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HIV/AIDS Advocacy & Awareness

memphis, tennessee | spring break

MEET THE SITE LEADERS!

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If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us! We would be happy to help :)
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TESS MOSLEY

Second Year Civil Engineering Major
​

Email: tessmmosley@gmail.com 
Instagram: tsmsly

Why IMPACT?
My first IMPACT trip was the Environmental Justice trip to Fort Myers, Florida my freshman year. Initially, I didn’t think I would learn much because I was already knowledgeable on sustainability, however looking at environmental justice through different lenses showed me that I hardly knew anything! I fell in love with how inclusive and informational my trip was, and loved the focus IMPACT puts on building sustainable relationships with their service sites. I’m excited to continue my involvement with this organization and to facilitate the kinds of conversations that made me think deeper not only on my trip, but in my day to day life.

Why HIV/AIDS awareness?
I became passionate about HIV/AIDS awareness recently after realizing the stigma surrounding it and STDs in general. I noticed how much discrimination can affect minorities in getting tested and getting treatment and like all trip focuses, it’s an extremely intersectional issue with many facets. I hope that by education and conversation, we will be able to break down these stigmas!


Fun Fact! I’m a Scorpio

WILL PANTER

Third Year Music Education Major

Email: panterwill@gmail.com 
Instagram: will_panter

Why IMPACT?
I found out about IMPACT through one of my best friends! The trip that she went on completely changed her life and she told me that I HAD to go on one of the many trips next year. My sophomore year, I went on the LGBTQ+ Awareness & Advocacy trip to Atlanta, GA. This trip completely changed my perspectives on so many issues that a community that I was part of faced. The emphasis on the history of the community and on what sustainable service would be helpful and effective made me fall in love with this trip. I am involved with IMPACT because I think that education and awareness are enormously effective and being a site leader is a unique opportunity to both research and educate a group of peers about a community! 

Why HIV/AIDS awareness?
I am so excited to co-lead this year’s trip to Memphis, TN to serve the HIV/AIDS community! This is an issue that I am passionate about researching and I think that this trip can cover so much ground because HIV/AIDS affects so many people and shows up in many different communities in SUCH diverse ways. This trip will allow Tess and I to use research to break down many common misconceptions about HIV/AIDS and also bring awareness to hopefully tear down many associated stigmas surrounding the issue, also. 
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Fun Fact! I am a trained ghost hunter
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KEY TERMS

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome)- the
 most severe stage of HIV where the infected  
 individual's immune system is weakened and they
 are much more likely to  contract severe
 illnesses
ART (antiretroviral therapy)- a treatment that
 suppresses or stops a retrovirus like HIV

CD4 Cells - also called T cells, they play an
 important role in fighting off infections and
 diseases

HIV(human immunodeficiency virus)-attacks the
 body's CD4 cells

MSM - Male to male (sexual contact)
“PLWH” - “Persons Living With HIV”
Perinatal HIV - HIV transmission that happens
 during childbirth, pregnancy, and breastfeeding

PEP ​(post-exposure prophylaxis)- starting ART
 within 72 hours of possibly being exposed to
 HIV

PrEP ​(pre-exposure prophylaxis)- a way for  
 people to prevent HIV by taking a pill everyday

STD - sexually transmitted disease 
STI - sexually transmitted infection
Stigmatization - the action of describing or
 regarding someone or something as worthy of
​ disgrace or great disapproval 

FAST FACTS

In 2017, the South accounted for 52% of HIV diagnoses in the United States, followed by the West at 19%.
  • Of the 1.1 million people living with HIV in the U.S., approximately 1 in 7 are unaware that they are infected.
  • HIV statistics are often based on an estimate of new infections instead of new diagnoses because of the high rate of those who do not know that they are infected
  • Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men make up approximately 66% of new infections every year.​

WHAT DOES THIS ISSUE LOOK LIKE IN GEORGIA?

  • In 2017, 2,698 people in Georgia were diagnosed with HIV. 
  • 77% of these cases were male, 22% were female, and 1% were transgender 
  • 23% of those diagnosed with HIV were diagnosed with AIDS within 12 months, most of those diagnoses being considered “late.”
  • In 2017, Georgia led the United States in the number of persons with HIV/AIDS per 100,000 people with an average of 24.9.
​
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"I wasn’t going to let something that was now a part of me ever be used ​as a tool against me."

PictureThe AIDS Memorial Quilt in Washington, DC.

​Educational Materials: 
Click to learn more! 

​What Are HIV & AIDS?
HIV/AIDS Statistics In Georgia
Living Positive by Tara Stuart
How Living Positive Is Working Against Destigmatization in Georgia
Getting involved with Live Forward In Athens




​

How does HIV/AIDs disproportionately affect marginalized communities?

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https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/msm/index.html

70% of the 38,739 new HIV diagnoses in the US in 2017 were among gay and bisexual men.

This article goes deeper into the link between HIV/AIDS and the LGBTQ+ community.

Though rates have been declining overall, HIV/AIDS still remains equally or more prevalent in certain marginalized communities. Furthermore, rates remain consitently higher in minority groups.

https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics
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  • About
    • Why IMPACT?
    • Sample Day
    • FAQs
  • Trips and Roundtables
    • 2019-2020 Trips
    • 2018-2019 Trips
  • Apply
  • Community Partners
    • Serving Athens
  • Contact