{ Dashus:land }

A film by Ira Sachs.

The following is a somber little film made up of exterior shots of the last residential addresses of a slew of talented and ingenious New York City artists who died of AIDS. The video is simple yet quite moving. I hope you'll take a second to watch.

World Aids Day 2009.

I know one day they will find a cure for AIDS. I believe fully that it will be in my lifetime. It has to. I have too many people in my life that are counting on this. This song always comes to mind on World Aids Day. It speaks volumes about the fight that still carries on. x.

World Aids Day.

We still have a fight on our hands. We still have an obligation to those we love. We still have a chance to find a cure. NOW.



Open your EYES, EARS, and HEART. Learn More. 

WORLD AIDS DAY.

Visit UNTIL.ORG to learn more about HIV and AIDS. Learn what you can do to help in the fight for a cure. UNTIL.ORG is just one of many organizations that are trying to make a difference. This disease is no longer one that we can ignore. The people living with this disease could be someone you know. It's time.

"Until There's A Cure is dedicated to eradicating HIV/AIDS by raising awareness and funds to combat this pandemic."

~ Vital Statistics ~

Worldwide:

Over 22 million people have died from AIDS.

Over 42 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, and 74 percent of these infected people live in sub-Saharan Africa.

Over 19 million women are living with HIV/AIDS.

By the year 2010, five countries (Ethiopia, Nigeria, China, India, and Russia) with 40 percent of the world's population will add 50 to 75 million infected people to the worldwide pool of HIV disease.

There are 14,000 new infections every day (95 percent in developing countries). HIV/AIDS is a "disease of young people" with half of the 5 million new infections each year occurring among people ages 15 to 24.

The UN estimates that, currently, there are 14 million AIDS orphans and that by 2010 there will be 25 million.

United States:

An estimated one million people are currently living with HIV in the United States, with approximately 40,000 new infections occurring each year.

70 percent of these new infections occur in men and 30 percent occur in women.

By race, 54 percent of the new infections in the United States occur among African Americans, and

64 percent of the new infections in women occur in African American women.

75 percent of the new infections in women are heterosexually transmitted. Half of all new infections in the United States occur in people 25 years of age or younger

See who else is lending their voice to make a difference!

I'll Stand By You...

Ok I ain't gonna lie - I love me some Carrie Underwood. I have no idea what it is. She's just so darn good. This past week, American Idol did their show Idol Gives Back where they raised over 60 million dollars for under privileged children in the United States and Africa. While the show was slightly boring in my opinion there were some highlights. Annie Lennox and Kelly Clarkson both gave stellar performances but it was Ms. Underwood that blew me away. Carrie did a remake of The Pretenders' "I'll Stand By You". I always loved the song and I think Carrie did it justice. The song takes on a new meaning when the backdrop is the AIDS crisis in Africa. The video below is a touching reminder that we have much to do in regards to this epidemic. Every little thing we can do is one step further in the fight ahead.

Oh and speaking of helping - if you are able - please help my friend Brandon who is making a trip across Africa in June to raise money for AIDS research. Even a dollar will help to get him to his goal of 10K. Your donations are dearly thanked. Now on to the video... Enjoy. Happy Sunday, y'all!. xoxox.

Thanks to Rickey.org for the screenshot used above.

Posting this again...

I wanted to post this again because I think its really important. If you have even just a few dollars to spare it will definitely help get Brandon to his goal. Hope everyone is having a great Friday. xox.________________________________________________________________

I have always said that I have some amazing friends. They are creative, artistic, talented, witty, generous and brave. My friend Brandon is an example of one of those truly amazing people. Brandon is raising money for AIDS research. Brandon will be walking across the African desert in order to raise 10,000 dollars. At this time Brandon has raised 3,200 dollars and only has 4 months left until is trek in May. Please click the link below in order to learn more about Brandon's truly inspiring trip and his unselfish mission to raise money for a worthy cause.

On Brandon's donation page, he has this to say:

"In May of next year, I will be walking across the African desert for 8-10 hours a day for 7 days, to raise $10,000 for The American Foundation for AIDS Research. amfAR is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of HIV/AIDS research, AIDS prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.

Why am I doing this? I don't know anyone personally who has died of AIDS. The HIV-positive people I do know are healthy. But we're lucky. Here in the U.S., we have access to information and health care. It is a different story in Africa, where 6,500 people die of HIV/AIDS everyday. It doesn't have to be that way. With access to information and medications, HIV/AIDS can be treated and prevented. If we all work together, we can help provide that. That's why I'm doing this.

