>> DURING MY TIME AT MOREHOUSE THE YEAR BEFORE I GOT THERE IT WAS USED TO PROMOTE HEALTHY BEHAVIORS ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIORS IN THE ATLANTA UNIVERSITY CENTER. ESPECIALLY ON MOREHOUSE CAMPUS. THEY ALL HAD THEIR OWN SEXUAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS ON CAMPUS WHETHER IT WAS PROMOTING FREE HIV TESTING, MAKING SURE THAT CONDOMS WERE BEING DISTRIBUTED COMING FROM KANSAS AND MOVING TO ATLANTA IT WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME FOR ME BECAUSE I REALIZED I'M VERY MUCH BLACK AND I'M VERY MUCH GAY AND I UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS MEN OF COLOR WHO ALSO HAVE SEX WITH MEN. OVER HALF OF THE NEW DIAGNOSES EACH YEAR ARE MEN OF COLOR. IT HIT HOME. THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT I'M PART OF. SO IT FOSTERED SOME OF MY PASSION FOR WANTING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE ORGANIZATION AND WANTING TO PARTNER WITH DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS AS WELL. 'CAUSE THERE WAS A REPORT DONE MY SOPHOMORE YEAR WHERE THEY DID A WHOLE SURVEY OF THE ATLANTA UNIVERSITY CENTER AND THREE NEW CASE OF HIV HAD POPPED UP. ALL THREE OF THE INDIVIDUAL INSTITUTIONS ARE NOT VERY BIG. TO HAVE ANY HIV POSITIVE PEOPLE JUST KIND OF POP UP AS A NEW OCCURRENCE, LIKE, IT WAS SCARY TO ME. BECAUSE THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU COULD WALK PAST GOING TO CLASS, WALK PAST WHEN YOU'RE ON CAMPUS. IT MADE ME UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES YOUNGER PEOPLE AREN'T AS EDUCATED. THERE'S A STIGMA, ESPECIALLY GOING TO AN ALL MALE, ALL BLACK ALL MALE INSTITUTION LIKE MOOREHOUSE WHERE OFTEN TIMES GETTING MEN, ESPECIALLY BLACK MEN TO TALK ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF SEXUAL HEALTH. LOT OF THEM THINK AS LONG AS THERE'S A GOLD WRAPPER AND AS LONG AS I'M GOOD OR EVEN IF I DECIDE TO HAVE UNPROTECTED SEX, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT PREGNANCY I'M GOOD. IT KIND OF BROUGHT TO LIGHT SOME OF THE IGNORANCE IN GENERAL. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE. THE NURSE IN THE HEALTH CENTER SAID I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES ATHLETES AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS WOULD COME INTO THE HEALTH CENTER WITH AN STI AND SAY GIVE ME A SHOT, GIVE ME A PILL AND IT'S FINE. AND WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE STILL SOME CONSEQUENCES AND SECONDARY COMPLICATIONS THAT COME AS A RESULT OF THAT. THROUGHOUT LIFE, I HAD ALWAYS HAD TO BE A RESILIENT TYPE OF PERSON. I WAS RAISED AS AN ONLY CHILD. I DON'T HAVE ANY SIBLINGS. AND SO I DEPEND AND RELY TOTALLY ON MYSELF. MANY TIMES I DON'T HAVE -- IF IT'S NOT ONE OF MY CLOSE FRIENDS, I DON'T HAVE SIBLINGS RIGHT THERE THAT I CAN GET ON THE PHONE WITH AND MOAN AND CRY OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. I HAVE TO DEPEND ON ME AND I HAVE TO REALLY DEPEND ON, YOU KNOW, MY BELIEFS, SPIRITUALLY TO REALLY GUIDE ME THROUGH. AND MAKE A DECISION AND KIND OF PULL MYSELF UP, YOU KNOW, BY THE BOOT STRAPS AND KEEPING IN MOVEMENT. I PRIDE MYSELF ON BEING A RESILIENT PERSON. THROUGHOUT MY CAREER I HAVE HAD MANY INSTANCES WHERE I HAVE HAD TO BE RESILIENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NOT ALWAYS LIVED IN 2016. AS A BLACK GAY MALE LIVING IN AMERICA, YOU HAVE TO BECOME VERY RESILIENT. YOU HAVE TO, LIKE YOU SAID, BUILD THOSE BONDS, RELATIONSHIPS, IN THOSE SAFE SPACES. MY UNDER GRADUATE EXPERIENCE ALLOWED ME TO DO THAT. I CONNECTED WITH A LOT OF LIKE-MINDED BLACK MALES WHO WERE ABLE TO BE THAT EMPOWERMENT THAT I NEEDED. SO I JUST THINK RESILIENCY IS SOMETHING THAT THROUGHOUT LIFE I HAVE JUST HAD TO KIND OF BUILD UPON. NIH IS PLEASED TO SPONSOR TODAY'S EVENT MARKING THE BEGINNING OF THE NATION'S PRIDE IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL AND COMMEMORATE BLACK PRIDE. SO I'M SURE THE DISCUSSION WILL BE WIDE RANGING TODAY, BUT I THINK ONE OF OUR GOALS TODAY IS JUST TO HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH RESEARCH NEEDS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITIES AS WAS POINTED OUT BY BRANDON NICHOLAS IN THE VIDEO HERE. LITTLE BIT OF RECENT HISTORY. AS A RESULT OF GROWING AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH RELATED DISPARITIES OF SEXUAL GENDER MINORITY POPULATIONS, NIH HAS TAKEN SEVERAL STEPS IN RECENT YEARS TO BETTER COORDINATE AND HAVE MORE IMPACT WITH THE RESEARCH THAT WE DO. I'M GOING TO GO OFF SCRIPT AND TELL YOU A DEEP STORY HERE. NIH IS ORGANIZED AS 27 DIFFERENT INSTITUTES AND CENTERS. LIKE THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE, CHILD HEALTH, MINORITY HEALTH, HEALTH DISPARITIES. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT TO COORDINATE. OKAY. SO WHEN A PROBLEM IS PARTICULARLY URGENT, IMPORTANT, WE HAVE SPECIAL WAYS THAT WE APPROACH COORDINATION ACROSS ALL OF OUR INSTITUTES. AND BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SGM RESEARCH AND RECOGNITION, WE COULDN'T BE BETTER COORDINATED, WE COULDN'T HAVE MORE IMPACT. WE DID A NUMBER OF THINGS. IN 2009, WE COMMISSIONED THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE TO PREPARE A REPORT ON THE HEALTH STATUS AND RESEARCH NEEDS OF LGBT RESEARCH. VERY FUNDAMENTAL AND A GUIDE POST FOR US GOING FORWARD. OUT OF IT ONE OF THE RESPONSES WAS TO CREATE A RESEARCH COORDINATING COMMITTEE ACROSS OUR 27 DIFFERENT INSTITUTES WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH SO THAT THEY COULD COME TO THE SAME TABLE AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING, UNDERSTAND WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO, MAKE ASSIGNMENTS FOR WHAT TO DO AND SET PRIORITIES. SO ONE OF THE VERY IMPORTANT THINGS THIS GROUP HAS DONE AND PRODUCED LAST YEAR WAS THE VERY FIRST STRATEGIC PLAN FOR SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITY RESEARCH AT NIH. AGAIN, VERY IMPORTANT FUNDAMENTAL DOCUMENT FOR US, AND A GUIDE FOR THE PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE GONNA SET, SOME GOALS THAT WE NEED TO REACH TO PUSH THIS WHOLE RESEARCH AREA FORWARD. SO THIS GROUP IS EFFECTIVE. THEY ARE MEETING REGULARLY. WE'RE USING THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO CHART OUR COURSE FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND TO CREATE A HOME FOR ORGANIZING THESE ACTIVITIES NIH DIRECTOR CREATED THE SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITY RESEARCH OFFICE IN THE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR IN THE DIVISION THAT I DIRECT. AND SO I THINK AT THIS POINT WE HAVE A VERY GOOD PROCESS. WE HAVE A VERY GOOD PLAN. WE'RE HARD AT WORK ON THIS. WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE YOU HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE ALSO NEED TO DO. SO, AGAIN, I WANT TO GO BACK TO TODAY. AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS I HOPE WE CAN HAVE AS A GOAL TODAY IS JUST TO INCREASE THE UNDERSTANDING BY RESEARCHERS, NIH STAFF AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE UNIQUE RESEARCH HEALTH NEEDS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITIES. AND WE ALSO HAVE TO THANK THE OFFICE OF EQUITY DIVERSITY INCLUSION FOR ORGANIZING OUR EVENT TODAY. AND ALSO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MINORITY HEALTH, HEALTH DISPARITIES AND OUR OFFICE FOR HELPING TO ORGANIZE IT. SO, THANK YOU ALL. I REGRET I CAN STAY FOR ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR. I HAVE AN EVENT AT THE DEPARTMENT WHICH I'D RATHER BE HERE BUT I'M GONNA HAND IT OVER TO KAREN. THANK YOU. >> BROTHER TO BROTHER. BROTHER TO BROTHER. BROTHER TO BROTHER. BROTHER TO BROTHER. THESE WORDS ARE RECITED IN FASHION IN THE BEGINNING OF 1989 FILM TONGUES UNTIED. SAYING THAT TODAY MAKES ME FEEL WARM. IT MAKES THIS SPACE FEEL EVEN MORE WELCOMING AND IT ALLOWS US TO CENTER OF VOICES OF BLACK GAY BISEXUAL AND GENDER LOVING MEN SO WE CAN TELL OUR STORIES AND SEE THE MANDATE. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS PRESTON MITCHUM AND I BRING YOU GREETINGS FROM THE CENTER OF HEALTH AND GENDER EQUITY. ORGANIZATION SERVES AS AN ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS. WE DO WORK ON MATERNAL HEALTH, FAMILY PLANNING, HIV AIDS. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE OFFICE OF EBBING QUESTIONTY INCLUSION AND ALBERT SMITH FOR INVITING ME TO FRAME THIS MUCH NEEDED CONVERSATION REGARDING THE INTERSECTION OF BLACK GAY BISEXUAL MSM, UNIQUE CHALLENGES WE FACE AND PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION. SO I COME BEFORE YOU AS A SELF-IDENTIFIED GAY MAN, ONE WITH FRIENDS EXPERIENCING NEGATIVE INTERACTION WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS. I ALSO COME BEFORE YOU AS SOMEONE WHO HAS FRIENDS LIVING WITH HIV WHO DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES INCLUDING HEALTH INSURANCE, AFFORDABLE POSITION AND IMMEDIATE TREATMENT. THIS AGENDA IS PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL FOR ME. NEXT MONTH MARKS THE 35TH YEAR SINCE THE FIRST CASE OF HIV WAS REPORTED IN 1981. WE KNOW THAT TECHNOLOGY HAS ADVANCED SINCE THE 1980S AND THE INTRODUCTION OF ANTI-RETRO VIRAL THERAPY HAVE SAVED MILLIONS OF LIVES. WE ALSO KNOW NOT EVERYONE HAS BENEFITTED FROM THESE ADVANCES. IN THE UNITED STATES, BLACK GAY BISEXUAL AND MSM ARE INFECTED AND AFFECTED AND IMPACTED BY HIV AIDS FOR MANY REASONS. OF THE INTERSECTION OF BEING BLACK AND A SEXUAL MINORITY IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED. FOR GENERATIONS FOLKS ON BLACK LIVES MATTER AS A TOOL TO PUSH BACK AGAINST STATE VIOLENCE. WE MUST ALSO EXPAND THIS PUBLIC HEALTH CONVERSATION AND PUBLIC HEALTH VIOLENCE EXPERIENCED BY BLACK MEN. THE EXPERIENCES OF BEING BLACK AND GAY CAN AND OFTEN DO LEAD TO RACISM, POVERTY AS WELL AS PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL VIOLENCE ALL OF WHICH ARE DRIVERS OF PUBLIC HEALTH DISPARITIES. WHILE THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSIS HAVE DECLINED, THIS NUMBER HAS STEADY INCREASED FOR BLACK GAY MEN BETWEEN 2005 AND 2014. GIVING THIS AND OTHER STUDIES SHOWING MEN HAVING SEX WITH MEN IT IS CRITICAL TO FRAME WHY THESE RATES ARE INCREASING. