Would you let me coach your daughters’ softball team?

Jerri participates in a dance to Kick AIDS Out in the Global Village. Photo provided by Maureen Clout.

Wow. Another new and exciting experience at the conference. Our mission was to go through the entire poster exhibit today. It is in a huge area where exhibitors all get a booth, a place to display their initiatives and talk to people. There’s also a lot of materials there to pick up. We have a full suitcase to bring back! There are many resources about youth and what other countries are doing all around the world working with youth.

At the International AIDS Society’s booth we all had a chance to take our pictures and add a caption beneath it about your HIV status. Mom and I were asked to participate and it will be posted on their website in about a week. Mine was “If I were HIV positive would you let me be your friend?” Mom’s is “If I were HIV positive would you let me coach your daughters’ softball team?” there are more examples of this at http://www.iasociety.org/Default.aspx?pageId=236 They gave us information to start a campaign in Canada. They say it is effective and not very expensive.

This afternoon, I had the chance to help lead and speak at a workshop by Kicking AIDS OUT.

It was an amazing afternoon and it took place in the youth kaleidoscope area, in the middle of the global village. The atmosphere was lively and multicultural. We had a group of Spanish speaking people come in and participate in all of the games we were demonstrating. We talked about how these games integrate people and encourage them to have fun together while learning. Race, gender, money, HIV status doesn’t matter to children when they are all having fun together. I also had the opportunity to speak, which was an experience that will stay with me for a long time. We were all huddled in a circle with a Spanish translator to the left of me. I discussed Partici- Patrick and Youth 4 Youth and how we formed a partnership with Kicking AIDS Out to help make a bigger impact in the fight against AIDS. As I spoke a translator repeated everything in Spanish. As we presented there were thousands of people in the larger area and they are walking through and stopping if it is a topic of interest to them. There is music, native rituals happening incense burning and protests happening everywhere yet our group was able to focus and present and answer questions. This was quite a different environment than I am used to speaking in but totally enjoyable. I was able to hand out pamphlets and business cards as well as leaving them in the youth area for people to pick up.