For Immediate Release
August 22, 2018 Media Contact: Sybil Miller
MEDIA BRIEF
Statewide Conference Planned to Spotlight HIV Among Youth in Georgia
Atlanta, GA. In order to address the impact Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV),
and other reproductive health disparities among youth, SisterLove, Inc.’s (SLI) Policy and Advocacy Program is hosting HLYASS (Healthy Love Youth Advocates Statewide Summit), a Georgia-hosted conference targeting youth ages 16-25, but open to people of all ages. The Summit will be held August 31-September 2, 2018, Labor Day weekend at the Coastal Georgia Center in Savannah, GA. Topics of discussion include prevention of and living with HIV, sexual and reproductive justice, comprehensive sex education, contraceptive equity, and legislative advocacy.
Georgia ranks third among the states with the highest rate of people living with
HIV, and ranks fifth in the nation for the highest rate of new HIV diagnoses annually. An estimated one fourth of those diagnosed with HIV in Georgia are attributed to youth (ages 16-25) and only half of those youth know they are positive.
“It is important that we position young people now to be the next generation of leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to analyze and inform local and state policy impacting sexual and reproductive health outcomes across the state.” said Dazon Dixon Diallo, founder and president of SisterLove, Inc. “Today’s youth have never known a world without HIV, so educating people, especially youth about its impact is vital to HIV education, prevention and eradication.”
Each HLYASS participant between the ages of 16-25 will earn a certificate of completion establishing them as Healthy Love Youth Advocates and allowing them the opportunity to engage in advocacy in collaboration with SLI, led by a policy agenda created at the Summit.
Go to www. HLYASS2018.org to register or for additional information.
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SisterLove, Inc. is the oldest women-centered HIV and sexual & reproductive health organization in the Southeastern United States. It was founded in 1989 to address HIV-related education, prevention, and research, and to support reproductive justice for all women and girls. SisterLove, Inc.’s mission is to eradicate the impact of HIV and other sexual and reproductive oppressions on all women and their communities in the US and globally. SisterLove, Inc. is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with a satellite office in Johannesburg, South Africa. PDF download
Media Contact: Sybil Miller
C: (585) 705-6477
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