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE BECAUSE BLACK GAY MEN ARE LESS LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN CONDOMLESS SEX. COULD IT BE BECAUSE OF SEXUALITY EDUCATION? LACK OF EDUCATION? LACK OF RESOURCES? MINIMAL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE? OR BECAUSE PUBLIC HEALTH SIMPLY LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY? TODAY IT IS ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES IN ITS ENTIRETY. WE CAN'T HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES IF WE'RE SO HYPER FOCUSED ON CONDOMS AND OUR RELATION TO HIV AND AIDS. FOR MANY BLACK AMERICAN MSM, HIV IS BUT ONE OF A PLHORA OF CHALLENGES THAT IMPACT OUR LIFE. SUBSTANCE USE AND ABUSE, DEPRESSION, STIGMA, ANTI-GAY RHETORIC FROM STATE LEADERS, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY REJECTION AND DISCRIMINATION ALSO DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT OUR POPULATION. IN ADDITION TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES ACCESS TO PREVENTATIVE AND ROUTINE HEALTH CARE, INCARCERATION, RACISM AND MODERATE TO LOW INCOME ARE JUST A FEW OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS THAT BLACK AMERICANS EXPERIENCE EVERY DAY. BUT IF THERE IS ANY TRUE ABOUT BLACK GAY MEN IT IS OUR RESILIENCE TO KEEP SMILING. IT GIVES ME ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT ENTERING INTO THIS CONVERSATION TODAY. WITH INTERVENTIONS AND PROGRAMS THAT CENTER GAY BLACK MEN I KNOW WE WILL BE CLOSER TO LIBBER EIGHT AND FREEDOM. I WOULD WANT TO INTRODUCE TO YOU LEO MOORE WHO WILL SPEAK MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ISSUE OF BLACK MSM HEALTH SAFETY. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. >> GOOD MORNING. >> THE FIRST I JUST HAVE TO SAY PRESTON, I THINK THAT YOU GAVE A GREAT FRAMING FOR THE CONVERSATION AND I'M GONNA TOUCH ON QUITE A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED. I ALSO WANT TO FIRST THANK ALBERT SMITH AND HIS OFFICE FOR INVITING US HERE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK JABARI AND HIS HUSBAND FOR CREATING THE MANDATE. WE WERE TALKING EARLIER TODAY, THIS IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT FOR ME BECAUSE FIVE YEARS AGO WAS THE FIRST MANDATED CONFERENCE AND I GAVE A TALK ON THE STATE OF BLACK GAY MEN'S HEALTH. IT FEELS LIKE A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT TO BE STANDING HERE SHARING WITH EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT. SO THE OBJECTIVE FOR MY TALK ARE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE MANDATE HEALTH MODEL, TO DEFINE INTERSECTIONALTY AND THE WAYS IN WHICH BEING BOTH BLACK AND GAY MAY AFFECT DISPARITY THESE MEN ENCOUNTER. TO DISCUSS THE DRIVERS OF HEALTH DISPARITY AND HOW THEY IMPACT THE MOST COMMON AND CRITICAL HEALTH DISPARITIES AFFECTING BLACK GAY MEN AND TO DEFINE RESILIENCE AND THE SOURCES FROM WHICH BLACK MEN CONTINUE TO THRIVE IN OPPRESSIVE SYSTEMS. FIRST I WANTED TO START WITH THE MANDATE HEALTH MODEL AND I CHOSE TO START WITH THIS BECAUSE I THINK THIS MODEL REALLY ENCAPSULATES ALL OF THE DIFFERENT COMPLEXITIES THAT MAKE A BLACK GAY MAN A BLACK GAY MAN AND THE CONTEXT WITHIN. SO FIRST STARTING WITH SOCIAL. AND THAT'S BOTH PHYSICAL AND ONLINE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH BLACK GAY MEN INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER AND OTHERS. THE PHYSICAL HEALTH WHICH IS AN EMPHASIS ON HEALTH DISPARITIES THAT AFFECT BLACK GAY MEN. PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH. RECOGNIZING MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITIES AS WELL AS COPING STRATEGIES AND RESILIENCE SOURCES THAT BLACK GAY MEN CAN EMPLOY. THEIR INTELLECTUAL HEALTH WHICH CHALLENGES MINDS OF THESE MEN THROUGH SCHOLARLY CONVERSATIONS. SPIRITUAL HEALTH, WHICH FOR A LOT OF BLACK GAY MEN IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THEIR HEALTH AND HELPING THEM TO NAVIGATE THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT HAPPEN IN SPIRITUAL SPACES. EMOTIONAL HEALTH. PROMOTING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE TO HELP THESE MEN NAVIGATE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENTS. SEXUAL HEALTH. MAKING AN EMPHASIS ON BEING POSITIVE AND PROMOTING THE NATURALNESS AND PLEASURE OF SEX WHILE ALSO TEACHING PREVENTIVE METHODS. THE POLITICAL HEALTH OF A BLACK GAY MAN WHICH INCLUDES DEALING WITH RACISM, POLICE BRUTALITY AND WHITE SUPREMESY. ALL REAL ISSUES FOR BLACK GAY MEN THAT AFFECT THEIR HEALTH AND ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST FINANCIAL HEALTH. RECOGNIZING GENERATIONAL POVERTY THAT PLAGUE SOME ASPECT OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND HELPING THESE MEN PLAN FOR COMFORTABLE AND STABLE FUTURE. SO I WANT TO TALK A BIT ABOUT INTERSECTIONALTY BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT CONCEPT FOR BLACK GAY MEN. AND THIS CONCEPT COMES FROM KIMBERLY CRENSHAW BACK IN THE 1980S. IT WAS INITIALLY DESCRIBED IN SOME OF THE FEMINIST LITERATURE. AND THE DEFINITION OF IT IS VARIOUS BIOLOGICAL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CATEGORIES SUCH AS GENDER, RACE, CLASS, ABILITY, SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND OTHER AXIS OF IDENTITY INTERACTING ON MULTIPLE AND OTHER SIMULTANEOUS LEVELS CONTRIBUTING TO SYSTEM ATTIC SOCIAL INEQUALITY. JUST TO BREAK IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BLACK GAY MEN OCCUPY MANY SOCIAL AT ONE TIME. BEING BLACK, GAY, BLACK GAY AND A CHRISTIAN OR BLACK GAY AND A MUSLIM. DEPENDING UPON THE WAY THAT THESE THINGS ARE EXPRESSED OR THESE EXPERIENCES HAPPEN, THEY AFFECT HEALTH CARE. SO WE HAVE INTERSECTING DISPARITIES THAT HAPPEN IN BOTH BLACK AND GAY MEN. GONNA TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT THOSE. SOME OF THOSE DISPARITIES FOR BOTH BLACK AND GAY MEN INCLUDE SEXUAL PREJUDICE, ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, CHILDHOOD CHRONIC DISEASE, MENTAL HEALTH, HOMELESSNESS AND ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE. BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME OF THEM ARE MORE PRIMARILY IN BLACK MEN AND NOT GAY MEN SUCH AS POVERTY, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND INSURANCE, JUST TO GIVE A FEW EXAMPLES. BUT WHEN YOU COMBINE THE TWO, THEY ALL AFFECT THE WAY A PERSON ACCESSES HEALTH CARE. AND WE KNOW THAT THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF BOTH BLACK AND GAY MEN ARE OFTEN MARGINALIZED. SO WE KNOW BLACK GAY MEN, BLACK MEN IN GENERAL AREN'T RESPECTED IN SOCIETY OFTEN. AND DEAL WITH ISSUES OF PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION. WE KNOW THAT GAY MEN ALSO DEAL WITH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES. BUT BLACK GAY MEN ARE OFTEN NOT ACCEPTED IN SOME OF THE GAY ENVIRONMENTS AND SPACES AS WELL. SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE A ROLE AND PLAY A ROLE IN ACCESS TO CARE AND IN BLACK GAY MEN'S HEALTH. JUST TO TOUCH ON SOME OF THE DRIVERS OF HEALTH DISPARITY WHICH PRESTON INTRODUCED FOR US. WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT BLACK GAY MEN IN THE MEDIA, THERE'S A PRETTY SIMPLE EQUATION THAT WE HEAR. AND THAT EQUATION IS BLACK PLUS GAY EQUALS HIV. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE DRIVERS OF HEALTH DISPARITY AND THE FACT THAT A BLACK GAY MEN DEAL WITH SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST HIV. SOME OF THAOE DRIVERS INCLUDE POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT, POOR ACCESS TO CARE, UNEQUAL TREATMENT. WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK AB THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF OPPRESSION AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED SUCH AS RACISM, SEXUAL PREJUDICE AND INCREASING RISK OF HIV AND STI'S. WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF HEALTH CARE, THAT THESE FACTORS AND MANY OTHERS DRIVE HEALTH DISPARITY AND THAT RACISM AN HISTORY OF OPPRESSION ARE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTORS TO UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDER EMPLOYMENT AS WELL AS A SOCIAL STIGMA AROUND HOMOSEXUALITY IS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE HEALTH DISPARITIES THAT BLACK GAY MEN FACE. SO HERE YOU SEE A CHART FROM CDC'S VITAL SIGNS OF LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH BY RACE AND SEX BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 1970 AND 2010. AND YOU SEE THAT WHITE WOMEN AND BLACK WOMEN HAVE THE HIGHEST LIFE EXPECTANCY. BUT THEN THERE'S THIS GAP BETWEEN WHITE MALES AND BLACK MALES. IT'S ABOUT A FIVE-YEAR GAP BETWEEN THE TWO. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE GAP MAY BE NARROWING. SO WE KNOW THAT THE GAP IN HOMICIDE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE MEN HAVE FALLEN OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS WITH THE LARGEST DECLINE IN BLACK PEOPLE, DECLINE IN BLACK DEATHS FROM AIDS WHICH WAS A LARGE ABSOLUTE DECLINE FOR 100,000 DEATHS IN COMPARISON TO WHITES. AND ALSO THERE'S A DROP IN DEATHS FROM LUNG CANCER AND DECLINE IN SMOKING IN BLACKS. THERE ARE LESS BLACK SMOKERS THAN WHITES. THERE CONTINUES TO BE A NEED FOR MORE CULTURAL TRAINING. 