HIV / AIDS

World AIDS Day 2015

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On December 1st, individuals and organizations around the world commemorate World AIDS Day, an acknowledgement of how far we’ve come in fighting this disease and how much work is still to be done to erase stigma, find a cure, and support survivors. The Diverse Elders Coalition has worked since our inauguration in 2010 to lift up the stories of diverse elders with HIV and to raise awareness about the ways in which our communities are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS.

cupcakesThis year was an important one for the prevention of HIV: in July, the White House released the National HIV/AIDS Strategy: Updated to 2020 (PDF) that calls for a more coordinated.... Read More

             

Supporting our Latin@ Elders with HIV

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Today is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), and we’re standing with our member organization NHCOA to support our Latin@ elders with HIV and find a cure for this disease.

nlaad-logo-150x150Why do we have a specific day that acknowledges HIV and AIDS in the Latino community? Myths, stigma, and lack of targeted education makes Latinos less aware of how to protect themselves from the virus. Hispanics are disproportionately affected by HIV: Latinos represent 16% of the U.S. population and 21% of all new HIV infections.

Further, 1 in 6 people living with HIV in the U.S. do not know they.... Read More

             

On National HIV/Aging Awareness Day: Alarming Statistics

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Did you know that SAGE created the first HIV/AIDS support group for older adults? In honor of National Gay Men’s HIV Awareness Day, we’re reposting this blog from SAGE about the ways they’re working to improve the quality of life for our LGBT elders with HIV. More information is also available on the Diverse Elders Coalition’s HIV and Aging webpage.

6a017c34619ea6970b01bb0873f5a9970d-320wiFrom establishing America’s first HIV/AIDS support group for older adults, to igniting changes in national policy, Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) leads the fight against this epidemic in the aging community.  On this National HIV/Aging Awareness Day, 50% of Americans living with HIV will be.... Read More

             

What Does HIV Look Like in Our Diverse Elder Communities?

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I had the pleasure of attending a Grantmakers In Aging webinar yesterday that focused on the impact of HIV on our elders. Speakers on the webinar included Ben de Guzman, our National Managing Coordinator, as well as Mark Brennan-Ing of ACRIA and Aaron Tax of SAGE. As someone who is relatively new to both HIV and aging advocacy, the experience was extremely valuable to me – especially because by 2020, over 70% of the people with HIV in this country will be 50 or older.

During the presentation, Mark Brennan-Ing shared some health information about older adults with HIV. Adults over 50 years old account for 11% of new HIV infections in the United States. Additionally, elders.... Read More

             

The “Graying” of HIV/AIDS

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Today is National HIV and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAAD), celebrated each year on September 18th to mark the unique challenges of being an elder with HIV. The following is a speech given by Herbie Taylor at our May 7th WHCOA Town Hall in Los Angeles, CA. For more information on NHAAAD, visit our HIV and Aging webpage, or join us for a free webinar on Monday, September 21st from 2-3pm EDT with Grantmakers in Aging.

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HERBIEreunion080910_003 (1)By Guest Contributor, Herbie Taylor. Herbie is a 63-year-old Gay man of color who is retired, disabled, sober for 18+ years, a.... Read More

             

Stories of Older Adults with HIV/AIDS

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large_aids_day_GenLogo_RGB300-150x150This piece originally appeared on the NHCOA blog.

HIV can infect anyone, at any age, if given the chance. However, it does disproportionately impact certain populations. HIV/AIDS is a serious health concern for older adults; today adults 50 years of age and older account for 32.7% of HIV diagnoses in the U.S. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that this number will increase to 50% by 2015. The numbers don’t lie: HIV can, and often disproportionately, affects older adults, parents and grandparents.

Contrary to popular myths and stereotypes, some seniors engage in behaviors that put them at.... Read More

             

Passages

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vince-crisostomo-headshotVince Crisostomo is the Program Manager for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s 50-Plus Network.

I was 30 when Jesse Solomon and I registered as Domestic Partners in San Francisco.  We had moved to San Francisco from New York in November 1990.  Our Domestic Partnership was sealed in a quiet ceremony at city hall with little acknowledgement of our change in status except for the taxi driver who refused to take our money.  She said it was an honor for her to get us there and recommended dinner at the House of Prime Rib.  She even said she would wait for us.... Read More

             

Diverse Elders Coalition to Host Congressional Briefing After White House Conference on Aging

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The Diverse Elders Coalition, in collaboration with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, is hosting a Congressional Briefing on July 14, 2015, the day after the 2015 White House Conference on Aging. Coinciding with the 50th Anniversary of the Older Americans Act, this Briefing will discuss elders of color, indigenous elders, LGBT elders, and elders living with HIV/AIDS in light of the White House conference and will identify needs and challenges moving forward. The Diverse Elders Coalition will present a report documenting their engagement with the White House Conference on Aging and their policy recommendations on how to improve the lives of diverse elders and their families.

Congressmember Mark Takano (D-CA) will join the Briefing and provide comments. Rep. Takano.... Read More

             

“I am a 60-year-old Trans Woman living with HIV:” Helena’s Story

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As we enter the last days of Pride Month, I’m hopeful that the momentum from the US Supreme Court’s decision legalizing gay marriage in all 50 states will carry us through the rest of the year. Even after the rainbow flags have been put away and the glitter has been swept from the streets, it is crucial that we continue to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ community, in particular our vulnerable LGBTQ elders.

All too often, elders are left out of the conversation around HIV and STDs — we rarely see our elders targeted by HIV prevention and treatment campaigns. But older adults are still at risk for infections and should still be getting tested..... Read More

             

Finding the Hero Within: Paul’s Story

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As a part of our ongoing Pride Month celebration, we’re featuring some of the most touching and inspiring stories from our Diverse Elders Stories Initiative. This week, we’re spotlighting the life of Paul Regalos-Urban, a gay, transgender, Latino elder. The introduction below comes from his friend and fellow activist, Vince Criostomo. We hope you will be moved by Vince’s introduction and will read Paul’s story, as well as the others in our archives.

vince-crisostomo-headshotVince Crisostomo is the Program Manager for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s 50-Plus Network.

My name is Vince Crisostomo. In April 2014, I joined the Read More

             
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