic group or gender. No one knew the depth and breath of Black gay men’s feelings better than men who had walked the same path and faced the same obstacles and rejection. We were brothers by more than genes and physical characteristics. We were brothers because the spirits of brothers who led the fight two decades ago connected our souls. We promised them we would not give up nor would we give in to the pressures inside or outside.
What have we learned as Black gay men? I believe some of us have gotten stronger and wiser in the fight against the epidemic of HIV/AIDS. We learned from our past. We know now that some of the choices needed to change if we were going to remain uninfected or live a strong and healthy life with HIV/AIDS.
We learned that we needed to educate and re-educate brothers about their long term choices. We had to lead by example whether we wanted to or not. We had to show some brothers the difference one day could make. It could make the difference between putting on a condom and taking twenty pills a day.
I wish I could say we learned to fight the system without fighting each other. We could have all done better. We sometimes allowed our passion to overshadow our need to get along with each other. In my younger days, I was outspoken and sometimes arrogant at any cost. I didn’t weigh the consequences. I pushed my way through the red tape to get around the obstacles because brothers were dying. I felt I was racing against the windstorm. When I look back and when you look back, we all must examine the sole purpose of the organizations that we gave birth to. Did we create these agencies in the spirit of love or in the spirit of competition? We know by experience that the AIDS Service community is competitive and sometimes cutthroat. But let us not forget that
the true mission is not the castles we build here on earth but the brothers we save and protect from HIV/AIDS. Whether we feel the urge that we are racing against a clock or sick and tired of the statistics going up and going down and up again. There is still a need to treat each other with love, respect and dignity.
There is an African proverb that says, “When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.” In my own words, when Black gay men unite, we can overcome the odds. We can overcome the dissension that overshadows our voices in a room. We can rise above the criticism that lingers in the air. We can even run faster if we learn to pass the baton of leadership to brothers whose legs are stronger and muscles are bigger. The baton could be technical assistance to the ASO with only two staff and no money. I remember those days when I wondered how I was going to make payroll. Those days were not easy. They caused sleepless nights and fatigue. On a positive note, the rough spots make us ready for the bend in the road. Most of us face the unknown, every year when we race against the clock to submit grants and continuation applications. We know that our agencies cannot remain effective if we lose major funding. So, we ready ourselves for the next bend in the road. Sometimes, we have to wait for the answer and for the next leader to be prepared.
The cure for AIDS may come long after my life and your life. But the fact still remains, we hope for a cure for AIDS. When it is all said and done, we want to leave a legacy that says, “Black gay men united and their voices and deeds crippled the affects of HIV/AIDS. They stood ready for a cure and ready to continue the fight.”
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