Aboriginal Project Newsletter May by Aconhealth

A quarterly newsletter from the

MAY 2012

ABORIGINAL PROJECT

Keeping you informed of the services ACON offers across NSW to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, sistergirls and HIV+ people.

ABORIGINAL PROJECT UPDATE

‘TRU LOVE ... TRU’ AT MARDI GRAS 2012

The Aboriginal Project has again been busy delivering many different programs to increase the health of our gay, lesbian, bisexual and sistergirl communities.

A huge thank you to everyone who braved the wet and the cold to come in the First Australians Mardi Gras Parade float this year! A huge thanks to our Aboriginal gay & lesbian community elders who rode in the flash red Cadillac up the parade route - Aunty Laura Sabatino, Uncle Jeffrey Samuels and Uncle Jim Morrison. Read their bio’s on the Aboriginal Project website. Thank you all for showing us the way to be out, black and gay!

Inside this newsletter you can read about our successful Ngalawi Djardi ‘Sit and Yarn’ health retreat in December 2011, the First Australians float in the March 2012 Mardi Gras parade, have a quick peek at our new Aboriginal women’s HIV awareness postcard with artwork designed by Karla Dickens and read some new information about HIV treatments. Keep up to date about all the Aboriginal Project activities by subscribing to our E-News. It’s emailed out fortnightly and you can subscribe by just contacting the Aboriginal Project

Everyone looked gorgeous in their deadly outfits and their ‘True Love ...Tru!’ t-shirts - exclusively designed by Ro Ma Sa Ra. Want to see some pics? Check out the7 March 2012 edition of the Koori Mail and the ACON Facebook page for some pictures from the parade (we’ve put a few on page 6)

Left: Destiny Haz Arrived leading our Mardi Gras 2012 float Above: Our Mardi Gras 2012 float ‘Tru Love ... Tru!’

NEWS IN BRIEF:

PARTNERSHIP:

PHOTOS:

Tell Ya Sisters Postcard (Page 2) This new postcard aims to raise women’s awareness of HIV.

The Annwernekenhe National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander HIV/AIDS Alliance (ANA) (Page 4)

‘Tru Love...Tru’ First Australians Mardi Gras Parade Entry (Page 6)

Sistergirls DVD out in July (Page 3) This storytelling documentary delves into the lives of four Indigenous sistergirls.

Award Winning Aboriginal Sexual Health Worker (Page 4)

Ngalawi Djardi Retreat (Page 7)

Moolagoo Mob (Page 4)

ACON acknowledges the traditional owners of the land we operate on across NSW and remind people we are on Aboriginal land. ACON also acknowledges the Elders and in particular those reading this document. Aboriginal Project Newsletter - Email: atsi@acon.org.au

WHAT WE DO

NEWS

THE ABORIGINAL PROJECT The Aboriginal Project focuses on state-wide HIV and STI health promotion including educational resources, training and campaigns. The project also provides some peer support, information, referral and community development activities specifically for Aboriginal gay men, men who have sex with men, sistergirls and people living with HIV/AIDS. In addition to the programs and services delivered by these positions, Aboriginal people also access a wide range of ACON’s other programs and services including: • • • • • • •

Clinical and support services such as housing support, counselling, home-based care and HIV Treatments information; Alcohol and other drug programs, including ACON’s needle and syringe programs; Peer education programs including peer-based youth programs; Sex Workers Outreach Project; Learning Centre and Social marketing and information resources.’

‘TELL YA SISTERS’ POSTCARD This postcard uses artwork designed by Karla Dickens that was shown in an exhibition of Aboriginal lesbians’ work at Boomalli Aboriginal Artists’ Cooperative for the 2007 Mardi Gras Season This new postcard aims to raise women’s awareness of HIV. Curator, Bonny Briggs named the show ‘3 in 10’ to highlight the fact that 3 out of every 10 people in the Indigenous community newly diagnosed with HIV are community – compared to 1 in 10 in the non- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander community Get your copy from your local Aboriginal Medical Service, sexual health service, ACON branch or download it from: www.acon.org.au/aboriginal

Find an ACON location near you SYDNEY Address: 414 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 Call: 02 9206 2000 Freecall: 1800 063 600 Email: acon@acon.org.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/aconhealth 2

ILLAWARRA Address: 47 Kenny St, Wollongong 2500 Call: 02 4226 1163 Email: illawarra@acon.org.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/ACONIllawarra

