Connection and Stories Matter in HIV Prevention, Treatment

Just back from a conference in Montreal, I’m a little tired, sweetly full of things to follow up on, and amused by the fact that because of the damp, it feels colder here than it did “back East.” The Canadian AIDS Society Leading Together 2010 conference attracted people from all across the country to share knowledge, network and band together to discuss the challenges faced by PHAs.

How to grab the energy of what happened? The great passion with which people address the homophobia, the serophobia, sexism, discrimination and even the glorious advances in treatment that spell better, longer lives for PHAs was revealed in posters, workshops, plenaries, and displays.

For example, take The Electronic Wake. This art installation in Montreal features “techno-flowers” with petals made of shoes and the face of the flower as a space where video testimonials play. People are invited to send a message, express what they know or feel about HIV, show solidarity, or make a comment. Filmed at community events in Montreal, the garden of techno-flowers is on display at the Montreal Parc L’Espoire (Park of Hope), the AIDS memorial. Talking to one of the creators of the project, I felt as if I was looking into a summer afternoon in Montreal, full of possibility and energy.

Miriam and Melissa took a lot from HIV Edmonton’s session about incorporating art and creativity into everyday programming- the appeal of the senses to the mind. Marcie said the session which emphasized the power of storytelling in educating the public was a great reminder that people connect people, and stories are our way of weaving meaning into our lives. Appeal to someone on a personal level and you have a new way to get your message across, whether it’s health promotion or fundraising.

Sunday’s plenary session on the criminalization of HIV featured the voices of several people who painted the complex picture that it is. Yes, it’s important for PHAs to take responsibility for disclosing their status to sex partners, but it’s also the responsibility of sex partners to protect themselves. While all speakers commented on the harshness of the law in managing people’s personal lives, there was also general acknowledgment from PHA speakers that the option for legal recourse needs to be in place. Darien Taylor spoke of HIV positive men who purposely put their partners at risk as using HIV “as a form of violence against women.” This was echoed by another presenter, who also spoke about the cultural challenges of talking about sex and HIV in communities where it’s just not done, and to do so means risking violence.

Sangam provided a workshop on her "HIV basic training" around the province with transition house workers, and we also had two posters on display. We profiled our You Should Know project, a social marketing health promotion campaign aimed at preventing STIs. Since we often receive calls from people across the country wanting to know more about our retreat program, we  presented a poster on that as well.

There are many ways to educate people through their fears, prejudices, and hopes. There’s much to do. The tension between what could be and what things currently are fuels this work, and it’s a vibrant, committed community that takes it on.

- Janet

This was posted on Friday, March 12th, 2010 at 8:00 am and is filed under Education & Resources, Networking, News . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.

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  Louis Dionne March 24, 2010 at 6:00 pm

  Thank you for talking about the E-Wake Janet. We are looking forward to develop the project even more with partnerships for different places and groups. We also want to bring the concept of “collective intimacy” to the internet. In the meantime people are invited to watch online samples of our collection of now 225 videotestimonials: http://electronicwake.com/videos.html

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