Back of the Line: The State of AIDS Among Black Gay Men in America

I am reading an excellent publication from the Black AIDS Institute, "Back of the Line:  The State of AIDs Among Black Gay Men in America 2012:"
"No population in the developed world has been as heavily affected by HIV as Black men in the US who have sex with other men (MSM).  Indeed, one could study the entire world and have difficulty finding another group in which the HIV burden is greater than among Black MSM."

The report goes on to say that the number of new HIV infections among Black MSM rose by 20% from 2006 to 2009, with an especially disturbing 48% increase among young Black MSM.
Statistics like this are unacceptable anywhere, and particularly in the United States.  Blacks and Black gay men deserve better.

This is one of the reason that we are mobilizing our community with a series of events to turn the tide on HIV in Blacks.  The first events will be Friday, November 30, 2012 at the Capri Theatre in Minneapolis.

The first event, The Brother Circle Dinner, will be held from 4-6, and will include discussions with our special guests, Jamar Rogers, finalist on NBC's "The Voice" last season, and LaMont Wheat, singer, song-writer, and activist.

The second event, The Sarah Simmons Showcase, is a talent show that will feature performers from the Twin Cities.  In addition, Jamar Rogers and LaMont Wheat will perform.

Both events are free.  Dinner will be served.  HIV testing and education will also be free.

I hope you will join us!
Peace and love,
Bill

"Getting to Zero" Do We Have the Will to Make It Happen?

It was a great Monday!  We are lining up interviews with LaMont Wheat and Jamar Rogers on KMOJ radio for November 30th.  They will tell about their involvement with the Brother Circle Dinner, 4-6 pm and Sarah Simmons Showcase 6-8 pm at the Capri Theatre in Minneapolis, MN on November 30th.

The Brother Circle Dinner and Sarah Simmons Showcase are part of World AIDS Weekend Minneapolis 2012.  Additional events will take place on December 1st and 2nd.  ThiI will tell you more about these other events in future blogs this week.

This year our theme is "Getting to Zero."   We now have the know how and the tools to prevent HIV infections, which have hit our Black community the hardest.  The question is:  Do we have the will to make it happen?  It will take all of us working as hard as we can every day to stop this epidemic.

LaMont and Jamar are both incredible performers and inspiring speakers.  They will also talk about how HIV impacts their lives and communities.  You will not want to miss this incredible evening.
We are also ready to distribute flyers and postcards for the event.  Here they are:



Wishing you peace and love,

Bill

The Brother Circle and Sarah Simmons Showcase to Light Up the Capri Theatre in Minneapolis November 30



Capri Theatre, 2027 W. Broadway, Minneapolis, MN

 The Capri Theatre in Minneapolis will be the site of two coördinated programs designed to reduce HIV infections and entertain on Friday, November 30th.  The first event, The Brother Circle Dinner takes place 4-6 pm, and includes free food and discussion with Jamar Rogers, semifinalist on "The Voice" and LaMont Wheat, songwriter and performer of "Still Standing."
The Sarah Simmons Showcase will take place from 6-8 pm at the Capri.  This event is a community talent show.  It will also features songs by special guests, Jamar and LaMont.  If you would also like to perform in the Showcase, please register by November 15th with Peggy Darrett-Brewer at 651-201-4138 or email peggy.darrett-brewer@state.mn.us.
Both events will include free information on HIV prevention, free condoms, free STD testing, and free door prizes.
It is going to be a fantastic evening, and the culmination of ten months of work by me with The Black AIDS Institute, African American HIV University and our own Black HIV Coalition.  It has been an honor to work with  inspiring people in Minneapolis and around the country to reduce HIV in Blacks.  Blacks are the most impacted group by HIV of any race or ethnic group in the United States.  Black gay and bisexual men are particularly hard hit by HIV.
 Built in 1927, the Capri Theater’s storied history includes 35 years as the Paradise Theater (from 1933 to 1967), as well as the place where Prince launched his international music career in January 1979. Located at 2027 West Broadway (one block east of Penn Ave. North), the Capri Theater is owned and operated by Plymouth Christian Youth Center (PCYC).  (Capri Website)
So join us for this fun evening of food, music, entertainment, and education.  Be part of the cure.  Let us end HIV in our lifetimes.
Yours,
Bill

LaMont Wheat and Jamar Rogers to Appear November 30th, Minneapolis for World AIDS Day Events

I am part of the Black HIV Coalition in Minneapolis, and together with our partner, MAAAH (Minnesota African/African-American Women Initiative) we are planning an incredible event on November 30th, 2012 at the Capri Theatre, 2027 W. Broadway Ave., Minneapolis, MN.

Jamar Rogers

The evening will include "The Brother Circle Dinner" and the "Sarah Simmons Showcase."

LaMont Wheat

We have two dynamite celebrity guests coming to both events.  Jamar Rogers of NBC "The Voice" and LaMont Wheat, Recording Artist and Activist will be participating in our Brother Circle Dinner discussion and performing at the Showcase.

