June 2011 Progress Report
The Intersection Project, as created by D.A.P. client Paul, has been underway for weeks with the full support of his loving wife and four children – all of whom are HIV-negative. His 17-year-old daughter, who hopes to become a disease-specialist doctor, often stands on corners with Paul and his sign. This father-daughter team also participated in the making of our “AIDS is not over” public service announcement. Paul’s silent one-man campaign is about encouraging people to get tested, to stay negative if HIV-free, and to get into care if positive. As a straight, Latino man, Paul understands all too well the cultural biases and stigma that surrounds HIV and AIDS, because many people still regard it as a “gay disease.” But Paul always counters with “It’s HIV, not GIV,” reminding us that, as humans, we ALL have the potential for HIV exposure. Thirty years into the AIDS epidemic, Paul is quietly reminding us that it’s time to get past the fear and the judgment that many still associate with this disease. Despite a complete loss of funding for HIV prevention education from the California state budget, Desert AIDS Project has never stopped offering free and confidential HIV testing five days a week. Read more about "HIV Awareness at the Intersection" by Helen Holdun