OUR NEW WEBSITE IS CHECKYOSELF.NET

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OUR NEW WEBSITE IS CHECKYOSELF.NET

NEW WEBSITE

--CHECKYOSELF.NET-- 

 January 1, 2009

Colleagues, Community Members, Peers, and Friends:

For the next 4 years, the HAS Program will officially return to the community's neighborhoods, parks, schools, youth hangout/dropin spots with the support of MDH (Minnesota Department of Health) funding, YES OUR FUNDING HAS BEEN RESTORED!  

For more than a 15 years, we were funded by the MN Department of Health to provide HIV/STD risk reduction education in the community. We pioneered an innovative, apprenticeship style peer education (The CheckYo'Self Crew) program in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota that became recognized across the country.  In 2006, through what we believed to be a tilted community and MDH review process, we lost funding, but I'm happy to report that as of January 1, 2009 we are back in business.

Since we've been gone, Minnesota each year has had more and more STDs reported. And in the last year (2008) there were strong increases in HIV among young men who have sex with men. Youth are the fasting growing population becoming infected. The time is now to turn both these upstart trends the other way.

We thank everyone for their support and prayers regarding the restoring of our funding.

 We will continue to successfully reach out to black youth in an inclusive, respectful and each-one-teach one way.  You who are most familiar with the HAS program and its many Check Yo’ Self Crew (CYC) members/peer educators are aware that we are a family.  The HAS program has been and will continue to be my heart and its target populations are my babies.  As I stated in my I'll see you later letter. This program is more than funding, more than a job. It is a way of life it is necessary for our entire community 

As the HAS program’s director but more importantly a community mother (Moma “Chi”) I ask you to please continue to take excellent care of my children, make sure they are receiving programming and services that are appropriate, comprehensive and accurate.  Your work and programming is critical to their lives, too. 

Again we are back, bigger, blacker, and BOLD.

Sincerely,

 

Charlnitta “Chi” Ellis

Program Director

  New Website

--Checkyoself.net-- 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This site contains HIV prevention messages that may not be appropriate for all audiences. If you are not seeking such information or may be offended by such material, please exit this website immediately. SITE UNDER CONSTRUCTION - SORRY FOR ANY INCONVIENCE!Educate Your Mind, Protect Your Body

Educate Your Mind by finding out your status.  That means finding out if you are infected with HIV or any sexually transmitted disease. You do this by being tested, this is the only way to find out your status.

Protect Your Body by practicing abstinence, meaning NOT HAVING SEX.  Knowing your partners status (test results).  Here are other less risky activities:  Masturbation and Protected Sex.  You have protected sex by using Latex condoms during (Oral, Anal and Vaginal) sex greatly lowers the risk of HIV infection and STDs (Sexually Transmitted Disease). 

DRUGS AND ALCOHOL MAY CLOUD YOUR JUDGEMENT AND MAKE YOU MORE LIKELY TO HAVE UNSAFE SEX.

Sharing needles and syringes also put you at high risk for contracting HIV/AIDS.  If you use rigs, needles or syringe works, clean them with bleach and water before use.  Do not share needles of any kind. 

That includes HOME TATTOOS AND HOME PIERCING.

You only become infected with HIV the virus that causes AIDS by your ACTIONS WITH or FLUIDS FROM AN INFECTED PERSON.  That is the Act of having sex orally (sucking pussy, sucking dick, getting or giving head, blowjob, etc.), anally (sex in the butt, rear, rim-shot) or vaginal (pussy, cunt, snatch, nappy dug-out) or the act of sharing needles (intravenous drug use-oiling up, shooting dope, etc).  It also means getting tattoos and piercings. 

Or by fluids of AN INFECTED PERSON

blood to blood contact

fluids from the vaginal area

semen, sperm or cum from the penis

breastmilk of an infected mother.

We try to keep it real and speak in a language that the population we are trying to reach understands.  Our purpose is not to offend anyone.  If our language offends you we are sorry, but we are trying to get a message to the youth in which they understand and will listen too.  And we want the youth we are trying to reach to understand what we are talking about.

AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH ARE THE FASTEST GROWING POPULATION OF PEOPLE BECOMING INFECTED WITH HIV THE VIRUS THAT CAUSES AIDS!

REMEMBER IT IS NOT WHO YOU ARE...

BUT WHAT YOU DO!

THAT PUTS YOU AT RISK FOR HIV!

YOU CAN NOT GET OR BECOME INFECTED FROM HIV/AIDS FROM CASUAL CONTACT!!!

That means you can not get HIV/AIDS from the water fountain, dry kissing, hugging, using someone's fork, spoon, plate, drinking behind them etc. 

So be respectful to those who are infected, because they are human just like us and they need love and respect too!

Charlnitta "Chi" Ellis, Program Director/Health Educator

HIV is 100% Preventable!