Hey John,
I’m Alonnie, a 2025 National Youth HIV & AIDS Day (NYHAAD) Ambassador and Junior at Xavier University of Louisiana, a Historically Black College & University (HBCU) in New Orleans. We've made it to our week of action for NYHAAD! This week, nearly I and 60 other Ambassadors are coordinating a series of events & activities - national, local, and virtual - and today we come to you with our Social Media Toolkit so you can participate too.
Last NYHAAD, I worked on reducing the stigma and building empathy on my campus revolving around HIV and AIDS. This year, I am continuing my work by encouraging students and the surrounding community to “Own Their Power.” This campaign is built around recognizing our collective power to empower ourselves through knowledge, take control of our health, fight the stigma, create safe spaces, and lead the change we want to see. On April 10th, I’ll be passing out HIV educational kits and testing students around my campus on their knowledge. Let’s continue to make everyone feel seen this year and amplify all voices.
NYHAAD is a project of Advocates for Youth that’s commemorated annually on April 10th to urge policymakers and the public to take action regarding the impact of HIV and AIDS on young people and highlight the HIV prevention, treatment, and care campaigns of young people in the U.S. We said we'd give you plenty of time to prep before Thursday’s awareness day, so here we are with the Social Media Toolkit we promised!
Check out this week's schedule!
MONDAY, APRIL 7th – #NYHAAD 101 Launch
Stay tuned to our Instagram account @advocatesforyouth to learn more about the NYHAAD campaign, our values, and our demands.
TUESDAY, APRIL 8th – NYHAAD Ambassador Spotlights
Follow us at @MyStoryOutLoud to see how NYHAAD Ambassadors are leading HIV prevention, treatment, and care campaigns in their communities.
THURSDAY, APRIL 10th – Virtual Roundtable at 5pm EST
April 10th is National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day! Join us and thousands of accounts across the country in posting online using #NYHAAD. We encourage you to use the Social Media Toolkit here for inspiration. Remember to use #NYHAAD in your posts, no matter what social media network you choose.
In addition, be sure to meet us online from 5:00 PM EST – 6:30 PM EST for #OurHIVPlan: Voices of Activists Living with HIV. This youth-led panel features three activists living with HIV sharing their experiences, insights, and demands. From access to prevention, treatment, and care to bold strategies for ending the epidemic, this conversation centers youth leadership and calls for action rooted in equity, support, and lived experience. Register here.
FRIDAY, APRIL 11th – Healthcare Professionals, Youth, & PrEP
Join us for a virtual screening and live chat in partnership with BLACK, GAY, stuck at home (bgsah). bgsah is a project created by Michael Ward (@michaelxward) and Joshua Henry Jenkins (@joshjenks). As the world was asked to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, they recognized a need for affinity and community remains.
Click here to register for the screening of The Year We Thought About Love, directed and produced by Ellen Brodsky.
Best,
Alonnie Celestine
NYHAAD Ambassador and SOT Member
|