I'm be blogging daily about these events right up until they happen.  Please check back for daily updates.

Yesterday our coalition met, and new people came to the table to help us with our event.  Our biggest discussion was the T-Shirt design.  Attendees of either event will receive a free t-shirt custom designed for this event.    They are awesome!

I'm proud to say LaMont is a friend and a source of inspiration in my life.  He's also an incredible singer.  I had the pleasure of watching him perform in Washington, D.C. at the International AIDS Conference in July, 2012.

Jamar has a wonderful energy and a show-stopping voice.  He has also become an effective activist for eliminating HIV stigma in our community. 

Can you tell how excited I am?  If you are in the area, or even if you need to fly there, you should come to this event.

Best,

Bill

Mobilizing Black America to end HIV/AIDS

William Larson, Pharm.D.   spent a week in Los Angeles  with a group of HIV/AIDS coalition leaders training and getting up to speed on effective ways to build coalitions in his local Minneapolis community.  Black American men are among the most devastated by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and leaders are putting in action ways to mobilize around this in order to stop the spread of the disease.

Larson joined a group of 24 others from around the nation and especially from southern metropolitan states, the most affected regions, to get this training being delivered by the Black AIDS Institute.  Founded in May of 1999, the Black AIDS Institute is the only national HIV/AIDS think tank focused exclusively on Black people. The Institute's Mission is to stop the AIDS pandemic in Black communities by engaging and mobilizing Black institutions and individuals in efforts to confront HIV. The Institute interprets public and private sector HIV policies, conducts trainings, offers technical assistance, disseminates information and provides advocacy mobilization from a uniquely and un-apologetically Black point of view.  

 On the final day of training, William along with other participants laid out a proposal for mobilizing his local community.  "I learned how to write an action plan for a mobilization event which we will hold in Minneapolis in December.  The action plan was based on my problem statement which came from a needs assessment based on surveys of community members, providers, and leaders of Traditional Black Institutions," Larson stated.

Larson is calling on all local support to assist him executing his action plan which intends to educate 50 participants and test at least 10 participants.  "Encouragement and support from the community will make the difference.   I have a lot of work to do between now and December, but with the help of my coalition, which I am building and strengthening, it will all come together.  My target population is Black gay men in Minneapolis,"  Larson said.

William Larson, Pharm.D. is a pharmacist in the Minneapolis metro and a contributing medicine editor for BBINT Magazine. 

Effectiveness of Egrifta for Treating Big Belly Syndrome from HIV

This week I am writing about a new treatment for excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected people with lipodystrophy.  It is Egrifta or tesamorelin.  It’s a daily shot that you give yourself which can reduce belly fat significantly.  It is not a treatment for HIV.  Egrifta works by stimulating growth hormone receptors in the pituitary to produce growth hormone.   

In two clinical studies, the abdominal fat, also called visceral adiposity, was reduced by 14-18% in patients continuing Egrifta for twelve months.  The mean waist circumference was reduced by 1.3 to 2.6 cm during weeks 26-52.  This is a reduction in .5-1 inch in your waistline.

This is not a huge reduction.  Some people will experience greater results, however.  I tell my clients taking it that they still need to exercise regularly and carefully watch what they eat. 

The exciting thing about Egrifta is that clients who remain on it for at least six months usually report that their clothes start fitting differently and that they feel better about their appearance.

A down-side of Egrifta  is that it is not a permanent treatment.  If you stop the medication, your belly likely returns.

Wishing you health,
Bill

New Treatment Reduces Big Bellies Associated with HIV Treatment

You have been on HIV medications for a few years, and your provider tells you that you are doing well.  Your CD4 is up, your viral load is low or undetectable, and you should be feeling great.  But you don't, because you have a protruding abdomen from lipodystrophy associated with HIV and its treatment.  You have tried dieting and exercise, but your tummy does not bulge.  You worry that everybody looks at you and says, oh, "He has HIV."

This week I am writing about a new treatment for excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected people with lipodystrophy.  It is called Egrifta or tesamorelin.  It’s a daily shot that you give yourself which can reduce the belly fat significantly.  It is not a treatment for HIV.

Egrifta works by stimulating growth hormone receptors in the pituitary to produce growth hormone, which causes muscle growth and breaks up fat.  It is only recommended for reducing excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected persons with lipodystrophy.

The drug was approved by the FDA last year on the basis of two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy and excess abdominal fat.  Both studies consisted of a 26 week main phase and a 26 week extension phase.  In both studies, the abdominal fat, also called visceral adiposity, was reduced by 14-18% in patients continuing Egrifta for twelve months.  Improvements in fat in the blood stream, triglycerides, and body image, were also shown.

Tomorrow I will write more about effectiveness of Egrifta.

Egrifta is the only FDA approved treatment for this condition.  If you have a big belly from HIV treatment, you might want to ask your provider about Egrifta.  It is not a weight loss drug, however.

Wishing you health,
Bill