Father-daughter HIV/AIDS & Hep B & C awareness "Ball" in OKC

Staff report

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women’s Health partners with Project G.R.A.C.E., Living In Destiny, and Langston University OKC Cooperative Extension to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B & C.

Annually, March 10th is National Women & Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day with March 20th being recognized as National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Two HIV/AIDS workshops were hosted for girls ten to sixteen on February 28 and March 7 to kick off this awareness event.

The highpoint of this event will be on March 15th with “Daddy’s Precious Princess Ball: A Father-Daughter HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B & C Awareness Event.” The objectives of the ball are to encourage dialogue between fathers and their daughters about sex, HIV/AIDS, and Hepatitis B & C. They hope to encourage attendees (including the fathers) to take action by knowing their HIV/AIDS status, and by understanding their risk of Hepatitis B and C, and to educate on the prevention of these diseases.

Keynote speaker is Mr. Calvin Williams, Director of Fatherhood Services, with Public Strategies. Other guest speakers/collaborators include Gospel Music Workshop of America’s National Miss Christian Pre-Teen Deb 2012, Guiding Right, Inc., and the Oklahoma State Department of Health. Metro Career Academy and Community Health are also collaborators on this event.

The community is invited and encouraged to attend. The Ball will be held at 6:00 P.M. on March 15, 2013 at the Langston University OKC campus located at 4205 N. Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City, OK 73105.

For more information and to RSVP, please contact Mrs. Vertina N. Long at 405-243-3589.

-- Robin Dorner, Editor in Chief The Gayly (405) 496-0011 www.gayly.com