HIV/AIDS network named org of year
RALEIGH, N.C. — The ADAP Advocacy Association (aaa+) presented the NC AIDS Action Network (NAACN) with its Community Organization of the Year award on Sept. 24 at its dinner in Washington, D.C.
Lee Storrow, executive director of NCAAN, attended the dinner and accepted the award on the organization’s behalf. “It’s an honor to be recognized for our work in North Carolina. I share this award with our entire team and the hundreds of activists across our state who stand up every day for access to healthcare for those living with HIV.”
The award was bestowed on NCAAN for their leadership and success in driving legislative and policy reforms for people living with HIV/AIDS in North Carolina. NCAAN was selected specifically as a result of their advocacy efforts with the North Carolina General Assembly in expanding the state’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) to allow the program to use funds to help clients purchase health insurance through premium and cost-sharing assistance.
Studies have shown that premium assistance programs lead to better health outcomes and better viral suppression rates for patients. When someone is virally suppressed, it means that they have very low levels of HIV in their body, significantly reducing the risk of transmitting HIV to another person. Moving ADAP clients onto health insurance programs helps them access important health services to manage other health needs that are currently out of reach for many.
“Our annual awards recognize individual, community, government, media and corporate leaders who are working to improve access to care and treatment under the AIDS Drug Assistance Program,” said aaa+ CEO Brandon M. Macsata. “What was achieved by the North Carolina AIDS Action Network with the passage of ADAP premium assistance in the state embodies the spirit of the awards.”
NAACN works to improve the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS and affected communities through outreach and public education, policy advocacy and community building to increase visibility and mutual support of people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the state of North Carolina.
info: adapadvocacyassociation.org. ncaan.org.
Equality gala announces keynote
RALEIGH, N.C. — Equality North Carolina Foundation has announced that Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro is its keynote speaker for its 10th Annual Equality Gala to be held on Oct. 15 at the Raleigh City Center Marriott, 500 Fayetteville St.
Castro has been a trailblazer and longtime advocate for the LGBT community. As mayor of San Antonio and as a federal employee, he has defended and supported the LGBT community and is a staunch ally.
He advocates fair and affordable housing, champions LGBT rights, especially with LGBT homeless youth and requires equal access for transgender individuals in federally-funded homeless shelters.
In addition to Castro, the gala will welcome Sarah McBride as its special guest. McBride, a native of Wilmington, Del., is the National Press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign and serves on the board of directors of Equality Delaware, the state’s primary LGBT-advocacy organization. She has worked on LGBT equality at the Center for American Progress and interned at the White House — the first out trans woman to do so. McBride made headlines as she became the first out transgender person to address a major national party convention in July 2016.
Tickets, which are selling fast, are $175/individual, $50/active duty military, $225/individual plus VIP reception, $100/military plus VIP reception, $1,500/tables of 10 and $2,000/tables of 10 plus VIP reception. Pre-paid guests of donors, sponsors, etc. do not have to pay but must verify by email to bgraumann@equalitync.org in order to be accepted for the rate.
info: equalityncfoundation.org.
Sex survey results in
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — Adam & Eve has released the results of its annual sex survey.
For this go-around, the company queried over 1,000 adults, age 18 and up, to see if they would be open to having a relationship with someone who is bisexual, and the responses they got may surprise some people.
Slightly less than half, at 47 percent, said they would not be open to having a relationship with a bisexual individual, 35 percent of the respondents said they were open to it and 19 percent said they were undecided.
Of those polled, more men than women (39 percent versus 31 percent) were open to a relationship with a bisexual partner, while 23 percent of the women versus 15 percent of the men were unsure.
“Bisexuality is defined as a sexual and/or romantic attraction to both males and females,” explains Adam & Eve Sexpert Dr. Kat Van Kirk shared, “It’s encouraging to see that people are open to the idea of sexuality encompassing more than the traditional male/female partnership.”
The web-based survey was conducted by an independent third party survey company and sponsored by Adam & Eve to study sexual preferences and practices.
info: adamandeve.com.
New podcast begins
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In a joint production with Public Radio International and North Carolina Public Radio WUNC, a new podcast, “The Civilist with Steven Petrow,” has launched.
Petrow is a journalist and author. He has penned guides on manners, among other topics.
Currently, a handful of episodes are available for one’s listening pleasure.
PRI describes the show, saying, “Fed up with flaming and unfriending, snark and shade, when discussing hot button issues like politics, religion, guns, LGBTQ rights and more? Then it’s time to join ‘The Civilist’ with the Washington Post’s Steven Petrow as he and his guests take on the issues you care about. Petrow’s guests are Red, Blue and Purple and his focus is on how to talk together, not who’s right or wrong. He’s determined to make American kind again.”
info: pri.org/people/steven-petrow.
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Share your news with us
Does your organization or special interest group have events or great information to share with our readers? If so, be sure to send in your information to specialassignments@goqnotes-launch2.newspackstaging.com. In the upcoming months, we’ll feature one of you in our news notes section in each issue. Are you a part of a Meetup, Yahoo or Google group and do you do something that’s really newsworthy? Do you provide a service for the community or hold fundraisers for worthy causes? Do you educate the public about LGBT issues or concerns? Of course, this is only a sampling of things we are interested in. It’s the aim of these pieces to inform, enlighten and educate our readers about what we’re doing here in the Carolinas to champion LGBT rights, as well as offer resources for those who may be interested in what your group is doing.