World AIDS Day panel to feature HIV positive individuals

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield will host an informational panel as part of World AIDS Day. The panel will feature HIV positive individuals, who will share their stories about living with the virus.

WHEN: Thurs., Dec. 1 from 4 to 6 p.m.

WHERE: Student Life Building (SLB) Multipurpose Room, located on the east side of the UIS campus. Parking is available in lot B, located next to SLB. A map of campus is available at www.uis.edu/maps/.

DETAILS: Worldwide, HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death and disease for women 15-49. Of the 1 million people with HIV in the United States, 1 in 4 don't even know they have it and almost 70% of these living with HIV are people of color. Overall, 50% of all gay black men are HIV positive and 78% of all black women infected with HIV contract it through heterosexual contact.

Jonna Cooley, Ph.D., executive director of The Phoenix Center will serve as moderator of the panel. The Phoenix Center serves as Springfield's LGBTQ Community Center providing high quality HIV/AIDS prevention and education to the community as a whole.

The panel discussion is being sponsored by the UIS Diversity Center & LGBTQ Resource Office, the Illinois Department of Public Health Center for Minority Health Services, the Springfield Urban League, Brothers and Sisters United Against HIV/AIDS, and The Phoenix Center.

For more information, contact Kerry Poynter, director of the UIS LGBTQ Resource Office at 217/206-8316 or email kpoyn2@uis.edu.