HUNTER Address: 129 Maitland Rd, Islington NSW 2296 Call: 02 4927 6808 Email: hunter@acon.org.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/ACONHunter

NORTHERN RIVERS Address: 27 Uralba St, Lismore 2480 Call: 02 6622 1555 Email: northernrivers@acon.org.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/ ACONNorthernRivers

Aboriginal Project Newsletter - Email: atsi@acon.org.au

ABORIGINAL PROJECT WORK

This is an educational video which will raise an awareness of some of the challenges sistergirls face. It is recommended for viewing in: · Educational workshops · Community workshops · Cultural awareness programs · Staff training. Total length of DVD: 30.04 minutes ACON would like to acknowledge the sistergirls who participated in this documentary. Thank you for sharing your stories. We would also like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we operate on across NSW DJARDI and remind people we are on Aboriginal NGALAWI ‘SIT AND YARN’ land. ACON also acknowledges the Elders in particular those ABORIGINAL HEALTH RETREAT viewing this documentary.

Stories from Indigenous Australian Transgender people.

This story telling documentary delves into the lives of four Aboriginal sistergirls and Torres Strait Islander sistergirls. They tell of their unique journeys as transgender women and how this has impacted on their lives. This documentary has ﬁve chapters: · Identity · Challenges · Choices · Family · Sistergirl community.

Sistergirls

year the Retreat got a flash new name – For moreThis information aboutAboriginal this DVD pleaseHealth visit www.acon.org.au

Sistergirls Stories from Indigenous Australian Transgender people.

The Ngalawi Djardi Health Retreat. This means ‘sit and yarn’ in the Darug language.

ACON ran a competition for Aboriginal people living with HIV in NSW to rename the competition. Entrants submitted retreat names and they were all put on the Aboriginal Project webpage where people could vote for their favourite. The winning name was the one with the most votes, and their prize was a $200 Christmas voucher. Congratulations to the winner of the competition for giving us such a deadly name!. To find out more on the retreat and view photos Visit: www.acon.org.au/aboriginal

SISTERGIRLS DVD AVAILABLE JULY 2012 Transgenderism within Indigenous Australian society is invisible. This storytelling documentary delves into the lives of four Indigenous sistergirls. The sistergirls tell their unique journeys and the many issues they have faced that also impact on many other sistergirls’ lives. Get your copy today from your local Aboriginal Sexual Health Worker or ACON branch. This story telling documentary delves into the lives of four Aboriginal sistergirls and Torres Strait Islander sistergirls. They tell of their unique journeys as transgender women and how this has impacted on their lives. This documentary has five chapters: • Identity • Challenges • Choices • Family • Sistergirl community.

E-NEWS Are you signed up for the Aboriginal Project E-News? This fortnightly E-News promotes upcoming ACON programs and services, upcoming community events and conferences around gay, lesbian, bisexual and sistergirl health and wellbeing. Join up today to keep informed about deadly things coming up! To sign up Visit: http://www.acon.org.au/communities/aboriginal/ newsletter

Aboriginal Project Newsletter - Email: atsi@acon.org.au

This is an educational video which will raise an awareness of some of the challenges sistergirls face. It is recommended for viewing in: • Educational workshops • Community workshops • Cultural awareness programs • Staff training. Total length of DVD: 30.04 minutes For more information about this DVD visit: www.acon.org.au ACON would like to acknowledge the sistergirls who participated in this documentary. Thank you for sharing your stories.

PARTNERSHIP WORK

JOIN YOUR NATIONAL ABORIGINAL HIV/AIDS ALLIANCE

SHOUT OUT TO THE MOOLAGOO MOB IN ADELAIDE!

The Annwernekenhe National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HIV/AIDS Alliance (ANA) aims to promote awareness of HIV/AIDS and work to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Congratulations to the Moolagoo Mob for your year in review doc! It’s great to see images of other Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander gay, lesbian and sistergirls out there doing awesome things!

They work to build and strengthen relationships with other organisations to support people living with HIV/AIDS and aim to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities are effectively represented at a national level regarding their status.

If you haven’t heard about this mob, they are an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander group which offers a social and support network for those who identify as gay, lesbian or sistergirl.

For more information about the Alliance Visit: www.ana.org.au.

