December 3, 2009

>GLSEN Ambassador Abi Peña Reports On World AIDS Day

>From one of GLSEN’s student leaders, Abi Pena:

I attend Bard College at Simon’s Rock and for World AIDS Day 2009 (on Tuesday) we had a guest speaker who is a famous AIDS rights activist. Sean Strub, founder of POZ magazine and POZ en español, came to speak about his experience in AIDS activism.

Mr. Strub launched a magazine for women impacted by breast cancer called Mamm, and Real Health, which is for the African American community. He was a member of Act Up in New York and ran as an openly gay, HIV+ Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York’s 22nd congressional district.

He discussed the current unfair prosecutions and arrests of people who are HIV+, who didn’t disclose their status. He also shared his personal stories with us regarding the changes he has seen in society through AIDS education and how people treat it. He was great at answering our many questions and his stories were very much appreciated.

   

About Elizabeth Free

       

Elizabeth Free is the communications manager at GLSEN--the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network. Elizabeth joined GLSEN in 2009 to make schools safer for all students and says one of the best parts of her job is working with GLSEN's Student Ambassadors. She is originally from Texas and has a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising from the University of Houston.