Food, Film & Forum caters to AIDS awareness

According to the Aids Healthcare Foundation (AHF), HIV affects millions of people worldwide -- those living with the autoimmune virus, their friends, families and partners.

By educating yourself about HIV and AIDS, you can better guard your health and minimize the impact of living with the virus on yourself or those you care about.

In recognition of the 2013 National Black HIV/ Aids Awareness Day, Community Access Services, Weigel Health Promotions, and the Buffalo State College United Student Government held "Food, Film, & Forum" at 6 p.m. last Thursday in the Student Union Assembly Hall 2.
 

The event was open to all and included a free dinner, a screening of a portion of the film "Endgame: AIDS in Black America," a panel discussion and a public forum, and a prize raffle.

"It was important for students to attend the event so that we could bring the topic of AIDS into light (and) people can get treatment," said Kristy Bigouette, a Peer Educator in Weigel Health Promotions. "We wanted to expose people to the information that's available."
 

Once the crowd of over 50 people was welcomed and provided with their free food, the film "Endgame: AIDS in Black America," started playing. The film helped attendees "explore the depths of HIV and how it is continuing to affect Black communities around the country," according to the event flyer.
 

The film was a "groundbreaking exploration of one of the country's most urgent, preventable health crises," according to the event ticket.
 

One student discussed the importance of students attending events like Food, Film & Forum.
 

"A lot of kids don't know what AIDS is," said Goodson Philippe, a senior French major. "They think you can see who has AIDS, but you can't. They make assumptions, which is bad. Coming to events like this help us to be more aware and help is to raise awareness."
 

After the film, there was a panel discussion led by experts in the field and people whose lives have been touched by HIV. It was a time for all with questions about HIV/ AIDS to learn how it affects the African American community.
 

"The question and answer portion of the event was good because it dispelled any myths that people had about people with AIDS," said Bigouette. "I was shocked by what I saw and touched by the stories that I heard. The panelists removed stigmas about AIDS, and made sure that people knew the facts, because those myths could be unhealthy for both AIDS patients and those around them."

The panel discussion was an opportunity for students to get a better understanding and explanation of what AIDS truly is today. The panelists said that AIDS is no longer a death sentence; instead, it is now something that people can keep living with, though they need the support of those around them.
 

"We don't prepare people to die, we prepare them to live," said one of the panelists, Rev. Dr. James Lewis III.

The panelists also discussed ways that society can prevent AIDS while also working with those who already have AIDS.
 

"You need to be educated, get testing, and empower yourself to make healthy choices," said Nancy Burns, RN, BSN.
 

"Be safe, respect yourself. Be your own advocate. Know what you're being tested for. No one can care for you like you can."
 

Burns also stressed the importance of working with the AIDS population.
 

"No one should die alone," said Burns.
 

The event organizers felt that Food, Film & Forum was a success and achieved the goals that it set out to do.
 

"I felt the support and the passion in the room," said Bigouette. "We got rid of stigmas by talking about them and spreading awareness. Whoever got information from the event will share it with others, letting them know that AIDS is still a big problem, and if they have AIDS, there are options. Attendees learned the positive approach, that AIDS is something you can now live with."
 

The Delta Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha has also invited a speaker from Community Access Services to talk about HIV/ AIDS Awareness at their event at 7 p.m. this Wednesday in the Student Union Assembly Hall 1.
 

For more information, call Community Access Services at (716) 852-5969 and Weigel Health Promotions at (716) 878-6725

You can also follow the Health Promotions Twitter account at @BSCHealthPromo or "Like" the Health Promotions Facebook page.

Colleen Young can be reached by email at young.record@live.com.