 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
AIDS Help
for Hispanics
Watch This Video
|
Windows Media English / Español |
  |
|
QuickTime English / Español |
|
|
MPEG English / Español |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|||
|
Disease control experts report that in 2005 the rate of HIV for Hispanics was three times that of non-Hispanic whites. A cultural resistance to openly discussing sex and health may be part of the problem. But Reed Galin met one grassroots activist who’s determined to spread the word about safe sex in his community. [Español] |
|||
 |
|||
 |
New Items | Additional Stories | Archives | ||
SCRIPT:
(Locator: Garden City, Kansas)From a Spanish-language radio station in Garden City, Kansas, Arturo Ponce is talking to people in four states about prevention and testing for AIDS.
(Spanish radio announcer)
Today the host takes an HIV test. It is not the only test Ponce will facilitate today.
Every week Ponce drives 500 miles of rural countryside, visiting small cities, doing AIDS outreach for the United Methodist Church in the region. He speaks at schools, sets up testing, and distributes safe sex kits to cantinas, stores and other businesses. The kits contain condoms and information about HIV testing.
Arturo Ponce: “Who’s coming requesting these safe sex kits?”
Cashier: “All ages really. All ages. Mostly men though.”
The majority of the population in this area is Hispanic-Latino. Beef processing plants and agriculture offer work. Statewide, Hispanics have higher infection rates than other groups. When this outreach started eight years ago, it was difficult getting anyone to test...
Arturo Ponce: “…but now every year we do about 500 average tests a year.”
It is Ponce’s job to tell a handful of these people that they have tested positive—and counsel them about free assistance that’s available
Arturo Ponce: “I hate this part of my job to provide positive results. But to me we are trying to help these people. And we are trying to tell them ‘OK, we are here to support you.’”
He keeps irregular hours, because it’s more mission than job for Ponce as he prepares more kits.
Arturo Ponce: “You know many people know me like ‘condom man.’ It’s funny but to me it’s okay because I don’t want to see (them) in the clinic.”
It’s Friday evening as Ponce heads out to restock kits at the busy cantinas and bars that connect him to his community.
TAG:
In the state of Kansas, Hispanics make up about 9% of the population, but account for 16% of reported AIDS cases.
Before Ponce became director of United Methodist Mexican-American AIDS Ministries, he was as an organizer for workers in the packing plants of southwest Kansas, fighting for better working conditions and wages. Now, Ponce works with some of those same processing plants to distribute information on HIV testing, and medical services.
You can contact Arturo Ponce at 620-275-1766 ext. 233 or at aponce@ummam.org.
For more information on the United Methodist Mexican-American Ministries health and dental clinics in Kansas, visit their Web site: http://www.ummam.org.
Posted: Nov. 4, 2008