29% OF BLACK MEN FACE STIGMA FROM HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. WE'RE DEFINITELY SEEING THAT MORE AS WE THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW BIOMEDICAL PREVENTION OPTIONS WE HAVE FOR HIV. WE'RE SEEING PROVIDERS NOT HAVING KNOWLEDGE AB PREP AND ALSO HAVING VERY STRONG BIAS AGAINST PREP AND AGAINST PROVIDING IT. WE ALSO KNOW THAT 60% OF BLACK MSM HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THEIR SEXUALITY WITH THEIR DOCTORS VERSUS 19% OF WHITE MSM. I THINK THAT THE FACTORS ARE BOTH ON THE PROVIDER SIDE AND THE PATIENT SIDE FOR THAT. PATIENT CONCERN FOR PROVIDER BIAS, PROVIDERS LACK OF INITIATION OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SEXUAL HEALTH, WHICH WE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PROVIDERS WHO ARE JUST UNCOMFORTABLE HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHICH MEANS ULTIMATELY THAT IF THE PATIENT DOESN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE, THEN THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DISCLOSE THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION, WHICH KIND OF CLOSES OFF A MAJOR PART OF THEIR HEALTH CARE. AND THEN ALSO PROVIDERS CONCERNED ABOUT TIME CONSTRAINTS AS WELL AS MENTIONED DISCOMFORT ABOUT THESE TOPICS. SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BLACK GAY MEN'S HEALTH, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A STUDY THAT WAS DONE IN 2009 BY LEWIS GRAHAM. IT LOOKED AT THE EFFECTS OF DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND INTERNALIZED HOMONEGATIVITY WHICH IS HOW DO I SEE MYSELF AS BEING GAY AND THE NEGATIVE FEELINGS THAT I HAVE ABOUT BEING GAY THAT I HOLD INSIDE? AND THEY DID FIND A STRONG ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND INTERNALIZED HOMONEGATIVITY ON DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY IN BLACK GAY MEN. WE ALSO KNOW THAT MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA PERSISTS, AS WELL AS LACK OF ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS DUE TO SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS. ALSO DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S A SHORTAGE ON MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS IN GENERAL. SO YOU ADD THE TWO OF THOSE TOGETHER AND THEN YOU ADD STIGMA ON TOP OF THAT, IT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM TO GET ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH FOR BLACK GAY MEN. I WANTED TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON THE HOMO PHOBIA AND ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST BLACK GAY MEN. THIS IS STILL VERY REAL IN 2016. TWO YOUNG BLACK GAY MEN WHO LIVE IN ATLANTA WERE STAYING WITH ONE OF THE PARTNERS MOTHERS AND HER BOYFRIEND. AND ONE NIGHT THEY WERE ASLEEP AND THE BOYFRIEND COMES IN AND DROPS HOT WATER, BOILING HOT WATER ALL OVER THEM AND THEY SUFFERED SECOND AND THIRD DEGREE BURNS. I THINK THE MOST DISHEARTENING PART OF THE STORY IS THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO TELL THAT THIS PERSON IS HOMO PHOBIC. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF IT. THAT SPEAKS TO THE PERVASIVE NATURE OF HOMOPHOBIA. IT HAS A MAJOR EFFECT ON BOTH THESE MEN'S PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. NOT EVEN JUST ON THEIRS, BUT THINK ABOUT OTHER YOUNG GAY MEN WHO MAY SEE THAT STORY AS THEY'RE THINKING OF COMING OUT OR WANTING TO, YOU KNOW, SHARE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT OTHER MEN WITH FAMILY MEMBERS. THERE'S CONCERN FOR VIOLENCE THAT'S VERY REAL AND HAS A GREAT EFFECT ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF HEALTH. I'M GONNA TOUCH VERY BRIEFLY ON BLACK GAY MEN AND HIV BECAUSE I JUST FEEL LIKE MANY DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE HAD FOCUS PRIMARILY ON HIV. SO WE KNOW FROM THE DATA THAT BLACK GAY MEN ARE LESS LIKELY TO HAVE CONDOMLESS SEX. THEY HAVE FEWER SEX PARTNERS AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE TESTED AND TESTED REPEATEDLY. BUT AT THREE TIMES GREATER ODDS TO BE HIV POSITIVE. AND SO WHY THE DISPARITY? I THINK IT'S A QUESTION THAT IS A BIT DIFFICULT TO ANSWER AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE FACTORS FOR THAT. WE ARE BROAD STRUCTURAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS, SOCIAL CONTEXT KHURAL FACTORS AND BEHAVIORAL FACTORS. SO SOME OF THOSE SOCIAL CONTEXTS WE'VE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT INCLUDING ISSUES AROUND HOMELESSNESS AND STIGMA. FOOD INSECURITY. FAMILY DYNAMICS. CULTURAL BELIEFS AND PRACTICES. THEN MOVING A LITTLE BIT INTO RESILIENCE BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS WHERE WE SHOULD END ON THE HIGH NOTE OF KNOWING THAT BLACK GAY MEN ARE RESILIENT. YET AND STILL WE CONTINUE TO RISE IN THE FACE OF A LOT OF SYSTEMIC ISSUES. SO I'M GONNA SHARE WITH YOU A FEW QUOTES FROM A STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY CALEB BANKS AT UCSF. THESE QUOTES REALLY GIVE ME HOPE ABOUT THIS GENERATION AND THE NEXT GENERATION OF BLACK GAY MEN. SO THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT MIND. MY MIND DRIVES ME TO PURSUE THE THINGS THAT I WANT. IT KEEPS ME GOING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN HELP AND HURT YOURSELF IS HOW YOU THINK. I TRY TO THINK POSITIVELY. THE NEXT QUOTE IS ABOUT RACIAL IDENTITY. BECAUSE I AM BLACK AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS AND MY GRANDPARENTS HAD TO GO THROUGH THINGS, EVEN SAYING IT REMINDS ME I STILL HAVE IT. THE NEXT QUOTE IS ABOUT MYSELF. I WAS BORN THIS WAY. I DEFINITELY ALWAYS FELT THIS WAY. THIS QUOTE IS ABOUT QUEER SPACES. JUST KNOWING PHYSICAL ACCESS TO BLACK QUEER SPACES ISN'T ALWAYS THERE, KNOWING THE COMMUNITY EXISTS IN GENERAL AND JUST BEING ABLE TO SEE THAT LEGACY, I'M A PART OF SOMETHING. MY THOUGHTS AREN'T THE ORIGINAL ONES. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE FELT JUST LIKE ME. TRUST. TRUSTING THE PROCESS AND JUST TRUSTING THE UNIVERSE AND TRUSTING THE FACT THAT I AM HERE FOR A PURPOSE. I AM GOING TO MAKE THE MOST OF IT. AND FAMILY. MY NEPHEW, HE'S THE ONLY REASON WHY I AM REALLY FIGHTING. I GOT TO TAKE CARE OF MY HEALTH AND WELLNESS. AND SO WHEN I'M FEELING DEPRESSED, THAT'S WHAT ENCOURAGES ME. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> WOW. SO VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE. THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION. MY NAME IS TERRANCE PAYTON. I'M ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF MANDATE. TODAY YOU'LL HEAR FROM MYSELF, A COLLEAGUE WHO IS ALSO A CO-FOUNDER DARRYLL MOCH. AND JOSEPH REAVES. WE DROVE IN TOGETHER. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE TO GET ON CAMPUS HERE. SO IN THE TIME ALLOTTED WHAT I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IS TO CARVE OUT THIS BEAUTY, THIS MAGIC THAT HAS BECOME PROJECT HEALTHY LIVING MORE OR LESS MANDATE. THAT'S WHAT WE CALL OURSELVES, MANDATE. THEN PROVIDE SOME KIND OF DATA TO SUPPORT WHAT WE ARE LEARNING ABOUT OURSELVES, BUT ALSO GIVE RISE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE BEING ABLE TO REACH, THE COMMUNITY THAT AS DR. LEO MOORE AND PRESTON PROFESSED THAT WE ARE PART OF. THAT IS THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF SELF. BLACK GAY MEN AND FOR PROJECT HEALTHY LIVING WE USE GAY MEN AS A HUGE UMBRELLA TRYING NOT TO REALLY DILUTE OUR EXPERIENCE BY VIRTUE OF THE LABEL THEORY AND HOW PEOPLE TEND TO SHIFT AND MOVE BECAUSE OF HOW THEY SEE THEMSELVES, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT AT THE MOST INTIMATE SPACE, THE SPACE THAT WE SHARE TOGETHER IN THE BEDROOMS REALLY ALL THAT GOES OUT OF THE ROOM AND HOW DOES THAT BEGIN TO PERPETUATE SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE DAILY? 2009, NASDAD RELEASED FUND SPECIFICALLY FOR HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE TARGETED POPULATIONS THAT WERE HARD TO REACH AROUND THIS HIV EXPERIENCE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. SO LUCKILY ENOUGH, HOSTA DEPARTMENT OF HIV HEALTH AND AIDS STD'S ETC. I ALL GET LOST IN THESE ACRONYMS. INVITED A GROUP OF BLACK GAY MEN TO THE TABLE. THESE MEN WERE VERY VERY DYNAMIC OVER 20, SOME WERE PROFESSIONALS WHO WERE CEO'S, EDUCATORS, BUT THEY ALSO STAKE HOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY. SO COMING TOGETHER AT A TABLE AT A TIME, WE KNEW THAT HIV WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE DEFINITELY EXPERIENCING, BUT IT WASN'T THE ONLY EXPERIENCE THAT WE WERE HAVING. WE KNEW THAT WE WERE OVERCOMPENSATED BY EFFORTS TO WANT TO HELP US TO RELEASE THIS IMPACT THAT HIV HAD ON US. THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT WAS TO INSERT OURSELVES. SO OUT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS WE DEVELOPED A NEED TO DEFINE, DESIGN, NURTURE WHAT THE BLACK GAY MEN EXPERIENCE IS. ALSO UNDERSTANDING HOW TRANSIENT WASHINGTON, D.C. IS, HAVING PEOPLE COME TO THE CITY FOR VARIOUS REASONS, WHETHER IT WAS FOR A COLLEGE EXPERIENCE, WHETHER THEY JUST WANTED TO GET AWAY, START SOMETHING NEW, OR EVEN THE PROFESSIONAL POOL. THERE WAS A PRESENCE OF BLACK GAY MEN IN WASHINGTON, D.C. THAT REALLY CALLED FOR MANY OF US TO JOIN US IN THIS EXPERIENCE IN A PLACE WHERE YOU KIND OF GET TO BE FREE, A LITTLE FREER THAN YOU WOULD FURTHER SOUTH OR WEST. AND SO FROM THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO DECIDE THAT FOR US, OUR GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE SEXUAL HEALTH AND OUTCOMES AND INFLUENCE A HEALTHY CHOICES THAT BLACK GAY MEN MAKE VIA THEIR SEXUAL AND SOCIAL NETWORKS. THROUGH A SERIES OF JUST GETTING TOGETHER AND TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE EXPERIENCE. OFTENTIMES WE TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BECOME ONE WHO IS FULLY ABLE TO DISCLOSE THAT I AM A GAY MAN? NONE OF US IN THIS GROUP WERE GIVEN THIS ROAD MAP TO SAY DO A AND THEN B AND THEN PROCEED TO BUILDING 375 TO BE ABLE TO FULLY EXPERIENCE THIS, BUT SOMEHOW, SOME WAY, THE FORCE REALLY PULLED US TOGETHER. AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT OUR EXPERIENCES WERE VERY MUCH ALIKE. THERE WAS A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL NAVIGATION TO A PLACE THAT NONE OF US HAD EVER VENTURED TO BEFORE. