Staying in the Fight to Empower and Educate.

The Living Affected Corporation: Transforming Communities across Arkansas

By Cornelius Mabin, Jr. Chief Operating Officer

“We are the statewide organization that is informed and connected to change the social construct of the community we serve by improving basic human rights,” is the bold and visionary stance of The Living Affected Corporation as it prepares to commemorate World AIDS Day 2013 and its fifth year of local programming throughout Arkansas. 

 Commonly known as “LA Corp,” the organization believes that its Mission Statement of “Transforming communities  by providing, education and advocacy,” especially around HIV and AIDS has been vital in its efforts of being entrenched in the fight around this health dilemma, ultimately seeking to channel all of it energies into creating a Well-Being Institute that will effectively increase holistic living in the LGBTQ community and beyond.

Since our 2007 inception, as an agency I can witness that we have persevered through relentless obstacles, barriers and dynamic challenges that have threaten our existence. Yet through those excruciating experiences and growing pains, the agency has survived.

 Unfortunately I, as well as this entity has encountered numerous attacks both professionally and personally. Nevertheless, it has always been my position to reaffirm our commitment to serving our targeted population of gay men, while seeking opportunities to address homophobia, racism, smoking issues, economic parity and class inequities within the LGBTQ construct.

I duly realize and affirm that our agency can not and will not be capable of satisfying all critics of our methods, outcomes or internal workings, but rather I believe that we pursue high standards for our programming while embracing our "I-CARE" core values of:

1. Integrity

2. Compassion

3. Accountability

4. Respect

5.Education 

 believe that the issue of continuing HIV/AIDS infection rates are centrally being impacted by key social determinants that often serves a proximate cause to HIV vulnerability. Our research demonstrates that these relevant broader structural forces disproportionately affect members of groups whom experience marginalization associated with race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic status, and other sources of prejudice and discrimination.

Our agency has been a statewide leader in the field to implement prevention interventions, provide capacity building modules, and multiple collaborative efforts with area agencies ranging from Arkansas Insurance Department to the Health Law Policy Clinic at Harvard Law School.

Currently our Housing, education, food, treatment and employment (HEFTE) concept and recently launched Reason to Live marketing campaign (Rzn2Lv), continues to move the organization  forward in taking a stance to fully understand how these societal beacons are not only foundational tools but must fundamental elements in giving every unique individual a reason to live, especially those combatting HIV and or AIDS.

I believe that our community engagement through focus groups, health fairs, outreach activities and utilizing both old and new media approaches continues to provide us an opportunity to further our empowerment mission. The viability of these sources of information have been instrumental in our outreach goals attached our Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act contract awarded by the Arkansas Insurance Commission.

Central to our participation, the ACA act was concurrent to our vision that “we are the statewide organization that is informed and connected to change the social construct of the community we serve by improving basic human rights.” It is our determination to affirm that this vital health mandate and subsequent structure will diminish the barriers to better understand, address, and prevent all health disparities.

Ultimately resulting in the challenge to achieve zero new infections by 2015 according to the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals and the National HIV AIDS Strategy. We also believe that increasing the overall health of Arkansas communities using the preventive dynamic for better wellness outcomes is paramount and essential in both our present and future programming.

Our organizational work plan will flow in tandem with the aforementioned paradigms, as we continue to examine the effects of HIV stigma, criminalization and discrimination on the lives of people living with HIV, as well as its effects on HIV prevention and linkage to care.

We will further search for innovative ways to combat these effects while determining best practices in the health continuum.  Through successful funding partnership with the Arkansas Health Department, Be The Generation, and AIDS United, our agency has used our resources to maximize the effectiveness of our programs and initiatives.

The Living Affected Corporation believes that our holistic approach is a catalyst to well being which will allow our agency to support other local agencies, governmental bodies and health care providers in disseminating information as well as being proactive in advocating our pursuit of social justice, equality and human rights for all. Your tax deductible donations can help us continue our work across Arkansas. Donate on our website, www.livingaffected.org  Can I count on you today?