They meet in Adelaide every month in a friendly, safe and confidential environment to build new friendships, offer to support to newly identifying gay, lesbians and sistergirls, share information, celebrate our unique culture and diversity. Check them out on Facebook and download their newsletter at Visit: www.moolagoomob.com

AWARD WINNING ABORIGINAL SEXUAL HEALTH WORKER KRC is very proud to announce that on Thursday 22nd March, National Close the Gap Day, KRC’s Brian Doyle was the recipient of a NSW Aboriginal Health Award: the Gail May Award Aboriginal Health Worker Award. This award recognises an Aboriginal Health Worker who has made an exceptional contribution to Aboriginal health and their local community in NSW. The “Gail May Award” is dedicated to the memory of a highly respected Aboriginal woman whose contribution to health and Aboriginal affairs in NSW was outstanding. As we all know, Brian is a powerful advocate for his people, working passionately with the desire to close the gap and to work constructively and creatively towards that. He is equally passionate about articulating the cultural gaps in understandings, keeping us all here at KRC present to the health needs of members of the Aboriginal communities with whom we work.

BETTER TO KNOW! AFAO (Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations) have created an STIs website for young Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Men and Women. The website provides information on STI’s, where you can find your nearest clinic to get a test, how to notify your partner if they are at risk, and a sign up for an SMS or email reminder for your next test. Visit:

www.bettertoknow.org.au

Brian is an ambassador for Aboriginal culture and a very fine community role model, fulfilling a role as a respected KRC health worker, an articulate and tireless advocate for his communities. We are so very proud of his work here at KRC and proud of KRC’s continuing role in working to close the gap. For more information about KRC Visit: http://www.sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au/sydhosp/ Services/kirketonroad.asp 4

Aboriginal Project Newsletter - Email: atsi@acon.org.au

ACON WORK

Women’s Wellness, Information & Support Day for women living with HIV Please join Pozhet and ACON’s Women and Families Project for a relaxed day of information with special guest speakers, and peer support. Children are welcome!

TREATMENTS UPDATE

Time: 11.30am to 3.30pm

“My viral load is low - I don’t need treatments” “I’ve been living with HIV for years and years and I don’t need treatments because I’m healthy”

Date:

Saturdays 12 May, 11 August, 10 November, and 15 December 2012

A long time ago people used to wait for as long as they could before starting treatment, to avoid side effects. Today with new treatments this is no longer a problem. New treatments are easy to take, are highly effective against HIV and have a really, really low risk of side effects.

Venue: Joseph Sargeant Community Centre, 60 Prospect Street Erskineville

Also! New treatments can PREVENT a lot of health issues in the short term and the long term. Doctors now know that leaving HIV untreated can cause liver damage, kidney damage, damage to the heart and make you tired and even depressed. This is because HIV can cause inflammation that can damage these parts of the body.

Cat from ACON on 9206 2103 or Susan from Pozhet on 1800 812 404

For more information and to RSVP please call

Or drop us a line: cgiuliano@acon.org.au pozhet@pozhet.org.au We look forward to seeing you there...

Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people already have higher risk for these health problems - and HIV can sometimes make them worse. Starting HIV treatment can give extra protection. Starting treatments even when you feel healthy can give you better control over HIV, and make you it’s boss!! so talk to your doctor and take control. If you would like to more information Contact: Jae Condon Phone: (02) 9206 2139 Freecall: 1800 063 060 Email: jcondon@acon.org.au

HIV + HETEROSEXUALS

ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PROJECT AT SWOP Hi my name is Joanne, I am the new Aboriginal worker for SWOP. I am proud to have this opportunity to work among my people, and give people the chance to understand us and our culture and beliefs. I work 3 days a week Wednesday to Friday. I grew up in the Redfern/ St Peters Area. My peoples are the Dainggatti tribe from Kempsey on my father side and my mother is a Wiradjuri woman from Warren. I am looking forward to working towards our future and getting to meet some of you. We aim to provide sexual health info and support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people providing sex for favours, trading sex for cash, drugs, clothing, a place to stay, alcohol or anything else either regularly or an occasion. You can choose to speak to an Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal outreach worker – whatever you feel comfortable with. Phone: Freecall: Drop In: Visit:

9206 2157 1800 622 902 414 Elizabeth St Surry Hills NSW www.swop.org.au

Aboriginal Project Newsletter - Email: atsi@acon.org.au

MARDI GRAS 2012 - ‘TRU LOVE ... TRU!’

Aboriginal Project Newsletter - Email: atsi@acon.org.au

2012 RETREAT

Aboriginal Project Newsletter - Email: atsi@acon.org.au