October 15 is National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day, a day to help stop HIV stigma and address the disproportionate impact of HIV on Hispanic/Latinx communities. High Impacto invites the wider community to join us in commemorating this day. In addition, we would like to thank all those attending our “NOCHE DE IMPACTO” event on October 6th at Hunters Night Club in Wilton Manors, Florida. Thanks to the entire Hunters team, your contribution and the donation of the use of this wonderful venue were key components for the success of our event where we commemorated NLAAD and honored three individuals with Latinx backgrounds. High Impacto created “NOCHE DE IMPACTO” and the IMPACT AWARDS to honor the people who have been helping the organization achieve it’s Vision and Mission providing free services to communities in need.
Guidance Award – Evelyn Ullah – See the images here
Encourage Award – Francisco Gomez – See the images here
Ambassador Award – Kelvin Bautista – See the images here
Please join us to celebrate those amazing Latinx leaders.
Hispanic/Latinx people are disproportionately affected by HIV. Social and structural issues—such as racism, HIV stigma, homophobia, poverty, and limited access to high-quality health care—influence health outcomes and continue to drive inequities. Racism, discrimination, HIV stigma, and homophobia hurt the overall health and well-being of this community. Additionally, poverty, migration patterns, lower educational level, and language barriers may make it harder for some members of this community to seek and receive high-quality health care, including HIV testing, treatment, and other prevention services. Addressing these social and structural barriers and encouraging safe and supportive communities can help improve health outcomes for Latinx people.
Please join High Impacto in its efforts to help the Latinx Community get informed of their HIV status. We provide free HIV testing in the comfort of homes, workplaces, or any other place where people are comfortable, safe, and private. Everyone needs to know their HIV status. People who don’t know they have HIV can’t take advantage of HIV care and treatment and may pass HIV to others without knowing it.
Do you know that having another STD can increase a person’s chance of getting or transmitting HIV? High Impacto provides free of charge all of the required labs for the Sexual Transmitted Infections required for using PrEP, the medication that prevents HIV. Contact us to find out how you, your friends, your families, or any person in your social network can be in our PrEP program. Some Latinx people may not use HIV prevention services, get an HIV test, or get treatment if they have HIV due to fear of disclosing their immigration status. Contact us to find out how immigrants can get free health insurance that not only covers all HIV prevention and care services but also allows them to have health insurance that allows them to take care of their overall health.
We are aware that Latinx people experience high levels of mistrust of the healthcare system. Lower levels of trust can reduce the likelihood of clinic visits and result in lower use of and adherence to antiretroviral medications. Our services are not connected to immigration offices. It is helping us to offer and serve people with confidence because they come to us and find the help that they need to break the mistrust of the healthcare system.
We would also like to congratulate Latinos en Acción (LEA), the working group for HIV prevention in the Latino community. LEA is part of the Broward County HIV Prevention Planning Council where our Director of Programs, Emilio Apontesierra-Paretti, M.Ed. is the Community Co-Chair. On October 13, LEA commemorated NLAAD with its 2022 Hispanic HIV Leadership Awards event and honored five individuals who have done an exceptional job. Our Medical Director and Health Coordinator were the winners of two of those awards. Please join us in congratulating Ivan Fernandez, Health Coordinator, and Dr. Patrick Dreher, Medical Director. Thank you for the great work you both do for our community, particularly our diverse Latino community. What affects the Latinx community affects the population at large because we are all connected.
To learn how to qualify for our free health insurance and HIV prevention programs, contact us at info@highimpacto.org and by phone at 954-947-3603 or find us on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and Twitter) as @highimpacto.