After a lovely breakfast of Costco croissants with turkey (we're so innovative!), we headed over the the Stop Aids Project office, where Academy-Award nominated producer Marc Smolowitz and Ian Wolfley from The HIV Story Project gave us a lesson on utilizing social media effectively. Marc had us each introduce ourselves and talk about three things we learned from our ASB class, and I loved hearing about what everyone in our class had taken away from the class. He also encouraged us all to sign up for Twitter accounts to document our ASB trip (look for our Twitter!) so that we can help spread the word about our program and let other HIV/AIDS organizations know about our work. We even learned a couple interview techniques! We're all also very excited to see the films from The HIV Story Project when they come out next year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of HIV/AIDS. Marc was really interested in our program and gave us a quick overview of all the organizations we're working with this week and also told us about his own experience with AIDS. It was inspiring to see him so enthusiastic and energetic about his work even though he said his medications made him so tired that sometimes he had to wake up an hour early so that he could get out of bed.
After a quick lunch, we headed over to the Tenderloin District to Tenderloin Health (TLH) where we were scheduled to help make needle exchange packets, but unfortunately the needle exchange was canceled for the day (a rare occurrence, according to Emilie). Emilie talked to us about Tenderloin Health and harm reduction programs in general. Tenderloin Health provides many services for HIV patients, including case management, medical and mental health services, HIV housing, HIV testing and counseling, weekly needle exchange and urgent care clinic, and a Community at Work program. Many of TLH's services are categorized under "harm reduction," and Emilie focused on the "continuum" that harm reduction provides and on how harm reduction doesn't facilitate drug use but rather provides a way for injection-drug users (IDU's) to change the method, frequency, and drugs. It was disappointing to hear about the drastic reductions in funding that Tenderloin Health experienced that forced the organization to decrease staff by half and end many of its programs. After Emilie spoke with us, we toured the Tenderloin District with Antonio. We stopped by some of the housing projects provided by TLH, including the Aranda Hotel and Jake Hotel as well as Glide Memorial Church and the Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center. Sadly, many of the housing projects offered for HIV patients were closed due to budget cuts. The Tenderloin District itself was definitely unlike anywhere I had been before - homeless people were all along the streets, and people were buying drugs in open view, and the air often smelled like cigarettes, weed, or sewage. I felt sad for the individuals we walked past because it seemed like they weren't able to get help or didn't want it, but I have to admit I was also a bit scared and intimidated by the district and its residents. When we went two blocks over and saw Davies Symphony Hall and the Opera House, it was hard to believe that we were still in the same city.
We stopped at Costco quickly, and then we drove to the Multicultural Community Church - San Francisco (MCC-SF), where we attended a service. Even though I'm not religious, I was truly moved by the service. The beautiful and lively music, the enthusiastic churchgoers, and the positive atmosphere were all very inspiring. Pastor Lea Brown gave a sermon about embracing good memories and letting go of bad ones that I felt was relevant to individuals of all backgrounds. During the community prayer, members of the congregation offered a prayer for people in their own lives, and it was so touching to hear individuals speak about their loved ones. After the service, Pastor Brown answered some of our questions, telling us about the role of spirituality and faith in queer life as well as the role of MCC-SF during the early stages of the AIDS epidemic. Visiting the MCC-SF was a great way to end the day on a positive note!
Now we're back at the house, relaxing after a long day watching Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Can't wait for tomorrow!
-Margaret
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