Latinos/Hispanics Across the Nation Recognize National Latino AIDS Awareness Day and Call to Action Leaders in Promoting HIV Testing, Prevention and Acce...(Day. For others the need for such a day ...),Health

"Louisiana has seen a rapid increase in Latino residents, especially since Hurricane Katrina and Rita. It is important for us to participate in National Latino AIDS Awareness Day because bilingual and bicultural prevention services are poor and this needs to change," stated Sergio Farfan, co-chair of the Louisiana Latino Health Coalition for HIV/AIDS Awareness.

"It is time for all Latinos to Wake Up! Take Control! And Take the HIV Test!," said Lillian Rodriguez, President of Hispanic Federation. "We need to recognize that priority number one is to promote HIV testing and the commitment from local, state and federal government to increase the funding levels to better response to the AIDS crisis in our communities."

"In this fifth year, we promote and we recognize October 15th as a date of national action against AIDS. Hispanic/Latino organizations, departments of health, elected and designated officials have worked together to draft a Hispanic/Latino national agenda that defines our priorities for a short term and long term strategy against this emergency of public health," declared Guillermo Chacon, Vice President of the Latino Commission on the AIDS. All are invited to participate by visiting http://www.latinoaidsagenda.org.

NLAAD is supported by NBC, Telemundo, Cable Positive, the Kaiser Family Foundation, Univision, MTV Tres, Latina Magazine, Orasure Technologies, Abbott Laboratories, Boehringer-Ingelheim (partial list).

For more information on where to get tested for HIV or to find out how you can participate in one of our many events please visit http://www.nlaad.org.