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May 30, 2008
CUTS & THE CITY
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AIDS cuts from all over the place (photo credit: flickr.com/photos/alsokaizen/2471871893/) |
City council members and AIDS advocates were outraged when New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene commissioner Thomas Frieden announced $1.3 million in proposed cuts to HIV/AIDS funding in the 2009 executive budget. Announced at Tuesday's testimony before the City Council, this is part of Mayor Bloomberg's recent demand that department trim three percent of its budget, on top of a five percent requested for reduction in January. The DOH is also cutting jobs through attrition, which will cut back on the DOH's services.
"We can't afford to cut funding for HIV/AIDS when we still haven't reached all of the people contracting HIV," council member Letitia James said. New infections among men who have sex with men under age 30 has increased by 33 percent during the past six years in New York City...
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FINALLY ON THE A-GENDA
coming right up!
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Gottfried and colleagues to pass GENDA any day now |
On Wednesday the Assembly Democratic conference discussed the Gender Expression Non-discrimination Act (GENDA), and meeting participants emerged all but certain that after five long years of being shafted, GENDA will pass in the Assembly this year, perhaps as early as next week. GENDA will ensure that all New Yorkers, including transgender people, are protected from discrimination based on gender identity and expression in housing, employment, credit and public accommodations.
"The bill will be coming to the floor for a vote and I fully expect it to pass," said assemblyman Dick Gottfried, the bill's chief sponsor. "Am I certain? Well, Vermont could invade New York and we could be in turmoil, but other than that it looks good."
Gottfried said the Democratic conference, which often takes hours, only took about 10 minutes for the GENDA discussion, with only brief technical questions and the voicing of support. "Speaker Silver and many of my colleagues have had a growing understanding of how deeply important this bill is to so many people," he said...
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DICK GLOVER DIES AT AGE 70
Alabama RV park
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Dick Glover with Silvia and Caleb at Disneyland (photo credit: Valerie Sarmiento) |
Dick Glover, 70, adoptive father of Caleb, the HIV-positive toddler who was discriminated against at Wales West RV Resort in Alabama, died Sunday of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. When Caleb was denied entry to the pools and showers at Wales West in July, Glover and his wife, Silvia exposed the stigma against their then-2-year-old foster child, raising awareness of how HIV is transmitted and energizing HIV-positive activists across the country. Before his death, Glover testified before a judge as part of a possible federal Justice Department lawsuit against Wales West.
Glover, who fostered more than 60 children during his lifetime, was described in POZ as an "accidental activist." He only wanted his son to be treated like his HIV-negative peers.
"Little Caleb, he was innocent as can be. It was not his fault he was born with AIDS," Glover told Good Morning America in July...
Read the rest: "DICK GLOVER DIES AT AGE 70"
GET READY FOR MEXICO!
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Mark your calendar! |
After you unpack your bags in Mexico City, head to the "International Summit on Poverty, Homelessness and HIV/AIDS" satellite session on August 3 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Attend this revolutionary meeting at the International AIDS Conference (IAC) to create a plan to address homelessness and poverty as roadblocks to defeating the AIDS epidemic. Click here to read the position paper for the summit.
To contribute to the planning of the session or help draft the declaration, contact Christine Campbell at campbell@housingworks.org or 202-408-0305...
Read the rest: "GET READY FOR MEXICO!"
SPEAKING UP
Some 50 people with HIV/AIDS, and AIDS service providers gathered at Gay Men's Health Crisis's Chelsea headquarters Tuesday for a "Ryan White Reauthorization Town Hall" to share the problems with AIDS care that they face in New York City.
Tuesday's forum, cosponsored by GMHC and the New York AIDS Coalition, is part of a nationwide series of meetings held in anticipation of the 2009 Ryan White Reauthorization. The last reauthorization's weigh-in, in 2005, was heavy on lobbyists and light on recipients of AIDS services.
This time Senate Health Committee chair Ted Kennedy requested to hear from "real people" to assess what is and isn't working, not just with Ryan White, but with all of the country's HIV/AIDS treatment and services. The first forum was held at NAPWA's 2007 Staying Alive conference in August, and sessions have been held across the country in Columbia, South Carolina, Philadelphia, Chicago and the Bronx. NYAC is planning more town hall meetings in upstate New York and on Long Island. And if you can't make a town hall summit, you can fill out the online survey "Creating New Ryan White Legislation". All comments received at the town halls and online surveys will be compiled and sent to Kennedy's office...