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE AND HOW DO WE IMPROVE IT? THAT'S BEEN OUR GOAL FOR PROJECT HEALTHY LIVING. AND SO WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO? WE'RE REALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE A COMMUNITY. AS MUCH AS WE'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO CLIMB MANY LADDERS, WHETHER THEY'RE PROFESSIONAL OR SOCIAL, SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BE OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER. SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR SEXUAL EXPERIENCES WHEN WE'RE NAVIGATING THOSE, WHETHER THERE'S AN AGE GENERATIONAL PIECE THAT'S GOING ON THERE, WHETHER THERE'S A SOCIAL ECONOMIC PIECE GOING ON THERE. EVEN IF THERE'S A RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE GOING ON THERE, HOW CAN WE REALLY BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, TAKING CARE OF ONE ANOTHER AND GIVING EACH OTHER KIND OF NECESSITIES THAT ALLOW US TO DO BETTER FOR EACH OTHER? WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO FIND AND WHAT WE ALSO WANTED TO DO VERY EARLY ON IS TO FOCUS ON HEALTH AND DR. LEO MOORE SHOWED OUR MODEL. FOR US HEALTH ISN'T JUST PHYSICAL HEALTH. THERE'S A FINANCIAL HEALTH. THERE'S A MENTAL HEALTH. THERE'S A COMMUNITY HEALTH. THERE'S A RELIGIOUS HEALTH. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP HEALTH THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO ALL BE AWARE OF AND WORK TOGETHER ON. AND THEN ALSO THINKING ABOUT COMMUNICATION. HOW DO WE BEGIN TO SHOW UP TO TELL OUR STORIES IN PLACES OF RESEARCH? HOW DO WE BEGIN TO GET PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PARTNER WITH US AS A COMMUNITY? HOW DO WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT GENERALLY STEPS FORTH IN THE PRESENCE OF WHO WE ARE? THAT'S A TIME FOR US TO DO THIS. I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BEEN THE KEY PIECE. OFTENTIMES OUR STORIES GET LOST IN THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT THE BEAUTY IS THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS MET WITH A HUNGER FROM THE COMMUNITY TO DO DIFFERENTLY FOR ITSELF. I WON'T SAY BETTER, BUT DIFFERENTLY. SO HERE IS OUR MODEL AGAIN. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT DR. MOORE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THIS IS REALLY THE INTERSECTION OF US. IT'S MORE THAN JUST THOSE THREE PLANES AND DIAGRAM. WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? IF I WANT TO HAVE THE SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY BUT HERE I AM AS A BLACK GAY MAN, HOW DO I BEGIN TO NAVIGATE THESE DUAL IDENTITYS? WHERE DOES MY POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION BEGIN TO GET ME IN TO OR OUT OF THIS EXPERIENCE? AND WE BEGIN TO NOTICE THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE ALL OF THESE THINGS SHOW UP. SO WHAT DO WE DO? ONCE A MONTH, IN A HOME, BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT BLACK GAY MEN WERE TIRED OF ACCESSING TRADITIONAL HEALTH CARE FACILITIES LIKE HOSPITALS OR CBO'S OR ASO'S. WE GATHER IN JABARI'S HOME. A NONTRADITIONAL PLACE WHERE YOU WILL FIND, ON AVERAGE, 50 MEN, AGES 17-70 TALKING ABOUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BLACK AND GAY. AND WHAT WE FOUND VERY EARLY ON IS THAT HIV WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE ALL AWARE OF BUT IT WASN'T A THING THAT WE NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT MOST. WE NEEDED TO TALK ABOUT HOW TREACHEROUS, HOW IMPACTFUL OUR NAVIGATION TO SELF SPILLS OVER INTO OUR COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE. AND HOW IS THAT EXPERIENCE KIND OF A PREDICTOR AT LEAST SETTING THE PLANE FOR WHAT HIV CAN DO, HAS DONE, WILL CONTINUE TO DO IF WE DON'T DO DIFFERENTLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHAT WE GET TO TALK ABOUT. WE TALK ABOUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PART OF THE FAMILY, THE FAMILY THAT WE CHOOSE, THE FAMILY THAT WE'RE BORN WITH. HOW DO WE NAVIGATE THAT? WHY DO YOU LIVE SO FAR AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU? WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF COMPANIONSHIP? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A MONOGAMOUS RELATIONSHIP. IS THAT OUR MOTTO AS BLACK GAY MEN? OR DO WE GET TO BE THE SELECTORS THAT WE CHOOSE TO BE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE HEALTHY ABOUT OUR NAVIGATION? CAN WE DO THAT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE DON'T SEEM RADICAL, BUT WE SEEM PRESENT? AND HOW DO WE BEGIN TO REALLY, REALLY PULL AN TUG AT THOSE TWO THINGS? SO THIS IS A PICTURE FROM ONE OF OUR EARLY ON CONFERENCES THAT DR. MOORE SPOKE ABOUT. WE ARE SIX YEARS IN OUR WORK, FIVE YEARS TO THE PUBLIC NOW. HERE IS WHAT WE GET TO DO. WHEN WE ASK PEOPLE WHO COME TO MANDATE WHAT THEY ENJOY MOST, HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY SAY RISE TO THE TOP. THE FACT THAT THERE'S ALWAYS THIS DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE. WHAT WE DO, WE GET RID OF THE AUTHORITY TAYE TEUFRB FIGURE AND WE INVITE EVERYBODY TO BE THE AUTHORITY. WHAT DO YOU KNOW BEST ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND HOW DO WE COLLECTIVELY CREATE A NEW EXPERIENCE? EVERYBODY GETS TO BE AN AUTHORITY FIGURE, SPECIFICALLY IN OUR LIVES. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE A DOCTOR OR LAWYER. DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE OR NOT. SOMETHING ABOUT US IS INNATE THAT IT CONNECTS US TOGETHER. THE FACT THAT WE GET TO ASK QUESTIONS AND WE GET THE FELLOWSHIP. WE EVEN GET TO HAVE SPECIAL THINGS LIKE A DOCTOR SESSION WHERE WE ASK OUR PARTICIPANTS TO ENGAGE IN MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS TO ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY'RE SOMEHOW AFRAID TO ASK WHEN THEY'RE WITH THEIR DOCTORS. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW? WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MYTHS? HOW DO YOU DISSPELL THE MYTH? HOW DO YOU HOLD YOUR DOCTORS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE HEALTH THEY SHOULD BE PROVIDING FOR YOU? YOU CAN DO WELL WITH ENGAGING YOUR WAITRESS OR WAITER, CAN YOU DO IT WITH YOUR TEACHER, CAN YOU DO IT WITH YOUR MOM, WITH YOUR PASTOR, YOUR DOCTOR? THAT'S A SENSE OF SELF-ADVOCACY THAT HAS TO BE THE SAME ACROSS OUR LIFE EXPERIENCE. AND SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY WE CREATED THIS, I THINK SOME OF THE TAPESTRIES YOU'VE HEARD FRAMING THE CONVERSATION AND DR. MOORE'S ADDING ON TO IT. THERE WERE REALLY WERE A LACK OF PROGRAMS THAT GOT TO THE HEART OF US. HIV SHOULDN'T BE THE REASON WHY YOU'RE ENGAGING TO FIND OUT HOW TO SUPPORT BEHAVIORS OF A GROUP. IT'S AN ENTRY POINT. IT SHOULDN'T BE ALWAYS A LAUNCH PAD FOR ENGAGEMENT. SO THERE REALLY WAS A SENSE OF EVERY TIME BLACK GAY MEN GET TOGETHER WE DON'T WANT TO TALK AB HIV PREVENTION. WE DON'T WANT TO ALWAYS DO IT IN A NIGHTCLUB WHERE WE CAN BARELY HEAR AND TALK WITH EACH OTHER. WE DO WANT A FELLOWSHIP. SOME OF THE GREATEST TIMES WE'VE HAD HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED WITH MEALS, WITH PEOPLE WHO WE CALL FAMILY AND HOW WE BRING THAT TO WHAT WE HAVE. AND YOU'D BE SURPRISED, SOME PEOPLE COME ONCE A MONTH. SOME PEOPLE COME EVERY DAY, ALL DAY IN TERMS OF HOW OFTEN WE GET TOGETHER AND MEET. WE TRAVEL TO THE BEACH TOGETHER. WE MAY PLAY KICK BALL. SOMETIMES WE DO VOLUNTEER SERVICE. WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET TOGETHER IN SOME NONTRADITIONAL WAYS. WE FIND PEOPLE LIKE IT. AS A CAP STONE TO OUR WORK EVERY YEAR WE HOST AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE WHERE WE GET A DRAW FROM THE COUNTRY. SO PEOPLE ARE HEARING ABOUT OUR WORK AND THEY WANT TO COME AND EXPERIENCE IT. SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO GET THEM TO GO HOME BECAUSE THEY'RE EXPERIENCING SUCH A GREAT THING. OUR WORK IS REALLY, REALLY BEGINNING TO GET NOTICED. HERE ARE SOME OF THE EXPANSION SITES. WE HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH THE STATES OF VIRGINIA, CAROLINAS, MISSISSIPPI, GEORGIA, TEXAS, EVEN IN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE THESE SPACES REALLY DON'T EXIST NATIONWIDE. AND IF WE CAN BEGIN TO GET TOGETHER AND WORK DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE WE TRAVEL DIFFERENTLY AND DATE DIFFERENTLY, WHAT CHANGES DO WE GET TO MAKE? OUR MOTTO IS LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES INTO OUR WORK. DO WE USE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS OF THE STATES TO KIND OF FILTER DOWN THROUGH TO THE COMMUNITY? OR DO WE DO THE OPPOSITE AND DO A GRASS ROOTS APPROACH WHERE WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY BEGIN TO ADVOCATE DIFFERENTLY FOR ITSELF? HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, WE NEED THIS. YOU KNOW? X, Y, Z WE NEED THAT AND HOW DO WE FOSTER THAT? DARRYLL IS GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT HOW WE COLLECT SOME OF THE DATA THAT DRIVES US AND HOW WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING SUPPORT AS THESE DIALOGUES CONTINUE. SO MANY DIFFERENT BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR MODELS BEGINNING WITH A SENSE OF SELF. RELATIONSHIP BEGINS WITH THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE INDIVIDUAL SETS UP EFFICACY FOR HIMSELF TO ADVOCATE TO BE TO LIVE TO EXPRESS IS THEN BOLSTERED BY AN AGENCY, A COMMUNITY, AND THEN A CONCEPT OR STRUCTURE. I THINK OFTENTIMES WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW POLICY STARTS FROM THE WAY UP DOWN, BUT IF WE BUILD CAPACITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL, WE ALL BUILD CAPACITY OF THE COMMUNITY. IN 2014, AS WE BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT OURSELVES, WE LEARNED VERY EARLY ON NOT TO TALK AB HIV SO MUCH. WE BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT OR ASK FROM OUR PARTICIPANTS, WHAT DO YOU EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU COME TO A MANDATE? 72% OF THE PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THAT FOR THEM, DEVELOPING REALISTIC STRATEGIES FOR THEIR LIVES WAS MORE OR LESS A SKILL SET THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ATTAIN. CHANGE, SUCCESS CANNOT HAPPEN WITHOUT A TRUE PLAN OF ACTION, ONE THAT MAKES SENSE FOR SELF. OFTEN TIMES YOU TALK ABOUT SMART GOALS. WELL, HERE THE INDIVIDUALS ARE BEGINNING TO MAKE SMART GOALS FOR THEMSELVES. WHAT CHANGES CAN I MAKE ABOUT MY BEHAVIOR NOW THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED A MANDATE. 