In Brevard County, state figures show one in 119 black residents was living with HIV/AIDS from 1997 to 2005, compared to one in 777 white residents. From next week and into March, there will be HIV awareness and testing events aimed especially at minority residents.

Chip Whideman, a senior educator at the Brevard County Health Department, said he prefers to use national HIV/AIDS education campaigns geared to specific groups, such as National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on Feb. 7, to educate everyone in the community. “Everyone has the same behaviors,” Whideman said. “And you can’t do much in one day. I like to spread events over the month.”

The president of South Brevard’s NAACP, Charles Favors, is working with Whideman on a collaborative HIV/AIDS education strategy for all age groups. Initially, residents in public housing will be targeted for outreach, then residents in private apartments and in subdivisions in South Brevard.

Events include:

• On Feb. 18 and 20, the county health department in Melbourne, 2275 S. Babcock St., will offer free, anonymous HIV testing. Telephone 321-449-5020 for an appointment, which is preferred, although walk-ins will be accepted.
• On Feb. 23, Whideman will give a presentation about HIV/AIDS to the annual Youth Crime Prevention Summit in Cocoa. To register, telephone 321-504-9595.
• On March 8, the Center for Drug Free Living will sponsor a Women and Girls HIV Awareness workshop 8:30 a.m.-noon at the Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church, 474 West King St., Cocoa. For more information, telephone 321-636-2971 or 321-637-1866.

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