La Casa program talks HIV/AIDS

Latinos constituted 16 percent of the U.S. population in 2009 and contributed to 20 percent of all newly reported HIV infections that same year. The infection rate among Latinos was nearly three times that of whites, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Heydi Correa, health educator for Positive Link, a program of IU Health Bloomington, Community Health and Bienestar Latino Outreach Program, organized a presentation about HIV/AIDS and Pedro Zamora, a Latino HIV/AIDS activist.

“HIV/AIDS is something that does affect the Latino Community on a large scale,” Correa said. “People aren’t aware. I want to bring that awareness to campus and put a Latino face on it.”

Zamora was born in Cuba in 1972 and later came to America. His mom was diagnosed with cancer and died two years after they arrived, leading Zamora to engage in self destructive behavior.

She said he went to many parties and had unprotected sex. He contracted HIV at age 17. At 18, he became an activist for his cause and began giving presentations across the country.

In 1994, Zamora was on MTV’s “The Real World: San Francisco.” He brought awareness to HIV/AIDS and lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual issues.

Zamora later married his husband on the show’s set.

He died Nov. 11, 1994, at age 22.

“It was the first time someone came out in the media and said, ‘I’m HIV positive,’” Correa said. “A lot of people just don’t really know who he is. We’re spreading the word and giving his work a little more life.”

Correa started off the night asking questions, such as if anyone in the audience knew anyone personally who has HIV/AIDS.

“You don’t see many Latinos stepping up to the plate and talking about their issues,” Correa said. “Sometimes Latinos don’t really talk to each other about sex and protection.”

The first reported case of HIV/AIDS in the United States was in 1981.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with the HIV infection, and one-fifth of these people are unaware of it.

About 50,000 Americans become infected each year, and men who have sex with other men are affected most.

Correa said 1 in 36 Latino men and 1 in 106 Latino women will contract HIV at some point in their lives.

She asked the audience how people can stay aware of this issue.

“I feel like we see commercials about it all the time, but I feel like people don’t pay attention,” one audience member said. They said the issue seems more real when activists are involved.

Another member said people don’t always think it can happen to anyone. They just think about gay men and drug users.

Junior Abby Rubando attended the event for one of her classes.

“I thought it was extremely informative,” she said. “I didn’t realize how many people have it and how many different ways it could be spread. I didn’t realize it was so prevalent in the Latino community.”

Senior Jessica Lopez has been studying this issue.
“I wanted to get a new insight,” Lopez said. “I didn’t think the numbers would be so high. I guess the numbers of people with HIV are growing, and nobody’s paying attention to that.”

Correa was pleased with the event.

“I really like that fact that people outside of the Latino community came to learn,” she said.