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| Erica Hubbard |
The Urban Wellness Project Hosts “Educating Young Girls About HIV” & “S.I.S. Safe is Sexy and Sexy is Safe” Events in Chicago for National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
In honor of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, The Urban Wellness Project will host two events to educate and empower women and girls about the importance of HIV/AIDS Awareness on Thursday, March 10, 2011. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a quarter of the HIV infections in 2007 were among females ages 13 and up. For this reason, The Urban Wellness Project finds it very important to assure that women and girls are properly informed about HIV/AIDS.
The Urban Wellness Project is taking the initiative to heal urban communities one event at a time, states Syreeta Talbert, director and founder of the Urban Wellness Project. “For some changing health behaviors may be difficult to achieve due to limited knowledge and access to preventative health care services. Through our events, our goal to inform women and girls about HIV/AIDS so they can take advantage of the services provided to them in our community.”
The first event, “Educating Young Girls About HIV,” will be held at Alain Locke Charter School located at 3141 W. Jackson. This event will include guest speakers Dr. Mildred Williamson, HIV/AIDS section chief for the Illinois Department of Public Health and Erica Hubbard, actress (BET - Let’s Stay Together) to speak to the young girls about the importance of HIV/AIDS prevention. To close out the program Melody Angel and Shayna Love will give a special inspirational music performance. This event is scheduled to take place from 3p.m. -4p.m.
The Urban Wellness Project will have its second event “S.I.S. Safe is Sexy and Sexy is Safe,” at Salon Heaven located at 1505 S. Michigan also hosted by actress, Erica Hubbard and featuring Dr. Mildred Williamson. The purpose of this event is to educate and engage all women about the importance of HIV/AIDS awareness and testing. In addition to free on-site rapid testing and information services, the night will also include performances by singer, Melody Angel (www.MelodyAngelMusic.com) performing “The Death of Me” written for the event, poets, Mama Brenda and London A’Lexus. To make women feel glamorous complimentary beauty services will be offered and photos available at the Glam Photo Booth. The event is from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Erica Hubbard and The Erica Hubbard Foundation are extremely excited to be co- hosting and participating in such an influential event that will undoubtedly touch the lives of many women residing in her hometown of Chicago. “The National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is a time for our community to seriously address one of the most exigent and relevant health concerns that is plaguing this generation and potentially future generations if proper education, testing, and prevention tactics are not successfully imparted to those at risk,” says Hubbard.
As of September 2010, there were 32,923 (15,163 HIV; 17,760 AIDS) people reported as living with HIV/AIDS in Illinois. The number of cases in Illinois is the eighth highest in the U.S. There are 60,000 Illinois residents living with HIV. Women accounted for 24 percent of all new diagnoses of HIV/AIDS in Illinois between 2000-2009. This percent has increased over the years. Of the 24 percent, high-risk heterosexual activity accounted for 65 percent of all infections among women for whom a risk factor was reported. Between 2000-2009, people ages 13-19 at the time of diagnosis accounted for four percent of new HIV/AIDS infections in Illinois. The number of new infections among teenagers continues to grow. For more information on HIV/AIDS, log on to www.idph.state.il.us/aids/ or call HIV/AIDS-STD hotline at 1-800-243-2437.
“We must educate people, especially our youth, about how HIV/AIDS is transmitted and ways to avoid becoming infected,” said Dr. Mildred Williamson, HIV/AIDS section chief for the Illinois Department of Public Health. “Know your status, get tested and get your friends tested. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.”
Participating organizations and businesses include Brown Sugar Bakery, The Erica Hubbard Foundation, Reel Beauty, Toussaint Werner Designs, Pizza Ria, Keep it Simple Chicago, The Red Pump Project and TASK Force. Media sponsors for the event include Rolling Out Urban Styles Weekly (www.rollingout.com) and Six Brown Chicks (www.ChicagoNow.com/SixBrownChicks).
ABOUT THE URBAN WELLNESS PROJECT: The Urban Wellness Project a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organizations dedicated to improving and promoting the overall wellness of African Americans through education and empowering them to take an active, in-charge role of their health. Each innovative program and event offered is designed to provide African American's opportunities to maintain and improve their physical, mental and social well-being. http://www.theurbanwellnessproject.org/.
ABOUT NATIONAL WOMEN & GIRLS HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY: March 10th is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It is a day to recognize the special risks HIV/AIDS poses for women and girls, and to raise awareness of the disease's increasing impact on them. We encourage women and girls to know their HIV status and get tested for HIV. http://www.womenshealth.gov/.
About Erica HubbardErica Hubbard (born January 2, 1984) is an American film and television actress and model.
Born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, Erica knew at the early age of nine that she wanted to be an actress after she performed in her first stage play. Never giving up on her dream, Erica attended Columbia College in Chicago where she majored in Broadcast Journalism and minored in Theater and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in three years. After graduating, Erica landed her first TV show entitled “Up 'N Running,” a tween/teen show that focused on educating kids on a variety of different topics of interest, from education to horseback riding, to playing hockey or learning how to make ice cream. The show aired on WPWR, a UPN affiliate in Chicago. By the time the third season had started airing, she had already won a Regional Emmy for hosting the show and earned a Service To America Award from the National Association of Broadcasters. (Source: Wikipedia.org)
S.I.S. Safe is Sexy Sexy is Safe for National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Salon Heaven
1505 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL, USA
photo by Adam Bielawki
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