California: Summit Stresses HIV Prevention

On Saturday, nearly 150 people attended Project Action's first Sex in the Inland Empire seminar. The event targeted people ages 16-25, though girls as young as 11 were in attendance. It featured interactive workshops covering topics such as sex, self-esteem and STDs, as well as music, poetry and dancing.

"Right now our main focus is HIV/AIDS because it's hitting us so hard," said organizer Alise Clouser. Project Action, a San Bernardino-based nonprofit, works to address issues facing inner-city minority youth.

During one workshop, facilitator Kim Carter challenged about a dozen girls -- all under age 18 -- to consider their futures. "Only one said she wanted to go to college," said Carter. "It's just not in their vision." Most of the girls said they wanted to have babies. After the workshop, one 16-year-old girl who had said she wanted a baby changed her mind and was considering college. "She [Carter] made me think about it a lot," said the girl.

Syreeta Penn talked to about 20 participants about self-esteem, urging them not be used or abused. She also encouraged those who are sexually active to get tested regularly for STDs, including HIV.

San Bernardino County health workers offered on-site HIV testing and handed out condoms. Though event organizers said their goals was to get all participants tested, some 60 juveniles from the county probation department were not allowed to take the tests even though they wanted to, said Clouser. Probation officer Ernestine McKinney said parental permission would be required because of liability reasons.

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