Us Helping Us, People Into Living
WISH LIST: $100: 1000 condoms for public distribution; $500: HIV testing kits for 20 patients; $1000: 2-month lease for 1 mobile HIV testing van to access hard-to-reach populations
In the early years of the epidemic, Us Helping Us was a small support group for black men living with AIDS: members met in living rooms and shared holistic approaches to the disease. Today, it is one of the largest black AIDS organizations in the nation, but the intimate focus remains the same. Dedicated to reducing HIV infection in the black community, UHU specializes in prevention programs and support services for gay/bisexual men -- along with counseling and testing for others. POL trains "popular opinion leaders" (a group of friends, a sports team) to be HIV educators who commit to having prevention conversations with their social networks; D-Up! (basketball slang for "defend yourself") uses the same approach with a younger audience; SISTA provides weekend-retreat discussion groups for women; and Many Men, Many Voices gathers men to share HIV risk-reduction techniques. Information about clinical trials, along with mental health and case management services, also are available. For over 20 years, UHU has stood up to racism, homophobia, and the stigma of AIDS. We can all stand together.
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Ron Simmons President/CEO |
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