Great wonders can happen when people work together and support each other. I pledge to donate my time and energy to raise this much-needed money. I am also covering all my own travel and medical expenses. This is not a free trip or vacation, this is a fund raising and physical challenge for a worthy cause. Please support my efforts and be as generous as possible. Any donation will be much appreciated in our fight to rid the world of this terrible disease.

I am doing this challenge in honor of my little sister Christina Palacio, who lived her life to the fullest. She inspires me to do the same."

Again, even if it's only a few dollars - that will get Brandon closer to his goal and well on his way to making a huge difference. The image at the top right of this page will remain on my site until Brandon goes on this adventure. If you can't give now - visit later and donate when you can, if you can.

Good luck Brandon. 

Learn more and donate here if you can!

An amazing trip...

I have always said that I have some amazing friends. They are creative, artistic, talented, witty, generous and brave. My friend Brandon is an example of one of those truly amazing people. Brandon is raising money for AIDS research. Brandon will be walking across the African desert in order to raise 10,000 dollars. At this time Brandon has raised 3,200 dollars and only has 4 months left until is trek in May. Please click the link below in order to learn more about Brandon's truly inspiring trip and his unselfish mission to raise money for a worthy cause.

On Brandon's donation page, he has this to say:

"In May of next year, I will be walking across the African desert for 8-10 hours a day for 7 days, to raise $10,000 for The American Foundation for AIDS Research. amfAR is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of HIV/AIDS research, AIDS prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.

Why am I doing this? I don't know anyone personally who has died of AIDS. The HIV-positive people I do know are healthy. But we're lucky. Here in the U.S., we have access to information and health care. It is a different story in Africa, where 6,500 people die of HIV/AIDS everyday. It doesn't have to be that way. With access to information and medications, HIV/AIDS can be treated and prevented. If we all work together, we can help provide that. That's why I'm doing this.

Great wonders can happen when people work together and support each other. I pledge to donate my time and energy to raise this much-needed money. I am also covering all my own travel and medical expenses. This is not a free trip or vacation, this is a fund raising and physical challenge for a worthy cause. Please support my efforts and be as generous as possible. Any donation will be much appreciated in our fight to rid the world of this terrible disease.

I am doing this challenge in honor of my little sister Christina Palacio, who lived her life to the fullest. She inspires me to do the same."

Again, even if it's only a few dollars - that will get Brandon closer to his goal and well on his way to making a huge difference. The image at the top right of this page will remain on my site until Brandon goes on this adventure. If you can't give now - visit later and donate when you can, if you can.

Good luck Brandon.

Learn more and donate here if you can!

Light a Candle

My friend Therese sent me a link today to a very cool site. Please click through to the following link if you are interested in lighting a candle on the 3rd Annual Light to Unite website. For every candle lit, Bristol-Myers Squibb will donate money to the National AIDS fund. You can find more information and light a candle at www.LightToUnite.org 

WORLD AIDS DAY

Today is WORLD AIDS DAY. Here are some facts to consider on this day taken from the AMFAR.org website.

November 2006 - The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that there are now almost 40 million men, women, and children worldwide living with HIV and AIDS. 
 
In 2006, an estimated 4.9 million people were newly infected with HIV, and close to 3 million people died, including over half a million children under the age of 15. HIV/AIDS is now the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa. Worldwide, it is the fourth-biggest killer. There are now 15 million AIDS orphans in the world.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicenter of the pandemic, with 24.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS—60 percent of the world total. If current trends remain unchanged, there will be more than 40 million children orphaned by AIDS in Africa by 2010.

The steepest increases in HIV are occurring in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where 1.7 million people were living with HIV in 2006. This figure represents a twentyfold increase in HIV infection in less than ten years. AIDS claimed 84,000 lives in Eastern Europe and Central Asia in 2006. Some 270,000 people were newly infected with HIV in the past year, and almost one third of them were people aged 15-24.

UNAIDS estimates there are now at least 8.6 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the Asia and Pacific region. With roughly 60 percent of the world's population, even low rates of HIV incidence could translate to vast numbers of infected people, and this region is expected to be the next epicenter of the global pandemic.

Always be safe and give help when you can.