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AltaMed, a Los Angeles health
clinic, launched a serialized drama about HIV/AIDS, called “Sin Verguenza”
(Without Shame) on November 30, and hopes to decrease stigma and raise
awareness about the disease among Latinos. State Senator Ed Hernandez (D-West
Covina) announced the telenovela at one of the clinic’s sites to mark World
AIDS Day, December 1. The multipart serial recounts the story of the Salazars,
a fictional family living in East Los Angeles. Writers have based the storyline
on the experiences of AltaMed clinic patients.
Natalie Sanchez, AltaMed’s HIV
prevention manager, declared that traditional patient education methods are not
sufficient, so she and others created the telenovela in the hopes of
eliminating some of the myths that Latinos still believe. Sanchez explained,
“With these stories, we hope the messages will resonate.” The English and
Spanish drama is part of a public health campaign to encourage patients to get
tested, promote HIV prevention, and urge HIV patients to pursue medical care.
The show, airing on YouTube, encompasses topics such as stigma, infidelity, and
family secrets. The AltaMed clinic used a federal grant to produce the show and
hopes that it will get picked up by a local TV station.
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!
