HIV-AIDS Summit Focuses On The Youth BALTIMORE, MD (wypr) - Last week, hundreds of high school and middle schools students, along with parents, teacher and counselors, gathered last week at the Radisson Cross Keys Hotel, to discuss ways to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. A panel including people living with the virus, from the After-School Institute spoke to the audience about the importance of abstinence. Meanwhile, in the center of each table were envelopes, stuffed with male and female condoms - to emphasize ways for teens to protect themselves.

Twenty-eight year old Malcolm, who is HIV Positive, spoke on the panel. He told the audience he became infected with the virus six years ago after he was raped. Summits on the disease, Malcolm said, are important, especially to youth.

"Today, the reason why I am here is for someone to hear my story, not only hear my story but to take my story and learn from it. And for someone to either decide that they are not going to have sex or that they are going to use a condom, because it is very important to know that your life is worth living and your life is worth protecting."

Stacey Reed, HIV prevention coordinator of the After-School Institute, which hosted the event, said young people are at higher risk of being infected by the virus.



"You see it in people who are that age 25 to 35, but the young people are putting themselves at more risk. And I know that is sounds kind of tricky, but you may see the disease in the older people, but the young people are doing more riskier things. Their behavior is extremely risky."

Reed, who has visited local high schools and recreation centers in Baltimore, added that many young people have a carefree attitude about sex.

"And I have young people all the time, who are having unprotected sex, who don't think that it can happen to them. Some people think, some of my young people are already pregnant when I go in there."

Eddie Duffin, from the Academy of Success, who brought about 20 young people to the event, ranging in age from 11-to-21, said...

"I want them to hear from people their age, their peers. I want them to get it straight from the source, talk to the people that have the HIV, talk to the people that have the STD's. I want them to be aware of it themselves by talking to their peers."

Sitting in the audience in was 19-year-old Shamira Barnwell, who said she has attended the summit for the past three years.

"I am not having sex because of these summits. So, it teaches me reasons to not have sex and, if I do start having sex, how to protect myself."

The summit included workshops for teens, suggesting ways to protect themselves if they become intimate with someone who is HIV positive. Abstinence, said Reed, is the best way to remain safe.

Free HIV testing was conducted at the summit by University of Maryland Star Track Program. La-Keshia Williams, educational specialist with Star Track, said another problem is that those engaging in risky behaviors are not getting tested-with disastrous consequences.

"Baltimore City is ranked Number Two and DC is Number One -- that is right down the street. So, like, we are being hit hard with this HIV epidemic."

Tomorrow has been declared National HIV Testing Day by the Department of Health and Human Service.

I'm Kenneth Stukes, reporting in West Baltimore, for 88-1, WYPR
© Copyright 2010, wypr