Sixteenth Street helps community members take control of their sexual health in honor of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers
October 11, 2016
On Friday, Oct. 14, Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers will host a Sexual Health Awareness event in honor of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, which falls on Oct. 15. Located at Sixteenth Street’s Greenfield clinic (1337 S Cesar Chavez Drive), the event will include a grill out, community education and free rapid confidential HIV, Hep C and syphilis testing from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
“National Latino AIDS Awareness Day calls the community to join together to further awareness of HIV infection and stigma, encourage HIV testing and work to build a community empowered in its health care,” said Jennifer Ward, manager of the HIV department at Sixteenth Street.
According to Wisconsin Department of Health Services, in 2015, 62 percent of new HIV diagnoses were among racial minorities, despite minorities making up just 17 percent of Wisconsin’s population. During 2011-2015, the HIV diagnosis rate for males was 13-fold higher among Blacks and six-fold higher among Hispanics. For females, the rate was 25-fold higher among Blacks and eight-fold higher among Hispanics.
Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing!
With HIV infection disproportionately affecting racial minorities, AIDS awareness is a key focus for Sixteenth Street’s patient population who are Hispanic and live in underserved areas throughout the south side of Milwaukee.
Sixteenth Street staff members also will be distributing Prevention 101 handouts, information on medicine used to prevent infection like PEP and PrEP, and safe sex kits at the event. We invite you to join us on Oct. 14 to see first-hand how the community health center is raising awareness of and helping to prevent HIV and AIDS.