90% OF THE PARTICIPANTS REPORTED FEELING AN INCREASED SENSE OF COMMUNITY AMONG BLACK GAY BISEXUAL MEN, ETC. WHAT WE NOTICE IS THAT MANDATE ALLOWED US TO REMOVE THIS MINUTIA OF HOW WE INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER. IT ALLOWED PEOPLE TO GET TO KNOW PEOPLE. FROM IT WE HAVE SEEN SO MANY DIFFERENT NETWORKS OF SUPPORT BE CREATED FROM THIS. I THINK WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE GET JOBS FROM THIS. WE'VE SEEN DATING SITUATIONS COME OUT OF THIS. WE'VE SEEN ADDITIONAL GROUPS SPUR OUT OF OUR WORK BECAUSE THEY FIND THEIR INTEREST IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THEY DON'T WANT TO BE AS BROAD. THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE NEW NETWORKS OF SUPPORT. THERE'S BEEN A LOT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS ASK MY COLLEAGUE DARRYLL MOCH TO COME FORWARD AND THEN WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH JOSEPH'S EXPERIENCE. >> WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT IS INTENTIONAL. THERE WAS NO RESEARCH. WE ARE THE RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS AND THE RESEARCHERS AND THE REVIEWERS OF THE RESEARCH. THERE WAS NOTHING BEFORE US. SO THERE WERE MANY DEBBIES AND EBBIES AND THOSE EVIDENCE BASED PACKETS THAT WE HAD PARTICIPATED IN AND WE HAD DONE AROUND HIV AND AIDS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. THERE WERE A FEW OTHER THINGS AROUND COMMUNITY BUILDING FOR THOSE THAT DO THAT KIND OF WORK AND EDUCATION. BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT TALKED AB OUR UNIQUE COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE. WE SET OUT TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT WAS PURPOSEFUL. SO EARLIER WE WERE BROUGHT IN BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO SERVE AS AN ADVISORY BOARD. THAT BOARD DECIDED THAT WE COULD NOT JUST ADVISE. WE NEEDED TO BE PART OF IT BECAUSE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS BY AND LARGE ARE NOT GOOD AS INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE, WITH REAL PEOPLE ON THE GROUND. WE WERE THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND. LET US HELP YOU REACH US. LET US DO THIS WORK TOGETHER. SO AS WE KNOW WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A SUPPORTIVE DEPARTMENT TO BEGIN COLLECTING LOTS OF DATA THAT WOULD HELP US AS WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND SO WHAT WE BEGAN IS COLLECTING VARIOUS TYPES OF DATA THROUGH SURVEYS. WE HAVE A BEHAVIORAL SURVEY WHICH ASKS PEOPLE INITIALLY WHEN THEY COME TO THE MANDATE, WE'VE EVOLVED TO THE POINT OF SAYING TELL US ABOUT YOU, YOUR SEXUAL HEALTH, YOUR SEXUAL BEHAVIOR. THE QUESTIONS WE WANT TO GET A FRAME WORK FOR WHO'S IN THE ROOM. WHO'S IN THE ROOM? HOW ARE THEY LIVING THEIR LIVES? WHAT KIND OF THINGS ARE GOING ON FOR THEM SO THAT AS WE SEE THEM OVER TIME, WE CAN TRACK ANY CHANGE AND ANY PARTICULAR KIND OF BEHAVIORS AND SEE WHAT CHANGES ARE HAPPENING. WE ASK A QUICK RESPONSE QUESTION WHICH REALLY GETS TO THE HEART OF EACH DIFFERENT MONTH WE HAVE DIFFERENT TOPIC OR DIFFERENT SET OF CONVERSATIONS. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A FISH BOWL. WHATEVER YOU WANT TO ASK, YOU JUST PICK SOMETHING OUT OF THE BOWL AND WE ASK THEM. WE MAY HAVE THEMES FOR THE BOWLES. WE'LL ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. WE TALK ABOUT THEM. AS TERRANCE MENTIONED, WE ARE THE EXPERTS IN THE ROOM. WE RARELY HAVE AN EXPERT COME IN TO DELIVER INFORMATION FROM HIGH OR BELOW, BUT WE ALL HAVE ALL OF US IN THE ROOM SHARING THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE HAVE SO THAT WE CAN GROW TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY. WE HAVE IMPACT SURVEYS THAT TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING WITH THE MANDATE ON THEIR LIVES AND HOW THAT MANDATE IS CHANGING THEM OR CAUSING THEM TO THINK DIFFERENTLY OR EVEN BE DIFFERENTLY. OR JUST FEEL DIFFERENTLY ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR TOPIC OR SUBJECT. WE HAVE OUR CONFERENCE EVALUATIONS WHICH ARE THINGS THAT YOU PROBABLY WITH FAMILIAR WITH. WE'RE GOING TO ASK, DID YOU LIKE IT, DID YOU NOT LIKE IT? WE ALSO ASK OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS TO GIVE US FEED BACK OF THE QUALITY OF WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM DIFFERENT PRESENTERS AND THE TOPIC ITSELF. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT DID YOU LIKE THIS AND WOULD YOU COME BACK AGAIN. WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW IF THE EXPERIENCE INTERNALLY FOR YOU IS SOMETHING YOU'RE GETTING VALUE ON. THEN WE HAVE SPECIAL SESSIONS. WE HAVE HAD SPECIAL SESSION. MOST OF OUR EVENTS HAPPEN WITHIN THE HOME AS TERRANCE MENTIONED. WE HAVE DONE A FEW IN O COUPLE OF OTHER SETTINGS. IN THOSE SETTINGS, WE'LL ASK OTHER QUESTIONS. WE'VE DONE THINGS WHERE WE HAD PEOPLE HAVE MULTIPLE TOPICS, MOVE AROUND IN ONE GIVEN DAY WE HAVE A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES. WE ASK THEM, HOW DOES THIS WORK FOR YOU? WHAT WE FOUND BY AND LARGE IS THAT THE PERSONAL HOME SETTING HAS BEEN THE MOST POWERFUL. IT'S BEEN THE MOST LIKED. THEY HAVEN'T NOT NECESSARILY LIKED SOME OF THE OTHER SPACES. I THINK THERE WAS ONE SPACE WE DIDN'T REALLY LIKE. THAT WAS AT A CBO. IT WAS A CONFERENCE STYLE SMALL ROOM. THAT DIDN'T FEEL HOMEY FOR US. RIGHT? IN THE OTHER SESSIONS THAT WE'VE USED THEY'VE HAD GENERALLY APPRECIATED THE SPACES. WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS WHAT THEY LIKED THE MOST IS THE FELLOWSHIP AND THE TIME TOGETHER AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE DO HAVE. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TO WHAT EXTENT HAVE THEY AGREED TO SOME VARIOUS TYPE OF STATEMENTS? I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS FOR YOU ALL. THE FIRST ONE. WE DECIDED TO BRING AWARENESS TO ISSUES AFFECTING GAY BLACK MEN. 37.2% STRONGLY AGREE AND 34.9% SAY THEY SOMEWHAT AGREE AND THERE ARE SOME IN THE MIDDLE. WE HAVE VERY FEW IN THE CATEGORY OF SAYING THAT IT'S NOT HELPING THEM TO THINK AN AND FRAME THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND BE AWARE OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND RELATIONSHIPS DIFFERENTLY. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THERE IS SOME KIND OF IMPACT ON HOW YOU FEEL NOT JUST ABOUT YOURSELF BUT ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP AND ABILITY TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. WE ALSO TALK, WE DO TALK ABOUT HIV BECAUSE IT IS A CORNER STONE PIECE OF WHAT'S AFFECTING THE COMMUNITY BY AND LARGE. BUT WE TALKED AB VARIETY OF OTHER THINGS AS WELL. LAST ONE, MADE ME PAY MORE ATTENTION TO MY OVERALL HEALTH AND WELL BEING. WE'VE GOT TO AGREE TO STRONGLY AGREE ABOUT SOME OF THE 70 ODD PERCENT OF FOLKS WHO ARE SAYING IT'S MAKING ME THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THAT. WE HAVE PEOPLE TALKING. WE HAVE DISCUSSION. SOMETIMES HEATED DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING OR DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING. OR SHOULD WE EVEN DO THAT THING. AS TERRANCE MENTIONED, WE TALKED ABOUT THE MODEL FOR THE COMMUNITY. WHILE SOME FOLKS WOULD SAY ABSOLUTELY. OTHERS WOULD SAY THEY WANT MARRIAGE AND ALL THOSE THINGS. WE REALIZE IN THE PRACTICE OF DOING ALL THIS, MOST ISSUES THAT WERE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE OR PUBLIC AWARENESS, HUGE PUBLIC -- YEAH, THAT AND THE HEADLINES. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED. THE BIG PUBLIC HEADLINES WERE NOT NECESSARILY THE THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY, OUR FOLKS WERE SAYING WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS FOR THEM. RIGHT? SO WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO GET MARRIAGE EQUALITY, BLACK GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN WERE JUST SAYING I WANT TO BE ALIVE. I JUST WANT TO BE HERE TOMORROW. I WANT TO GO ON A DATE TOMORROW. WHETHER I GET MARRIED OR NOT, I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT ONE BUT I WANT TO ENJOY THAT BENEFIT DOWN THE ROAD. SO THE BIGGER ISSUE WAS, AM I SAFE? AM I OKAY? CAN I TALK TO FAMILY? CAN I TALK ABOUT THIS? HOW DO I NAVIGATE THAT? THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE. WE'VE BEEN INTENTIONAL ABOUT EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING. IT ISN'T JUST HAPPEN STANCE. WE STARTED OUT THINKING ONE OF THE THINGS WE COULD DO, WE THROW A LOT OF IDEAS OUT THERE. SPECIFICALLY WE SAID LET'S DO THIS AND THIS AND THIS. BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING ELSE, WE EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL OF A CHANGE AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO MEAN TO THE PEOPLE COMING HERE. SENSE OF COMMUNITY. WE HAVE 52.2% HAVE SAID THAT THEIR SENSE OF COMMUNITY INCREASED SLIGHTLY AND THE OTHER 37% HAVE SAID IT HAS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY FOR US. SELF-ESTEEM. PEOPLE ARE STILL HAVING SOME MOVEMENT ISSUES WHERE WE HAVE NOT -- 15% OF THEM HAVE STAYED THE SAME AROUND THEIR SELF-ACCEPTANCE AND SELF-ESTEEM. WE DON'T BELIEVE WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE WORLD INSTANTLY. WE'VE BEEN OPERATING FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS NOW. SO THE FOLKS COMING ARE RECYCLING. WE HAVE A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS WHO COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN. WE ALSO HAVE OTHER FOLKS COMING FOR THE FIRST TIME. THEY COME ONCE. THEY'LL COME BACK MAYBE SOMETIME LATER. AND THEN MAYBE SOMETIME LATER AGAIN. SO WE'VE HAD PEOPLE RECENTLY SAYING I WISH I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS BEFORE BECAUSE WHAT I GOT TODAY IN THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT WAS SO POWERFUL. I WISH I HAD KNOWN ABOUT THIS A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WEEKS AGO. WE ALSO TALK ABOUT CONDOM USE, OF COURSE. 