I don't even know how I found out about this campaign - GYT09 (Get Yourself Tested).  But I'm thinking about doing it - just to do it. As far as I know, I should be completely safe ... right? Maybe not. I took their quiz and it told me I should "consider talking to a health professional about getting tested. WHAT? WHAT? Let me in, NOW, to get tested. I don't care for what - just test it all, you know? These are scary times. So, for sure, I'm going to do it.  But. But I am a little worried about walking into a Planned Parenthood center. What if someone sees me? What if, what if, what if ... a test is POSITIVE? Oy.  Anyway, http://www.gyt09.org/

On a lighter note - I love The Onion. Sure does give a pretty accurate of the hottest teen sex craze... 

But here I go.

Pope Benedict XVI still refuses to admit that condoms should be used in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The Church has a famously rigid stance on contraception (I have a few things to say about that... I'll leave it for a later post), dismissing everything from the Pill to condoms as unnatural and against God's procreative plans.

It angers me that the Church refuses to see that people should choose when they become parents; it enrages me that the Pope continues to turn a blind eye to the suffering and death caused by HIV/AIDS. He said condoms will not solve the crisis but, on the contrary, increase the problem. Instead, he said, people should adopt a moral and responsible attitude toward sex to combat HIV/AIDS.

Are you serious?! You are preaching morality and abstinence when 22 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV? That is downright irresponsible, not to mention cold and uncompassionate.

People are dying, and it's time for the Church to get off its high horse and realize that religious dogma is not the solution. Giving people, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, access to condoms will decrease the spread of a deadly disease. I'm pretty sure Jesus wouldn't stand in the way of that kind of progress because of an outdated and uncompromising rule.

I don't think anyone would disagree with me when I say that this week has been a rough one for professional baseball (. . . and pro swimming . . . and Rihanna/Chris Brown fans).  Just this week alone it's been revealed that A-Rod injected 'roids back in 2001, and now Roberto Alomar is being sued by his ex for allegedly infecting her with HIV.

The 37-year old retired baseball giant is being accused of continually having unprotected sex with his ex-girlfriend despite being infected with the HIV virus.  It hasn't been confirmed whether or not Alomar is in fact HIV positive.  However, back in '06 there was speculation that Alomar was found to have full-blown AIDS after taking his annual physical (required by all professional baseball players).

:-/ Yeah, I'm just as confused as you are.

Obviously more details need to be hashed out here - and I'm sure more facts will emerge later in the week.

So much fodder has been consuming the blogosphere in recent days about whether or not athletes and celebrities should be held to higher standards than the rest of us. What about privacy, some contest? Should we, the public, give a rats behind (no offense to rats) what athletes do in their personal lives?

All I know is that, if in fact Alomar did infect this woman with HIV, all hell will probably break loose.  Already folks are questioning why the woman is just now speaking out after several years of being together.  Some reports indicate that only recenly she discovered having "several symptoms linked to HIV."  Is this on record?  Inquiring minds need to know.

But again, this all goes back to public image, public privacy, and the coundrum that is professional athletes.

I mean seriously, what are we supposed to make of all this?  Should we even care?

Imagine first exercising your activist genius at the ripe old age of twelve.

Then imagine years later devoting most of your activist efforts getting youth involved with HIV/AIDS activism in high school.

Suzanne "Africa" Engo has done all the aforementioned, and more.  Engo is currently the founder and executive director of the New York AIDS Film Festival and President of Girl Behind The Camera Productions.

Just yesterday I posted about modes of activism that involve running and/or biking for a cause.  Today, I continue by spotlighting Engo and the Africa 101 Project, a project documenting Engo's upcoming 858-mile run for the film festival.

Engo's resume reads much like a philanthropic "how to" guide on impacting the world one step at a time.  In 2004, Engo was recognized by MTV as the top 40 Youth AIDS Activists in the world for her long-standing efforts with AIDS activism.

This Monday, September 15th, Engo will add to an already impressive resume by running 858-miles (stopping in between, of course) beginning at the United Nations in New York and finishing at HARPO Studios in Chigaco for a New York AIDS Film Festival initiative.  (HARPO as in Oprah Winfrey!).

Already Engo has lost 94 pounds in 6 months for AIDS activism while preparing for this run.  The 858-mile run will happen right before World AIDS Day, and it will certainly mark a significant moment of achievement for AIDS activism.

I wonder, though, what’s the significance of 8-5-8?  

Athlete-activist, Julian Azzopardi created a project called Youth Education Through Sports (YES) for Development, who's mission is to, through football, provide life-skills education to the children living in Lusaka, Zambia.  

Next week Azzopardi will be heading to Lusaka, Zambia as a volunteer football coach with a vision to help children improve their lives using sports.

Azzopardi will help with outreach projects including health education and focusing on issues like HIV/AIDS, gender equality, and fair play.

Azzopardi initially became inspired to help out in Africa after reading an article in The Sunday Times seeking volunteers.  He states his reason for going:

"Children are the world's future. If you don't provide children with love, care and attention, the world will remain in the same situation . . . . Sportsmen and athletes are heroes and mentors for many children who aspire to become like them... At this young age, it is important to do something to help them believe in their dreams... Besides, sports brings people together, it's an excellent means of communication and it's fun."

Though outside agencies like The Malta Football Association and Urban Jungle have donated sporting equiptment for Azzopardi's journey, he's still hoping for additional donations.

You can follow Azzopardi while he blogs about the trip via his website, Yes For Development.

Football has been an incredibly powerful sport helping young people in Lusaka.  Take a look at the clip below from the film Lusaka Sunrise, a documentary that follows a small community's fight against AIDS and the positive impact football (soccer) plays in the fight.

Good stuff.