Young AIDS Activists! Apply for C2EA's 2012 Youth Action Institute -- June 10 - 16, 2012

When: June 10 - 16 2012
Where: Washington DC
How to apply: Download YAI 2012 application (English) -- Application deadline extended to March 1!

The goal of the Youth Action Institute is to turn out young AIDS activists and leaders. Since its first year in 2005, C2EA brings a diverse group of 14 to 29-year-olds to a college campus and teaches them to become the AIDS policy-makers and protest leaders of today and tomorrow. While some of the hundreds of participants through the years arrived with a bit of knowledge about AIDS, most were just energetic young people from different walks of life -- inexperienced but eager to learn.

Adult-supervised but youth-run, YAI seeks to educate and inspire a generation vulnerable to a disease they often know little about. Most participants did not grow up during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, when Americans were dying of the disease at alarming rates. However, the rate of young people diagnosed with HIV is rising, particularly among young black men who have sex with men.

Pre-Conference Fundraising

All applicants that are invited to attend the conference are required to raise $600 to help defer costs. This is also a good way for participants to get into the community and get a feel for the obstacles and possible setbacks that might occur when planning their summer project.

Post-Conference Project

As a participant you will be asked to partner with an AIDS Service Organization (ASO), community-based organization, religious institution, youth group, LGBTQ group, school or other entity to carry out a grassroots organizing project that will be carried out during summer 2012 and may be continued after. Organizing projects should link youth priority issues, C2EA demands (treatment, research, prevention & respect), pressing local needs and development of grassroots networks. We encourage participants to develop a project that is particularly relevant to your community surrounding HIV & AIDS.

For more information about C2EA Youth email or call 1.877.ENDAIDS (363.2437). You can also join C2EA Youth on Facebook.