37 -- 32.6% SAY THEY ALWAYS USE IT. 28.3% SAY THEY USE SOMETIMES. MOST OF THE TIME WE HAVE 10.9% AND NEVER 28.3%. AS A RESULT OF THE MANDATE, THE NEVER PERCENTAGE HAS DROPPED JUST A TAD TO 23.9% WHICH IS A PRETTY NICE MOVEMENT FOR A GROUP OF MEN THAT ARE NOT ALL THE SAME PEOPLE ALL THE TIME. WE'RE NOT DOING A STUDY ON EACH INDIVIDUAL'S PERSONAL BEHAVIOR. WE'RE CAPTURING BEHAVIOR OF A COLLECTIVE GROUP. SO TO SAY A GROUP HAS MOVED BY THAT PERCENTAGE IS PRETTY DECENT FOR US. AGAIN, WE AREN'T RESEARCHERS BUT YET WE NEEDED TO COLLECT DATA SO WE COULD BEGIN TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION. WE HAVE 45.7% SAYING THEY ARE ALWAYS USING IT WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM THE 32.6% BEFORE THEY WERE COMING TO MANDATE. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF CHANGES. LOOKING FORWARD TO AT TENNING FUTURE SESSIONS 64% STRONGLY AGREE AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT SESSION. ONLY 10% SAY I COULD TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. 25% SAY THEY AGREE. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE SAYING THEY WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING BACK. WHE CAME BACK EVERY MONTH OR CAME BACK LATER, FOLKS WERE STILL LOOKING FORWARD TO WHATEVER WE HAD GOING ON. WE COULD PUT OUT A CALL SAYING WE'RE GOING TO BE AT THE SKATING RINK DOING SOMETHING. WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE JUST SKATING IN A PLACE THAT'S NOT SEXUALLY CHARGED ON PURPOSE. RIGHT? ANYTHING CAN BE SEXUALLY CHARGED IF YOU CHARGE IT. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING WE ARE CREATING AVENUES FOR PEOPLE TO SAY HOW CAN I BE IN A ROOM WITH MY BROTHERS WITHOUT IT HAVING TO BE ABOUT SEX? OR HAVING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT SEX OR ALCOHOL OR OTHER THINGS THAT LEAD TO OTHER KINDS OF BEHAVIORS THAT WE HAVE CHALLENGES WITH. RIGHT IN THE INFORMATION DISCUSSED IN THE SESSIONS I ATTENDED WAS RELEVANT TO ME. 63% SAY YES. 41% SAY SOMEWHAT. 5.1% SAY NEITHER. WE DO HAVE A SMALL PERCENT THAT SAY THEY DISAGREE. WE'LL ASK ALSO WHETHER THEY ARE COMFORTABLE SPEAKING AT MANDATE. WE HAVE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF FOLKS WHO SAY THEY STRONGLY DISAGREE AND SOME WHO SOMEWHAT DISAGREE. MOST OFTEN THOSE ARE USUALLY -- IS THAT MY SIGNAL THAT I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME? MOST OFTEN WE BELIEVE THE STRONGLY DISAGREE ARE SOME OF THE FIRST TIMERS THAT COME AND SAY THIS TOPIC WASN'T NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT, OR I DIDN'T ACTUALLY LIKE THE WAY IT WAS PRESENTED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE THOSE PARTS OUT. WEIR ALSO NOT TRYING TO BE EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE. EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS NOT GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE IS GOING TO GET INTO AND LIKE. OUR CONCEPT OF DOING SOME OF WHAT WE DO FOR THE MANDATE COMES FROM AN EXPERIENCE WE'VE HAD IN ATLANTA WHERE THEY MET EVERY SECOND SUNDAY, HENCE THE TERM SECOND SUNDAY, AND THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO MEET AND HAVE DISCUSSIONS. THE DIFFERENCE IS OUR DISCUSSIONS ARE INTENTIONAL. THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER AND HAVING A CONVERSATION. WE ARE ON PURPOSE DOING THAT. I WANT TO INTRODUCE ONE OF OUR PARTICIPANTS TO YOU. HE HAS BEEN WITH US PROBABLY FAIRLY EARLY ON HAS BEEN A STRONG SUPPORTER OF SOME ADVOCATE FOR THE WORKMAN DATE HAS BECOME. EVEN MORE THAN THAT HE'S BEEN AN AMAZING ADVOCATE. HIS PERSONAL STORY IS SO COMPELLING. I'M NOT GONNA TELL IT. HAVING GOTTEN TO KNOW HIM OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN A BLESSING AND TREMENDOUS GIFT FOR ME PERSONALLY, AND I KNOW FOR SO MANY OF US. WE LOVE IT WHEN HE COMES AND TALKS AND SAYS THINGS THAT SHAKES THE ROOM UP, LITERALLY. CAUSES PEOPLE TO THINK DIFFERENTLY. HE'LL CHALLENGE THINGS. IF SOMEONE COMES UP AS AN EXPERT, HE WILL CHALLENGE YOU AND SAY, THAT MIGHT BE YOUR EXPERIENCE, BUT MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN SOMETHING DIFFERENT. WE LOVE JOSEPH. WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE HIM AN AWARD RECENTLY FOR THE WORK THAT HE DOES AS A PART OF US. SO PLEASE WELCOME JOSEPH REAVES. [ APPLAUSE ] >> GOOD MORNING. HAPPY BLACK GAY PRIDE. BLACK GAY PRIDE IN DC IS ALWAYS A MAGICAL AND SACRED TIME FOR ME. SO SOME OF 2010, IT IS MY FIRST DC SUMMIT AS A HOWARD UNIVERSITY STUDENT. FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE HOWARD NETWORK, DC SUMMIT IS KIND OF LIKE WHEN THE YEAR IS OVER, BUT WHETHER IT BE FOR AN INTERNSHIP OR WORK FOR HOUSING OR JUST FOR VARIOUS REASONS, YOU HAVE A LARGE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS WHO JUST STAY IN THE DORMS FOR THE SUMMER UNTIL THE SEMESTER STARTS. IT'S MY FIRST DC SUMMER AND I HAVE DECIDED I'M GOING TO DC BLACK GAY PRIDE. AND THERE'S JUST AN ENERGY THAT TAKES OVER THIS DISTRICT. AND IT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN'T EVEN EXPLAIN. YOU JUST HAVE TO EXPERIENCE IT. I JUST REMEMBER KIND OF WALKING AND FEELING LIKE DOROTHY ON HER WAY TO THE EMERALD CITY FOR THOSE NEXT FEW DAYS. RIGHT? OR LIKE THIS IS LIKE YOUR PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA FOR THE DURATION OF MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. SO MY NAME IS JOSEPH REAVES. AND I AM HERE TO SHARE THE IMPACT THAT MANDATE AND PROJECT HEALTHY LIVING HAS HAD ON MY LIFE. SO MONTH AFTER MONTH, FOR WHAT IS NOW THE PAST FOUR YEARS, I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GATHERING IN A ROOM FULL OF STRONG RESILIENT TRANSITIONING AND BREATHTAKINGLY GORGEOUS BLACK MEN. AN I HAVE SEEN THESE MEN TAKE OFF THEIR COATS, FIX A PLATE OR TWO, HAVE A DRINK OR THREE, OR IN MY CASE FIVE, AND I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE DROP THEIR RESUMES. I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE PUT THEIR CREDENTIALS TO THE SIDE. AND I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE NO LONGER SHOW UP AS THEIR REPRESENTATIVES. AND I HAVE SEEN US SHOW OURSELVES TO EACH OTHER FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. DESPITE WHAT WE MAY HAVE HEARD BEFORE OR WHAT WE MAY HEAR AFTER, I SEE BLACK MEN WHO ARE ATTRACTED TO MEN DARE TO HAVE THE AUDACITY TO PLACE OURSELVES AT THE CENTER AND TO SAY THAT OUR BLACK LIVES DO MATTER. DESPITE THE NARRATIVE THAT SAYS BLACK QUEER MEN DON'T LOVE OTHER BLACK QUEER MEN. ON THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH, WE GET TO SIT IN THE HOME OF TWO BROTHERS WHO HAVE PLEDGED THEIR LIVES TO EACH OTHER. MONTH AFTER MONTH, FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS, MANDATE HAS HELPED ME HOLD ON TO MYSELF. HOLD ON TO LIFE. AND TO NOT BECOME NUMB AND TO DRIFT AWAY. DURING ONE OF THE MOST PAINFUL PERIODS OF MY LIFE. I'M GLAD THAT IT WAS THROUGH MANDATE AND THE STD/STI TESTING THAT THEY PROVIDE THAT I WAS ABLE TO SAVE MY OWN STI DIAGNOSIS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A KNOWLEDGEABLE COMMUNITY AND NOT LEFT TO FEEL ALONE, SHAMED AND JUDGED LIKE TOO MANY BLACK MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN. MANDATE REMINDS ME THAT I AM NOT AN ISLAND UNTO MYSELF. NOR DID I GET HERE BY SIMPLY PULLING MYSELF UP BY THE BOOT STRAPS. BUT THAT I AM, BECAUSE WE ARE. AND THE MEN OF MANDATE CONTINUOUSLY LOVE ME INTO LOVING MYSELF. SO IT IS WITHIN THE SPIRIT OF MANDATE THAT I REALLY DO NEED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW IN CLOSING THAT DESPITE THE APOCALYPSE ARMAGEDDON STATISTICS THAT WE HEAR ABOUT OURSELVES AT TIMES, IT IS AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TIME TO BE ALIVE AS A BLACK QUEER MAN. AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TO BE WITHIN THIS DISTRICT, WITHIN THIS AREA OF THIS COUNTRY AND TO BE BLACK AND GAY. TO BE SITTING WITHIN THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH AND HAVING OUR HEALTH BE CENTERED. TO BE HAVING ALL, TO BE VOGUING IN THE JOHN WILSON BUILDING. JUST SO MANY OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED AND ARE GETTING READY TO HAPPEN AS WE FURTHER ACCELERATE INTO THIS BLACK GAY PRIDE. IT IS AN ABSOLUTE JOY TO BE A BLACK GAY MAN IN THIS MOMENT. SO ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED DISCUSSION. [ APPLAUSE ] >> WE CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. IF NO ONE HAS ANYTHING -- OH, DO YOU HAVE ONE? OKAY. PLEASE. [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOUR QUESTION MAKES SO MUCH SENSE BECAUSE IT SPOKE TO THE INTENTIONALITY THAT WE HAD TO USE IN THE BEGINNING. WHAT WE USED WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO TELL YOUR STORY. WE ACTUALLY, QUITE HONESTLY, PITTED THE OPPORTUNITY OF NOT TAKING THE SURVEYS AGAIN. WE RECEIVED SO MANY STATISTICS AND WE RECEIVED SO MANY RESPONSES TO THOSE STATISTICS THAT WE ARE NOT ALWAYS APPRECIATIVE OF. HOW DO WE USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO TELL OUR STORIES? AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WITHIN SECONDS THE IDEA THAT THIS IS WHAT WE DO REALLY, REALLY SETS THE BAR OF EXPERIENCE FOR ALL OF OUR PARTICIPANTS AND IT ALMOST MAKES THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT ALLOWED US TO BEGIN IN THE VERY SAME SPACE BEGIN TO OFFER SCREENS FOR HIV, SELF-ADMINISTERED TESTING THAT IN A WAY THAT, WOW, I'M TESTING FOR HIV IN THE BASEMENT OF A COMFORTABLE HOME AND I AM LEARNING OF A NEW STATUS AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR ME TO GO BACK UPSTAIRS? WE'VE LUCKILY, KNOCK ON WOOD, HAD TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT DIFFERENTLY OR EXPERIENCE KIND OF TRAUMA TO RE-ENTER THE SPACE. BEING VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE STORY IS WHAT WE REALLY STEP FORWARD IN THE BEGINNING FIRST MONTH FIVE YEARS AGO. >> WE'VE BEEN ALSO VERY TRANSPARENT IN WHAT THE INTENTIONS OF THE DATA IS. SO WE DON'T TELL FOLKS -- WE THEM LOOK, WE DO HAVE MONEY AND THEY WANT TO KNOW SOME STUFF ABOUT US SO WE BETTER THEM STUFF ABOUT US. WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE MAY NEED TO LOOK FOR OTHER FUNDS TO HELP SUPPORT WHAT WE DO. THIS INFORMATION HELPS US TO DO THAT. WE FRAME IT IN THE WAY THAT TERRANCE SAID. THIS IS OUR STORY. SO WE WANT TO TELL THOSE STORIES AUTHENTICALLY FROM US NOT FROM OTHER FOLKS THAT COLLECT DATA AND DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THAT DATA AND TELL OUR STORY FOR US. