ER M M SU SIVE! U L C X E
DEAR FRIEND,
This May marks 30 years since the HIV virus was first named. In three decades we’ve seen many friends and family leave us; we’ve seen remarkable advances in medicine; and now we see so many of our loved ones living healthy lives with HIV. But as we move forward, our biggest struggle will still remain the fight against stigma and indifference. A disease that once instilled fear is now all but invisible. But the people it affects are not. Your continued support through a gift of $25, $100, $250, or $500 can help us raise awareness, fight stigma, and break the pattern of indifference that helps the disease spread and keeps people living with HIV from seeking help.
“YOU GAVE ME HOPE...” In April, ASA case manager José visited a client in the hospital. He had been living with HIV for 15 years and was only now seeking treatment. As José prepared to leave, the man unexpectedly took his hand and begin to cry. “Just imagine a Mexican macho man [crying], because in Mexico, ‘men don’t cry,’ right?” José described. Holding José’s hand, the man expressed his appreciation: “Thank you very much because you ... gave [me] hope that I will get better. I was seriously thinking about killing myself because I did not see any hope.” For many Central Texans, stigma in their community shapes their ideas of HIV and of people affected by HIV. Even 30 years later, we still hear stories of men and women who are shunned by their families and friends. They are forced to eat on separate plates. They have been kicked out of churches and homes. Where stigma persists, HIV thrives. Stigma stops people from getting tested, keeps them from protecting their own health in relationships, and prevents them from seeking treatment. But as José’s client realized, there is still hope. “[That is] the most important reason all of us in ASA are working in this field,” José says. To help people who have no place to turn. To bring them out of isolation and to create new friendships and families. And to show them they don’t need to be invisible. With your gift of $25, $100, $250, or $500, we can make sure our neighbors aren’t silenced or shunned due to stigma, that testing is available to everyone, and that people living with HIV get the care they need. Respectfully yours,
Paul E. Scott, Executive Director
2014 CALENDAR of EVENTS JUNE Women’s Giving Circle Luncheon
June 5, 2014, 11:30 AM St. Vincent de Paul Auditorium 1345 Philomena St. Austin, TX 78723
Back to the Boathouse
June 15, 5:00 PM Frank (formerly the Boathouse) 407 Colorado St. Austin, TX 78705
National HIV Testing Day
Welcome back to our AIDS Walk Austin Presenting Sponsor:
Caribbean-American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day June 8
Stars and Saints Vis Appreciation o asaustiti n rg/s tar-s . Event a to in June 17, 5:30 PM St. Cecilia Hotel 112 Academy Drive Austin, TX 78704
RSV
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JULY Red Ribbon Dinner: Fonda San Miguel
Juneteenth Parade
June 19
Shop at Walgreens this June to make an easy donation to AIDS Walk Austin. And don’t forget to thank the Walgreens staff for all their hard work and support. AIDS Walk Austin wouldn’t be possible without community supporters like you and Walgreens! t
July 23, Cocktails 6:30 PM | Dinner 7:00 PM 2330 W. North Loop | Austin, TX 78756
June 21
Thanks and Farewell: Linda and Tom SAVE THE DATE!
ASA honored longtime supporters Tom Wilmore and Linda McGee, who left Austin this April. For years Tom and Linda gave generously to ASA as Star Partners and were a regular sight at events such as Viva and the Red Ribbon Dinner Series.
October 19, 2014 Republic Square Park
“When we retired,” Linda explained, “we started looking for volunteering opportunities. ASA came to mind immediately.” For the past few years, the McGees have been regular volunteers at the Helping Hands Food Bank. “Tom and Linda brought a warm energy to the Food Bank,” Julie Falchuk, Food and Nutrition Services Manager, describes. “They were Tom and Linda receive an award for their service. dedicated volunteers who were always willing to roll up their sleeves and jump into any project or task that needed to get done at the Food Bank with such ease. Some of our most reliable volunteers, they always went above and beyond the call of duty.” Linda’s favorite part of volunteering was that “you could feel the enthusiasm and compassion at the Food Bank.... Staff and volunteers welcome and attend to the clients with commitment and empathy.” Facebook “f ” Logo
CMYK / .ai
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Start getting your teams together, rally your supporters, and keep an eye out for our new website coming soon so you can register.
SYLVIA’S SILVER SPOTLIGHT Congratulations to Sylvia López for 25 amazing, inspirational, and visionary years at AIDS Services of Austin. Where would we be without her amazing insight, knowledge, and guidance? A pioneer in HIV care, Sylvia founded the Women Rising Project, which has helped hundreds of women lift themselves up from under stigma, isolation, and fear in order to reclaim their health! Join us on June 5 for the Women’s Giving Circle Luncheon, honoring Sylvia.
CMYK / .ai
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PO Box 4674 Austin, TX 78765
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