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To the Editors:
Re “New CDC
initiative criticized by groups denied funding,” news,
June 4:
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s recent funding of
community-based organizations recognizes their life-saving HIV prevention work
and provides support to help them carry it out. The $49 million in these awards
announced on May 21 is one very important part of the approximately $788 million
that the CDC spends on domestic HIV prevention efforts each year.
The CDC works to ensure that HIV prevention money is used to keep pace with
the changing AIDS epidemic. This most recent review process was highly competitive,
involving a careful review of each of the 537 eligible applications by panels
of epidemiologists, social and behavioral scientists and community members — none
of them federal employees.
In addition, regional AIDS incidence was an important factor in determining
a geographic distribution of services that mirror the national HIV epidemic.
Based on the panels’ recommendations, 142 community groups were recommended
to receive money in the upcoming funding cycle. As reported by the Blade, this
represents fewer organizations than were funded in the past so that a larger
amount of funding can be provided to each organization.
The majority (82 percent) of recipients provide HIV prevention services for
people of color — particularly men who have sex with men, who continue
to be disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic.
CDC also continues to fund — through this recent award and other efforts — organizations
serving uninfected people at high risk for HIV infection, as we work to increase
programs reaching people living with HIV infection with much needed prevention
services.
Community-based organizations have the expertise and access to reach individuals
with ongoing prevention services and to provide voluntary counseling and testing
for those who may benefit most from knowing their HIV status. CDC will continue
to strengthen its long-standing partnerships with these organizations until
we achieve our shared goal of further reducing HIV infection in the United
States.
Director, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention
National Center for HIV, STD &TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Atlanta
To the Editors:
After viewing this year’s Capital Pride Parade, friends and I agreed
it was the best we had ever attended. Not only was the event itself inspirational,
but the crowd gathered along 17th Street seemed to be having a great time.
The sense of community and good wishes was to be found everywhere.
After the event, we decided to go to one of the sponsor gay clubs and show
our support. To our surprise, there was a cover charge double the normal rate.
We showed the attendants at the door the advertisement from the official Pride
Guide, which stated if you arrive before a certain time, there was no charge
at all. We were told the ad was a misprint and were shown a second ad from
a different publication.
Gay Pride is not the time to cash in on the community. There is already a
guarantee of a good night’s business.
Not honoring the ad demonstrates bad business; raising prices demonstrates
greed.
Washington
To the Editors:
Taking a break from the Capital Pride Festival on Pennsylvania Avenue, I strolled
into the National Gallery of Art. I was carrying one of those yellow standard-issue
goody bags they hand out at Pride. Mine didn’t say “Big Gay Bag,” but
it was apparently close enough.
Inside, crowds parted in front of me. Some tourists even pulled their kids
away as I walked past. Galleries emptied out when I entered.
In the shop, crowded displays were suddenly mine to browse at leisure. In
the restaurant, I had a nice section by the fountain all to myself, except
for the constant frowns from farther away, as if everyone’s food tasted
bad.
Usually at this museum, people ask me questions, maybe because I always seem
so enthusiastic about the paintings. Even without the sharply hostile looks,
I would have been able to tell that something was up.
The exit had a clear view of the rainbow-colored moon bounce, jumping with
children and their pairs of moms and dads. Some children leaving the museum
pulled on their parents’ arms and pleaded to go have a turn; but the
parents hustled them in a different direction, flashing that same look.
Growing up in the 1960s, I remember the first black family who moved into
our Chicago suburb. Things seemed to be going well for them, but then word
spread that they were moving out. I asked her why, but her answer didn’t
seem like much of a reason but it comes back to me now: “The way people
look at us.”
Washington
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