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES. [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] >> WE HAVE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT COME BACK CONSISTENTLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS. WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT COME THAT WE RECOGNIZE AND WE KNOW IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY HIT THE DOOR. WE KNOW THEIR NAMES, THEY KNOW OUR NAMES BECAUSE THEY COME ALL THE TIME LIKE JOSEPH. THERE ARE THOSE THAT COME EVER SO OFTEN. THERE ARE THOSE THAT ONLY COME FOR THE CONFERENCE. THERE IS A CONSISTENCY OF THE COLLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY STILL COMING THROUGH ON A REGULAR BASIS. BUT WE DO GET LOTS OF NEW PEOPLE. IT'S USUALLY NEW PEOPLE WILL COME AND THEY'LL COME BACK ANOTHER COUPLE OF TIMES. IT'S VERY RARE -- WE ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM OUT OF THE STATE AND WILL PLAN A TRIP AROUND THE FACT THAT MANDATE IS GONNA HAPPEN ON THAT PARTICULAR DATE. THEY'LL SAY, WELL, I HAD TO COME ANYWAY, SO I SHIFTED MY DATES SO I COULD BE HERE FOR MANDATE. OR I WANT TO COME BACK AGAIN. I WAS HERE AT CHRISTMAS VISITING WITH MY FAMILY AND I DECIDED TO TAKE MY SUMMER VACATION OR SOME OTHER VACATION OR COME HERE FOR SOME REASON. I WANTED TO COME WHEN I COULD COME TO MANDATE AGAIN. IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF EBB AND FLOW IN THERE. >> WHAT I WOULD ASK, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT NOT EVERYONE IS COMING TO 11 SESSION EACH YEAR. SO WE BELIEVE THAT IF YOU COME FOR JUST ONE SESSION, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GET TO TAKE BACK, SOME KIND OF SKILL SET THAT YOU GET TO TAKE BACK TO YOUR LIFE'S NAVIGATION. SOMETIMES WE REALLY DO LOSE KIND OF THIS LONG-TERM PIECE OF DATA AND IMPACT. BUT WHAT I WOULD PROBABLY HIGHLIGHT IS BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE SESSIONS WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD PARTICIPANTS LEARN OF A CANCER DIAGNOSIS, AND BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS BECAUSE OF OUR SESSIONS. THERE'S ALMOST THIS PLACE OF KNOWING AND PLACE OF ASSUMPTION THAT DO INTERSECT. [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] [ LAUGHTER ] >> WE ASK OURSELVES THAT QUESTION SOMETIMES, TOO. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD START WITH OUR NETWORKS. ASKING FOLKS TO COME TO BRING THEIR NETWORKS, THEIR SOCIAL AND SEXUAL NETWORKS TO OUR ARENA, TO THIS ARENA. WE DID THE SAME THING. WE STARTED OUT BY TELLING FOLKS THAT WE KNEW, ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WERE PART OF, OUR CHURCHES, OUR TEMPLES, WHEREVER WE WERE GOING, WE WERE SAYING HEY, WE HAVE THIS THING. COME BE PART OF IT. THEN WE DO A LOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SOCIAL MARKETING. BUT ALSO I THINK I WOULD ASSUME THAT EVERYONE IN THE ROOM HAS A SMALL CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, TWO OR THREE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS EATING DINNER WITH, MAYBE AT HAPPY HOUR WITH. THESE PEOPLE ARE GREAT FOR YOU. THEY ALLOW YOU TO BE VULNERABLE. THEY ALLOW YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS. WHEN YOU THINK AB YOUR DATING NETWORKS AND HOW CRAZY DATING MAY BE, SOMETHING ABOUT THAT BREAKDOWN AND THAT ADDITIONAL STEP. SO FOR US, HERE I HAVE A GROUP OF FIVE FRIENDS WHO ARE GREAT FOR ME, I'M GREAT FOR THEM. THEY'RE GREAT MEN. BUT IF DARRYLL IS HAVING THE SAME EXPERIENCE, SO IS LEO AND PRESTON, WHY IS THERE A BREAKDOWN WHEN THERE'S A LARGER COLLECTIVE? THAT CAN'T BE THE CASE WHEN OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES WE'RE EXPERIENCING THIS RICHNESS. HOW DO WE REALLY MAKE THAT EXPERIENCE? THAT'S REALLY BEEN OUR SPEECH. THAT'S REALLY BEEN OUR SOAP BOX. WE DON'T BREAK DOWN BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE OF US IN THE ROOM. WE BUILD UP BECAUSE OF WHAT WE BRING INTO THE ROOM. THAT'S HOW WE REACH PEOPLE. NOT ABOUT THIS OUTREACH OF I DON'T KNOW YOU, COME AND EXPERIENCE. I WOULD EVEN ARGUE THAT OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OUTPUT CURRENTLY IS NOT AS STRONG AS WE WOULD WANT IT TO BE, BUT PEOPLE ARE HEARING ABOUT US AND THEY'RE ASKING ABOUT US. HOW DID YOU GET HERE FROM TEXAS? THIS WAS OUR FIRST CONFERENCE. WHO TOLD YOU ANYTHING? MY COUSIN TOLD ME. MY COUSIN TOLD ME. WE'RE ALSO GETTING SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE THEMSELVES GAY OR SOME SPECTRUM OF LABELING TO SAY YOU NEED TO EXPERIENCE THIS. THAT'S WHAT OUTREACH LOOKS LIKE. >> WHEN IS YOUR CONFERENCE? >> TYPICALLY NOVEMBER AROUND VETERAN'S DAY WEEKEND. >> 2ND OF NOVEMBER. >> COULD YOU TALK MORE ABOUT THE CONFERENCE, LIKE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN? >> THE CONFERENCE IS REALLY, I THINK REALLY ONE OF THE MOST WONDERFUL PIECES ABOUT WHAT WE DO. IT ALLOWS US TO TAKE A VARIETY OF TOPICS THAT WE HAD ALL YEAR AND BRING IT INTO A CENTRAL LOCATION AND TO HAVE THOSE TOPICS. WE WILL HAVE A SERIES OF BREAKOUT SESSIONS WHERE WE'LL HAVE THREE OR FOUR OR TWO, DEFENDING ON WHAT SPACE WE'RE IN, DIFFERENT PLACES FOR THE GUYS TO BREAK OUT INTO. THEN WE'LL HAVE LARGER SCALE THINGS. WE HAVE LOTS OF FOOD AS WELL. SO THERE'S A BREAKFAST. THERE'S LUNCH. OFTENTIMES THERE'S DINNER. WE START ON FRIDAY EVENING OR FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH REGISTRATION. WE MAY HAVE A SOCIAL EVENT OF SOME SORT ON FRIDAY WELCOMING. ONE YEAR WE GAVE AWARDS TO FOLKS THAT WE WANTED TO HONOR THAT HAD BEEN DOING WORK IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN ON SATURDAY WE'LL HAVE A SERIES OF WORK SHOPS, TIMES FOR PEOPLE TO TALK, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO SHARE, DIFFERENT TYPES -- THAT CIRCLE GRID OF WHO WE ARE SPIRITUALITY, FINANCE, SOCIAL, MENTAL HEALTH. ALL THOSE AREAS ARE COVERED INTENTIONALLY THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE WEEKEND. SUNDAY WE'LL ALSO HAVE A KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND WE'LL ALSO HAVE MORE BREAKOUTS AND THEN MORE GROUPS TOGETHER. SO WE DO SOME SESSIONS WITH EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM AND WE DO SESSIONS WITH LARGER SECTIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE ROOM OR SMALLER BREAKOUTS AS WELL. THEN WE'LL HAVE MORE SOCIAL ACTIVITY ON SATURDAY AND POSSIBLY SOMETHING THAT FOLKS WILL DO ON SUNDAY. WE USUALLY HAVE A DEBRIEF OR GATHERING AT THE END. WE GO ACROSS THE STREET AND HAVE A SOCIAL HOUR ON SUNDAY AFTERWARDS AS WELL. >> WHAT I WOULD ADD TO IT IS OUR CONFERENCE IS REALLY FRAMED AROUND THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE TRY TO FACILITATE EACH MONTH. WE'RE NOT REALLY ASKING PROVIDERS OR PROFESSIONAL PRACTITIONERS TO COME AND PRESENT TO US, BUT HOW DO WE AS A COMMUNITY PRESENT TO EACH OTHER. IT DOES ALLOW FOR ROOM FOR SAY ONE YEAR WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR GAY PARENTS TO WANT TO ADOPT OR USE A BIOLOGICAL METHOD FOR IMPREGNATING A PARTNER. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO WE'VE DONE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, BUT WE'RE LOOKING IN TERMS OF ESTATE PLANNING AND WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE. WHAT DOES MY SAVINGS PLAN LOOK LIKE IF I'M GOING TO BE SINGLE AND NOT HAVE KIDS. WHO DO I BEGIN TO CREATE MY PORTFOLIO FOR? WE TALK ABOUT AN USE THAT AS A PREMISE OF OUR WORK. OUR CONFERENCE IS VERY MUCH DIFFERENT. AS JOSEPH DESCRIBED, WHEN YOU COME TO US, TAKE OFF YOUR LETTERS OF ACCREDITATION BUT THING YOUR EXPERIENCE TO MAKE THIS PIECE RICHER. THAT'S REALLY HOW WE TRY TO BE DIFFERENT. AND SOMETIMES IT BECOMES A BARRIER BECAUSE FUNDING, YOU KNOW, BECOMES A THING. YEAH, WE'D LIKE YOU TO SUPPORT US, BUT WE CAN'T GIVE YOU TWO HOURS OF OUR TIME TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T REALLY FEEL GENUINE TO OUR MOTTO. WE'VE HAD TO NAVIGATE THAT A LITTLE BIT. BUT OUR CONFERENCE IS REALLY ABOUT US AND HOW DO WE EXPERIENCE EACH OTHER. >> WE ASK PEOPLE TO HEAR WHO WE ARE. WHO WANTS TO SHARE? SOME OF US HAVE KNOWN LEO FOR YEARS. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE GOT LEO TO COME AND DO IT. WE GOT HIM. DR. MELBRANCH AND OTHER FOLKS HAVE COME AND DELIVERED PIECES FOR US THAT WERE -- WHAT I RECOGNIZE IS THOSE OF US WHO HAVE THOSE KINDS OF BACKGROUNDS AND CREDENTIALS, WE CAN PUT THEM TO THE SIDE, BUT THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE WITH US SO WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE WHO WE ARE, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO COME AS FIRST BLACK GAY BISEXUAL MEN AND BRING THAT EXPERTISE ALSO TO SHARE WITH EACH OTHER. WE CAN GET TO PARTICIPATE. DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE BRING LEO IN, HE SLIDES IN, DELIVERS HIS BIG THING AND FLIES OUT. LEO'S COMING AND WE'RE HOPING THAT FOR THE MOST PART FOLKS ARE COMING AND STAYING THE WEEKEND. SO THERE'S ADDITIONAL DIALOGUE. IF HE HAS AN AREA THAT HE HAS A SPECIALTY IN, HE CAN TALK GENERALLY AND PEOPLE CAN GET TO KNOW HIM AS A PERSON AND NOT JUST THE GREAT FABULOUS LEO MOORE. >> CAN I ADD ONE MORE THING? I WAS GOING TO SAY ONE THING I LOVE ABOUT THE MANDATE CONFERENCE, THERE'S REALLY SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE THERE. WHEN I'M THERE PRESENTING ON MEDICAL INFORMATION OR ON CHRONIC DISEASES, THEN TO GO TO ANOTHER ROOM AN LEARN ABOUT FINANCIAL LITERACY. I WAS A RESIDENT WHEN I STARTED COMING TO THE MANDATE CONFERENCE. SO LEARNING ABOUT 401K AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS. OH, I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT I WAS GOING TO GROW AS WELL. