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The
AHORA! Project
One of
the biggest issues that prevents us from fighting HIV and
AIDS in the Latino community is STIGMA and discrimination.
The AHORA! Project was started in order to help our
communities fight HIV and AIDS—not the people living with
HIV and AIDS.
AHORA! brings Latina/o youth together from 6 different
Latino communities to talk about HIV/AIDS and the
leadership roles they can take to help stop the spread of
this disease. AHORA! Youth believe that HIV prevention
occurs through strategies that reduce homophobia and
stigma, along with open talk about a wide spectrum of
sexuality issues.
The
project operates in these six sites: Denver, Colorado;
Hidalgo County, Texas; La Puente, California; New Orleans,
Louisiana; Wichita, Kansas; and a statewide initiative in
New Jersey and is funded by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.
Latinos
are far more likely than other US groups to suffer from
highly preventable diseases—HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis,
diabetes, cardiovascular disease and breast and cervical
cancers. One reason may be that far too many Latinos lack
access to the health care system: without insurance,
adequate preventive medical care, and health education
they’re more likely to be exposed.
At the
National Latina Health Network (NLHN) we are working to
educate communities and close health care gaps. We are the
premier non-profit organization dedicated to developing
and strengthening networks of Latina leaders in public
health, and building local and national community health
partnerships. Based in Washington, DC, we represent more
than 1,500 Latina professionals across the continental US
and Puerto Rico, and youth-serving agencies.
NLHN’s
mission
is to
address critical health concerns affecting Latinas and
their families. We promote leadership, advocacy, community
health partnerships, and initiatives through which
education and outreach efforts help foster well-being and
healthy behaviors and attitudes within the nation’s Latino
communities.
NLHN’s
programs—culturally
appropriate and value-based—empower young Latinas to take
control of their health and their futures…to make informed
decisions about the most intimate aspects of their lives.
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