Attention organizations serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning people!

Did you know that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are more severely affected by HIV than any other group in the United States?

What can you do to help?

You can help spread the word about HIV prevention to the young gay and bisexual men that your organizations serve —  and have fun doing it!  Participate in AIDS United’s Facebook video contest, “What’s in YOUR HIV Prevention Toolbox?”

Work with your LGBTQ organization’s staff and/or volunteers to produce a one-minute video that promotes HIV prevention tools and fits the theme, “What’s in your HIV Prevention Toolbox?”  Entry submissions will accepted via AIDS United’s Facebook page  June 1 – 30, 2013.  The videos from the three organizations with the greatest number of votes at 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2013 will  receive up to $2000 as an incentive to begin addressing HIV in their regular work.

The “What’s in Your HIV Prevention Toolbox?” video contest is part of our m2MPower initiative, which seeks to halt the rising rates of HIV among gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men.  The official contest rules and regulations are below, and if you have questions you can email HIVtoolbox@aidsunited.org

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What are you waiting for?  Start producing your video now!

Rules and Regulations:

• Must be 18+ to participate and an authorized representative of a LGBTQ organization.
• Must submit content via Woobox App and agree to the rules and regulations of the contest.
• All content must conform to Facebook rules, regulations, and guidelines.
• The contest will run from June 1 through June 30.
• Winning organizations will be determined by the number of votes within the Woobox App at 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2013 : 1st place $2,000, 2nd place $1500, 3rd place $1000
• Winning organizations will be contacted via the provided email address in their Woobox contest application.
• Videos cannot be longer than 1 minute.
• Entrants must have the rights to distribute and authorize the distribution of any and all content contained within their submissions.
• By entering the contest, you agree to grant AIDS United the right to promote, share, and redistribute your entry as it sees fit.
• AIDS United is not liable or responsible for the accuracy, quality, and legality of the content submitted.
• This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook.

How to Enter:

1. Read the rules and regulations for the contest above
2. Visit the CDC’s website for resources on HIV prevention at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/basic/index.htm
3. Produce a video, maximum of 1 minute in length, that promotes HIV prevention tools reaching gay and bisexual and other men who have sex with men and fits the theme, “What’s in your HIV prevention toolbox?”
4. Ensure that your organization has the rights to distribute and authorize the distribution of any and all content contained within your submission and ensure that the content of your video adheres to Facebook’s rules and guidelines.
5. Submit your video via the Woobox App on the AIDS United Facebook page, agreeing to the rules and regulations of the contest and providing your contact information.
6. Share the link to your video with your friends and fans, encouraging them to vote for the video that best explains HIV prevention tools or that most persuasively encourages use of one’s HIV prevention toolbox.

Sample messages for your video:

•    You can prevent the spread of HIV.
•    Knowing your HIV status helps you take control of your health
•    Taking an HIV test can be simple and easy.
•    If you are negative, use a condom every time.
•    If you are positive and on treatment, you reduce the chance of transmitting HIV by up to 96%
•    Alcohol and drugs cloud judgment and can lead to risky behavior

By Liam Cabal, Program Manager

Today, on National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, I feel both hopeful and frustrated for the state of HIV among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM). I am hopeful because we are at a point in time where new prevention strategies are better targeting those most at-risk for infection and treatment options have improved the lives of those living with HIV. However, I am frustrated because as the rates of infection in the U.S. have remained relatively stable for the past six years, MSM continue to be disproportionately affected by and have the highest risk for HIV infection. While MSM make up approximately two percent of the nation’s population, they made up 61 percent of all new HIV infections in 2009. And among MSM, young MSM and black/African American MSM are the most disproportionately affected. We must increase our efforts to tackle the continued problem.

As a gay man, I am especially concerned with how HIV has affected my community. Working in the HIV field daily, sometimes I take for granted the knowledge I have about HIV prevention and treatment. It is when I speak to my peers outside of the field that I am reminded that many gay men have limited knowledge about HIV. They may remember some core messages:  get tested regularly to know your status; use a condom when you have sex; and if you become infected, there are treatment options available that will allow you to live a long and healthy life. Unfortunately, they may not always act on them, or they don’t see HIV as a problem in our community any longer. We need to continue to engage gay, bisexual and other MSM about how HIV affects them, so they can protect themselves and stay healthy.

To help address this need, AIDS United has launched the first phase of its comprehensive m2mPower initiative through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). m2mPower is a multi-pronged initiative designed to build the capacity of organizations serving MSM to address HIV in their communities where AIDS United will have a targeted MSM mobilization effort to engage non-HIV specific organizations in Baltimore, Maryland and Atlanta, Georgia. The initiative will mobilize MSM in these communities around HIV-prevention messaging by using a unique combination of cash grants, training, intensive technical assistance, communications expertise, and program evaluation.

I have the privilege of managing this new initiative at AIDS United.  The program is directly connected to my community and brings together my professional and personal passions.  As we observe National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, I am proud and excited to be on the ground floor of what promises to be an exciting and comprehensive way to educate gay men about HIV and about their health.   m2mPower truly reflects AIDS United’s commitment  — and mine — to helping those communities disproportionately affected by HIV, and to bringing an end to the HIV epidemic in America.