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GO INTO SPACES YOU THINK YOU WILL BE THE ONE IMPARTING KNOWLEDGE WHEN, IN FACT, YOU ARE LEARNING. >> FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT PART OF THIS, WHAT CAN WE DO? HOW CAN WE SUPPORT MANDATE? >> START WITH THE SECOND ONE. WE ASK ROBERT TO THROW OUT SOME NUMBERS ON THE DATA. SO ALLIES. I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS ALLIES CAN DO. ONE IS TO NORMALIZE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT BLACK LIVES, ABOUT GAY LIVES, ABOUT SAME GENDER LOVING LIVES. TO REALIZE THAT IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT, THAT PUSH BACK WHEN THERE ARE STIGMATIZING TYPE OF STATEMENTS BEING DONE. PUSH BACK WHEN SOMEONE COMES IN AND MAY APPEAR TO BE ASSUMED TO BE GAY OR BI OR ANYTHING ELSE. AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT YOUR OFFICES, YOUR COMMUNITIES, YOUR CHURCHES, YOUR MOSQUES ARE MOVING TO A PLACE OF BEING WELCOMING AND ACCEPTING AND RECEPTIVE TO FOLKS BEING PRESENT. SO AS AN ALLY, PUSHING THAT ENVELOPE. SO IT'S NOT JUST US SAYING LET US IN THE DOOR. BUT SOMEONE IN THE DOOR SAYING, WE GOT TO LET FOLKS IN. THE OTHER THING IS TO JUST ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO THINGS LIKE THIS. IF YOU'RE IN THE DC AREA, ENCOURAGING FRIENDS THAT YOU KNOW, GO. YOU MAY GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT. WE HAD SOME FOLKS WHO WERE RESISTANT TO GOING BECAUSE THEY SAID I WASN'T SURE WHAT I WOULD GET. ONCE THEY CAME, I'M SO GLAD THAT I'M HERE. I WISH I HADN'T BEEN SO RESISTANT BEFORE. BUT THEY HAD NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES BEFORE SO THEY WERE AFRAID TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. SO I THINK ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GO AND CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT AROUND YOURSELF THAT IS MORE OPEN AND AFFIRMING AND WELCOMING WILL ALSO PUSH THAT OUT TO OTHERS AS WELL. >> AND OCCASIONALLY WE DO OPEN THE DOOR FOR PERSONS WHO ARE NOT BLACK AND GAY TO COME AND EXPERIENCE A MANDATE AS WE DO IT. WE DID ONE WHEN THE U.S. CONGRESS ON AIDS HOSTED HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IT WAS JUST AS SPECTACULAR AS A DAY WHEN WE ARE IN ROBERT AND JABARI'S HOME. PEOPLE CAME IN, PARTICIPATED. IT ALSO OPENED UP DOORS FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE GET TO BRING TO MANDATE. SO WE'RE OPEN TO THAT. WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT WHAT ARE DIFFERENT CARVEOUTS FOR MANDATES. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO PROVIDE AN EXPERIENCE FOR TRANSWOMEN OF COLOR. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR HIV POSITIVE MEN? HOW DO WE BEGIN TO USE THIS MODEL BASED ON THE PREMISE OF OUR SOCIAL CIRCLES BEING THE STRENGTH OF OUR EXPERIENCE TO DO THAT. TIFFANY YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU CAN ADD IN TERMS OF INITIAL SAMPLE SIZE? NO. YOU DO? >> OKAY. YES. >> SHE WORKS WITH US. SHE'S LIKE THEIR ORGANIZATION IS OUR DATA GURU. >> WE HAVE OVER 800 SURVEYS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. WE HAD TO THROW ABOUT 200 OUT SINCE THE DATA WAS NOT COMPLETE OF THE SAMPLE SIZE FOR THE LAST 12 MONTHS. WE ARE WORKING ON USING THE DATA. >> OF COURSE WE ARE. >> THERE'S A QUESTION. [ INAUDIBLE QUESTION ] >> WE DON'T EXCLUDE ANYONE BASED ON AGE. I THINK ABOUT A THIRD OF PEOPLE UNDER 30 AND 60% ARE UNDER 40. >> I DO WANT TO ADD SOMETHING. JUST A STATEMENT ABOUT ALLIES TOO. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THE QUESTION THAT IS IMPORTANT IS HOW CAN I BECOME A BETTER ALLY? HOW CAN I STAND IN SOLIDARITY BETTER WITH PEOPLE? WHAT I SAY IS LISTEN AND BELIEVE THE PEOPLE WHO YOU ARE CLAIMING TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH. IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY TIMES I'LL ENCOUNTER PEOPLE AND THEY'LL SAY, DID THAT REALLY HAPPEN? I'M LIKE, I JUST TOLD YOU WHAT HAPPENED. THE INITIAL QUESTION IS ALMOST LIKE IT COULD BE OUT OF CURIOSITY BUT THE OTHER ASPECT IS YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME WHEN I TOLD YOU MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, SO WHY WOULD I CONTINUE TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCES WITH YOU. I THINK MANDATE PROVIDES THAT SPACE FOR MANY PEOPLE TO SHARE THOSE EXPERIENCES. I WAS A PANELIST LAST YEAR. IT BLEW MY MIND THE FACT THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT I WAS A LAWYER BUT I WAS A BLACK GAY MAN. PEOPLE COULDN'T CARE LESS THAT I WAS A LAWYER. IT WAS THE MOST BREATH TAKING FEELING THAT I HAVE EVER HAD. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR PROVIDING THAT SPACE HONESTLY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE UPLIFTED. >> I'D LIKE TO JUST ADD TWO THOUGHTS ABOUT ALLY. BACKING ON WHAT PRESTON SAID ABOUT LISTENING. I WROTE DOWN LISTEN FIRST THEN ACT LATER. YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO LEARN. WHAT IS THIS COMMUNITY THAT YOU WANT TO SUPPORT? WHAT HAVE THEY GONE THROUGH AND HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THEM IN THAT? THE OTHER IS NEVER ALLOW BEING AN ALLY TO SUPERCEDE OR DROWN OUT THE GROUP YOU'RE WANTING TO SUPPORT. A BLACK MALE FEMINIST WHO HAS A LARGER VOICE THAN WOMEN FEMINIST IN THE COUNTRY, YOU KNOW? SO NOT ALLOWING YOURSELF TO SPEAK OVER THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, BEING MARGINALIZED. I THINK THOSE WOULD BE MY TWO ADDITIONS. >> JOSEPH? >> AROUND ALLISHIP. BE CLEAR THAT YOU ARE AN ALLY. WHEN I SAY BE CLEAR THAT YOU'RE AN ALLY, I KNOW AN HETEROSEXUAL BLACK WOMAN WHO WAS AT LEAST AT ONE TIME HAD A BLACK LGBT WHO WAS HEADING A BLACK LGBT CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION. AND HER POPULAR TAG LINE THAT REALLY PUT A BAD TASTE IN MY MOUTH WAS SHE LOVED GETTING UP AND SAYING I'M NOT AN ALLY, I'M A SISTER IN THE MOVEMENT. I'M LIKE, MA'AM, I KNOW YOU MEAN WELL, BUT YOU ARE AN ALLY. BECAUSE TO A CERTAIN -- I GOT TO DEAL WITH THIS ALL THE TIME. LIKE YOU'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE YOU FEEL A MORAL CONVICTION AND THAT'S WONDERFUL, AND I'M GLAD YOU WANT TO BE HERE. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU HAVE A CHOICE. YOU CAN KIND OF LIKE GO BACK TO YOUR HETERO MOMENT OF RESPECTABILITY IF IT GETS TOO HOT IN THE KITCHEN FOR YOU. LIKE, I GOT TO BE ALL ME ALL THE TIME. AND I GOT TO BEAR THE WEIGHT OF THE BURDEN ALL THE TIME. SO IF YOU WANT TO BE AN ALLY, BE CLEAR THAT YOU'RE AN ALLY AND YOU CAN BE DOWN AND WE CAN LOVE YOU AND WE'LL SAVE A PLACE FOR YOU AT THE COOKOUT. BUT JUST KNOW THAT YOU'RE AN ALLY. >> SEE WHY WE LOVE HIM? I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PRESENTATION. AND I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK EACH OF YOU FOR COMING HERE TO NIH. THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO ME AS A PERSON WHO IDENTIFIES HIMSELF AS BLACK AND GAY. TO SEE SUCH WONDERFUL DATA ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCES, AND NOT JUST FROM A QUANTITATIVE SIDE BUT ALL THE QUALITATIVE SIDE. I THINK THAT AS WE DETPRAPART FROM THIS SPACE TODAY, WE ALL HAD A SAMPLING OF WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE AT JABARI'S HOME. THESE GUYS WILL TALK, ALL RIGHT? THEY ARE MY BROTHERS AND I LOVE THEM DEARLY. I'M SO, SO WONDERFULLALLY INDEBTED TO EACH OF YOU FOR LENDING YOUR VOICE TO THIS SPACE. FOR THOSE WHO ARE VIEWING BY WEB CAST, THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE ARCHIVED. SO IT WILL REMAIN HERE AT NIH IN PERPITUITY. I INVITE YOU TO JOIN WITH US AS WE CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THE MONTH OF JUNE HERE AT NIH, OBSERVING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF LGBT PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. JUNE 8TH WE WILL HOST AN EVENT WHERE WE LOOK AT DATA COLLECTION AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS AROUND WHAT THE CHALLENGES ARE TO COLLECTING DATA FOR THIS POPULATION. NOT JUST DATA IN TERMS OF HEALTH RESEARCH, BUT ALSO PERSONAL DATA. THEN JUNE 14TH WE WILL CONVENE A TRAINING FOR NIH EMPLOYEES AROUND CREATING AN INCLUSIVE TRANS AFFIRMING COMMUNITY FOR NIH EMPLOYEES AND FOR THE WORKPLACE. I ALSO INVITE YOU TO JOIN IN ON THE 15TH OF JUNE. YOU CAN CHECK THE EDI WEBSITE. I WILL BE HOSTING A WEBINAR ON CREATING AND FOSTERING AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR LGBT PEOPLE THERE. AND THEN FINALLY ON THE 30TH OF JUNE, WE WILL HOST A CANADIAN STORY TELLER, FOLK ARTIST, ALONGSIDE WITH SCHOLARS IN THE AREA OF TRANS RESEARCH AND SOMEONE HERE FROM NIH IN OUR CLINICAL CENTER WHO PROVIDES CARE FOR TRANS PEOPLE. AND WE WILL HOLD THAT CONVENING THE 30TH OF JUNE. WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING ABOUT THE MONTH OF JUNE HERE AT NIH IS WE HAVE EMBARKED UPON THIS PROCESS OF COLLECTING DATA. NOT JUST DATA FOR NIH IN PARTICULAR, BUT ALSO DATA ACROSS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO WE HAVE A MULTIMEDIA CAMPAIGN CALLED TELLING OUR STORIES. I INVITE YOU TO LOG ON TO THE WEBSITE EDI.NIH.GOV/PRIDE TO TELL YOUR STORY. TELLING YOUR STORY, WE'RE INVITING INDIVIDUALS TO SHARE. THAT MEANS THAT IF YOU ARE AN ALLY AND YOU ARE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF A BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH SPACE DOING RESEARCH AND YOU'VE RECENTLY INCLUDED THIS POPULATION INTO YOUR RESEARCH, WE INVITE YOU TO TELL THAT STORY. IF YOU ARE A PARENT WHO IS RAISING AN LGBT CHILD, WE INVITE YOU TO TELL THAT STORY. IF YOU ARE AN LGBT PERSON, SHARE YOUR STORY WITH US. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. WE WANT TO COLLECT THAT INFORMATION. WE WANT TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO THINK THAT OUR LIVES MAY NOT MATTER OR WHO MAY SEEK TO RENDER OUR EXPERIENCES INVISIBLE AND TO MUTE OUR EXPERIENCES. THIS IS OUR WAY OF TELLING OUR STORY. SO I INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA, EDI UNDER SCORE NIH. BOTH TWITTER AS WELL AS INSTAGRAM. FOLLOW THE STORIES. WE HAVE A SEQUENCE OF MULTIMEDIA PROJECTS, VIDEOS, THAT WILL BE SHARED ACROSS OUR WEBSITE FOR INDIVIDUALS. SHARE THOSE VIDEOS WITH YOUR NETWORKS. IF YOU KNOW OF OTHER BLACK GAY MEN IN THE AREA WHO COULD BENEFIT FROM A MANDATE, CONNECT THEM. YOU CAN FINE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE. SO IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY. THANK YOU. DO JOIN US FOR THE REMAINING EVENTS IN THE MONTH OF JUNE. [ APPLAUSE ]