African-American, Latino Youth HIV-AIDS Conference Set

HIV-AIDS Conference

Kentucky Department for Public Health's seventh annual African-American and Latino Youth Conference on HIV/AIDS is set for Saturday, June 23, at the Lexington Traditional Magnet School.

The conference, which is sponsored by the DPH HIV/AIDS branch, is designed to provide a venue to identify new strategies for effectively responding to the spread of HIV and AIDS among Kentucky's African- American and Latino youths (age 13 "24). Through the conference, the HIV/AIDS branch hopes to generate new energy, ideas and an increased commitment to addressing the needs of marginalized youth populations, particularly minority groups who continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), African-American teenagers represent only 15 percent of U.S. teenagers, but account for 66 percent of all new AIDS cases reported in 2003 among teens. Also, in March 2007, CDC released data showing that African-American and Hispanic youths respectively make up 60.6 percent and 17.3 percent of all HIV/AIDS youth cases diagnosed from 2001 " 2005 in the 33 states with confidential name-based HIV reporting systems.

Kentucky's African-American and Latino youths also are disproportionately impacted by the AIDS epidemic. While they make up only 9.5 percent and 2.4 percent of all youths (age 13-24) per the Kentucky population estimates for 2006, African-American and Latino youth represent 57.6 percent and 9.1 percent of those living with AIDS as of Dec. 31, 2006.

The conference will provide young people and their parents the opportunity to obtain information about youth HIV prevention programs in their region and participate in informative breakout sessions, focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention education, abstinence and information dissemination in efforts to mobilize youths to join the fight against the disease. There will also be a special parents' session on how to foster HIV dialogue with their children.

The keynote speaker for the conference will be Joyce Joseph, a student at Hampton University and winner of MTV's national "Think HIV" video-logging campaign. Her award-winning documentary entitled "The Face of AIDS," will be screened at the conference. Additionally, the conference will feature a talent and step show competition.