The SERO Project

2 days ago

For Immediate Release

Contact: Kamaria Laffrey at kamaria.laffrey@seroproject.com or
Ken Pinkela at ken.pinkela@seroproject.com
HIV is Not a Crime IV Announces 2nd Visual, Written & Spoken Word Art Contest

The HIV is Not a Crime IV (HINAC4) Hospitality and Culture Work Group is now taking applications for the 2nd HINAC Visal, Written & Spoken Word Art Contest. HINAC4 and our partner organizations are inviting anyone living with HIV to submit work that “centers on the lives and art of people living with HIV. We want to know what people living with HIV have to say about HIV stigma and how the threat of criminalization affects their lives. Submissions should reflect your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences about HIV stigma and criminalization” says Hospitality and Culture Work Group co-chair Larry Scott-Walker.

Last years’ submissions maintained the guiding principles of challenging stigma, elevating the voices of people impacted by criminalization, being accurate and thinking beyond behavior. This year, there is a chance for three people to win a scholarship to HINAC, one winner from each category of Visual Art, Written Art and Spoken Word.Winners will also have their work transposed into a postcard to be sent out in educational campaigns for the public, including legislators.

In seeking to amplify the voices of people living with HIV, submissions will also be accepted globally; however winners can only be selected from within the United States. Kamaria Laffrey, HINAC4 Co-Coordinator and Hospitality and Culture Work Group Co-Chair states: “We hope to expand the conversation of how unjust laws against one’s HIV status is impacting the world and letting other cultures express that through their art. We also hope that elevating this topic in this way will increase solidarity and mobilization efforts for people living with HIV networks throughout the world.”

HIV is Not a Crime is a biennial gathering of people living with HIV (PLHIV), HIV policy leaders and other stakeholders, primarily from the U.S., that educates and trains advocates and centers PLHIV leadership to end HIV criminalization, mass incarceration, racism and social injustice.

“This art contest is another way to articulate how systemic violence permeates the lives of people living with HIV, mostly marginalized and dis-enfranchised Black and Brown communities and people of Trans experience. This contest gives space to express the trauma of being charged under an HIV criminalization law and how healing is needed long after a person leaves the criminal justice system, which is why we are gathering at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio May 30th - June 2nd,” states Larry Scott-Walker.

Applicants can submit work via photos, uploading short videos or documents to show their expression of what it means to them when laws target people living with HIV for prosecution and excessive punishment in an effort to make them solely responsible for the sexual risk behaviors of others. For those that missed the webinar live, you can listen to the recording [HERE].

Submissions will be selected by experts in each art category, peers and members of the Hospitality & Culture Work Group. For community members living with HIV interested in submitting an art piece for consideration, please fill out this form: HINAC IV Visual, Written & Spoken Word Art Contest and Postcard Campaign. The deadline to complete the form is February 28, 2020. Winners will be notified March 20, 2020.

For more information on HIV is Not a Crime National Training Academy, visit www.hivisnotacrime.com or, please contact Tami Haught, HINAC Director at tami.haught@seroproject.com. ... See MoreSee Less

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The SERO Project

5 days ago

Save the Date -- PLEASE share with your networks

HINAC 4 Visual, Spoken Word & Written Art Contest

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Dec 9, 2019 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: HINAC Visual, Written & Spoken Word Art Contest Webinar

Register in advance for this webinar:
zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ph-vMIkKQDOJA-sFUvsJlg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

As always this webinar will be recorded and shared afterwards. ... See MoreSee Less

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