Sí Trends

In recognition of World AIDS Day, here is our second part coverage on AIDS and its impact on the Latino community. [Sí] Trends sat down with some of our most talented bloggers including La Bruja, Malverde, Ivan Sanchez, Oveous, Gabriela Garcia Medina, and Vee Bravo to see what they had to say on this dreadful disease.

[Sí] Trends: How have you been affected by HIV/AIDS?
La Bruja:I actually had a cousin who was diagnosed with HIV in the ‘80s, he lived with it for a very long time and about five or six years ago he took his own life, because he couldn't bare to disintegrate; that was really profound and intense for our family. Outside of that, it affects all of us really because every time we have sexual intercourse with someone who we don't know his or her history, it's something you know you're putting yourself at risk.

Malverde: Indirectly, just the fact that the majority of the cases are Latino is influential. Just to think that so many of our people are being taken out over something that's so preventable is tragic. Those people [that passed] could have been our future leaders and our future contributors to our culture and society.

Oveous: It hasn't hit me personally. I know it's a real crazy and scary thing. Personally, just the fear of it has me going to the doctor every five months. I'm like clockwork with that and it's important. I'm assuming that a lot of people that are in my shoes feel like AIDS is not really a problem, and I feel like people that sleep on it are liable to end up in a bad situation.

Gabriela Garcia Medina: Up to this day, I'm very paranoid about STDs and what that means for my life. It has affected me in a positive way just by making me a lot more assertive, confident, and empowered in asking for what I want in a relationship and from the people that are in my life. Every time I have a partner, before we have intercourse we both make a date and get tested.

Ivan Sanchez: The biggest impact AIDS had on my generation would have to be the destruction and degradation of the most important part of our society which is the family structure. We were a generation where we had very few fathers. When AIDS came in and started taking our mothers as well it led to multiple generations of struggle.

[Sí] Trends: Are you involved in any AIDS awareness work?
GGM: I teach spoken word and self empowerment with predominately young women of color in a project called the Girl Blue Project. We get 12-15 young women that haven't had the best opportunities in life and bring them for a whole summer and teach them health education and financial management, they get tested for AIDS and counseling, and have yoga, dance, poetry, and art. I've also been talking to Latinas 4 Life. They want to start a chapter in L.A. and what La Bruja does in NY they want me to do here in L.A.

La Bruja: It's something that I've always included in my work. Now I have the Latinas 4 Life program which is a new revamped version of what I've been doing for years. Half of the program is about the issues that come along with sex, and we talk about the importance of finding your own voice.

Oveous: I just donated my time to Camp Heartland which is a non-profit organization that improves the lives of children who have experienced HIV/AIDS, poverty, grief, and all that stuff.

Malverde: Raising awareness is a cause that I really believe in. I've done a lot of stuff with Lifespeak, an organization dedicated to raising awareness.

[Sí] Trends: Any message you want to share?
La Bruja: Love yourself enough to take care of yourself. Be the one to take your own life into your hands. Be the one that carries the condoms, be the one that has the courage to say no.

Oveous: This has to become something that you can't be ashamed of and afraid to speak about. You cannot be afraid to speak about your life, your health, and about death, it's just a part of life. Don't be afraid. Oh, and Trojans are better then LifeStyles!

Malverde: We live in a society of instant gratification, but when that instant gratification comes with the consequence of a horrible death, it's something we have to be very aware of. The most basic thing is always protect yourself.

Sanchez: It's very rare that we even hear about AIDS anymore and so we definitely need to put a spotlight back on the problem. It's almost as if AIDS has been cured, but the fact is it's still a very real problem in our communities. We need to start educating again and put a magnifying glass back on this issue so that it doesn't continue to spread.

Vee Bravo: The community needs to be proactive with this. Have the discipline to research the virus, to understand how medicine and scientific advances are working to prevent the virus and discipline in our lives to make wise choices and to take care of ourselves.

GGM: It sounds so simple but really just love yourself and value the temple that you've been given to live in.