AIDS Interfaith Network – Healthy Youth Initiative

AIDS/HIV was introduced to New Haven in the late 1970s, but information about the disease only began to be recorded in 1980. Since 1980, 2,199 people have died of AIDS in New Haven . Most of these deaths were caused by needle sharing due to drug use and unprotected sex.

In 1987, Elise W. Cofield , a retired schoolteacher, founded AIDS Interfaith Network Inc. (AIN), which is located at 1303 Chapel Street . AIN is a non-profit organization that provides a day care, crisis intervention, medical screenings, employment assistance, HIV education, counseling, legal assistance, and an emergency food pantry to low income AIDS/HIV patients. AIDS Interfaith also offers the Sunshine Corner, therapeutic recreation and cultural activities for children.

Three months after the AIN program began, 17% of AIDS/HIV patients in New Haven attended AIN while others went to Saint Raphael's for treatment . Four months after it began, AIN got teenagers involved by beginning the Health Youth Initiative (HYI). HYI is a program that has teens from all over New Haven educate their peers on all kinds of topics including AIDS/HIV. Jullia n Colón, a peer educator at HYI who attends High School in the Community, says, “Our topics range from AIDS/HIV, to rape, to hygiene, to sexual content in movies and literature. Whatever the group wants to talk about, that's what we discuss.”

The group meets two times a week on Mondays and Wednesdays. On Fridays, the Peer Educators either meet to discuss what topics the group should discuss, or they do outreach. Outreach is when the Peer Educators and their supervisor go out on the streets and pass out condoms and educate people on safe sex, drugs, and staying in school. “When I first started doing outreach I was scared because I didn't know how people would react when I asked them if they needed some condoms. But I was surprised to see the peoples' reactions; they were thankful for receiving free condoms.” Jullian continues, “I realize that I don't have to be afraid when it comes to the truth. If you're knowledgeable of things, there's not much to worry about.”

Before every group discussion, Jullian says she looks up information on the topic so that peers in the group can have some knowledge of it. Latasha Haynes, a group peer who attends Hillhouse High School , assures me, “If you attend the discussion that we have for a week, I guarantee that you will leave here feeling like you know the world inside and out because you get so much information.” This is Latasha's second year attending HYI, and she says, “Every year gets better.”

Jullian agrees with her, adding, “Every year the agency pays for Peer Educators to fly out of state to attend the Ryan White Conference. Last year I went to Dallas , Texas , and met Flex Alexander, and this year I'm going to Portland , Oregon . That's where this year's conference is held.”

For the past sixteen years, AIN/HYI has had a big impact on the Dwight neighborhood, getting people involved in health education. It also gives teenagers an opportunity to learn more about them and to get involved with educating their communities. This program has a personal impact on most participants in HYI, too. HYI can lead them to a great career such as nursing, a trade Latasha wants to take up, or teaching, a career Jullian wants to take up. HYI may be a start to their future careers.

- Fallan Johnson

www.dph.state.ct.us/BCH/infectioudise/AIDS-Data.htm