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During the past decade, AIDS activist Dr. John Chittick has taken his street outreach approach to HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness to 84 countries on six continents. After losing his family home in Fitchburg, Mass., to foreclosure, Chittick relocated his TeenAIDS Peer-Corps from the Boston area to Hampton Roads. Chittick and his recruits approach strangers, using jokes to break the ice. Chittick, who holds a master's and doctorate in education, prefers to wear clothes that attract attention. "If I see someone laughing at me because of my size or my shirt, I say, 'Hey, I notice you're looking at my shirt. Now that you've noticed me ..' I give them a card, and then I turn serious and say, 'I need help saving your best friend's life.'"
The card carries a simple message: "Shy=Die . Talk to your best friends." "It's a fact that no sex=no HIV/AIDS," it continues. "It is always safer to postpone sex until older and then with one partner. More than one partner increases the likelihood of getting HIV/AIDS. If a teen chooses to have sexual intercourse, a condom is always necessary. They are not 100 percent guaranteed, but using one every time will help prevent HIV/STDs."
Chittick passes out the cards at places where youths congregate, like shopping malls, skate parks, and movie theaters. He also has launched the "Global Teen Webathon," asking teens to pledge to protect themselves and educate others by tweeting or posting to Facebook. He hopes to reach 1 million pledges by March's end.
On Feb. 26, Chittick will host the area's first "Street Action Theater." The interactive, improvisational street theater is designed to engage young people and raise HIV/AIDS awareness.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
