The YOUTH ACTION INSTITUTE is a summer-long opportunity for young people ages 16-26 to come
together and learn from each other and from experts about everything from working with the media to
organizing young people to taking action to end AIDS. 

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the campus of University of New Mexico, youth will hear speakers with living talk about their experiences with HIV and AIDS in the U.S. and around the world; develop skills in grassroots organizing, public health, advocacy, anti-stigma, and direct action; connect with other young people from around the country and work on ways to fight together to end AIDS.

After the institute, each participant will carry out a grassroots organizing project to help make progress on a high-priority AIDS issue and build participation in C2EA. And after this summer, they’ll help build new C2EA and youth advocacy networks all across the country.

Who Can Come?
Absolutely everyone (between the ages of 16 and 26) is encouraged to apply, regardless of past experience working on HIV and AIDS issues. If you’re passionate about working to end AIDS, then you qualify. C2EA especially encourages people living with HIV and AIDS, women, and people of color to apply.

How To Apply?
The attached application must be received by 6:00pm on March 15th. It can be faxed, mailed, or emailed to the number and address below. You will be notified of your acceptance by April 1. Travel
arrangements will be made by YAI staff after confirmation of acceptance.

<a href="http://www.c2ea.org/yai_2008_application.pdf">YAI app. Eng.</a>

<a href="http://www.c2ea.org/yai-esp_2008_application.pdf">YAI app. Esp.</a>

CAMPAIGN TO END AIDS
YOUTH ACTION INSTITUTE 2007
c/o Charles Long
57 Willoughby Street 2nd Floor
Brooklyn, New York 11201
(347)473-7451 oce
(646)942-1934 cell
(347)473-7464 fax
long2@housingworks.org

Summer Project Partnerships

Young People
As a participant you will be asked to partner with a community-based organization, AIDS service
organization, religious institution, youth group, LGBT group, school or other entity to plan and carry out a grassroots organizing project that will take place during the following months.

And you’ll be asked to raise $500 — with the help of these groups, supporters and friends — towards the cost of the Institute, travel, and stipends during your project. (A signed commitment will be part of your application.)

C2EA will provide basic guidance and support through dedicated oversight from the field organizing
staff — we’ll get you in touch and keep you in touch with someone who can help you through the rough spots and help you celebrate the victories. And we’re committed to providing stipends to help with food and travel during your summer project.

Organizing projects should link youth priority issues, C2EA demands (treatment, prevention, research and respect), pressing local needs and development of grassroots networks. We encourage you to develop a project that is particularly relevant to your community.

In particular think about the following questions:

How is HIV/AIDS aecting you and your peers?

What is your school or local government doing
about it?

What would you like to see change?

Community Groups
If your group can develop a project with a young activist, we need your help.

Each YAI participant will be asked to partner with a community-based organization, AIDS service
organization, religious institution, youth group, LGBT group, school or other entity to carry out a
grassroots organizing project that will take place over the following months.

Organizing projects should link youth priority issues, C2EA demands (treatment, prevention, research and respect), pressing local needs and development of grassroots networks.

To make it work, we’ll need your group to provide a basic working space during the length of the project. And we’ll need you to help our dedicated young activists raise the $500 they’ll need to join this effort.

If you can provide direct oversight and assistance during the project, that’s great. If you can’t, or if you can provide only some, C2EA field organizers will commit their time and experience to help make sure each project is productive for everyone. If you can contribute a phone, a desk, and a safe place for a young activist to work, please jump in to support this important effort.

Some priority issues that AIDS advocates and activists around the country and the world often struggle with are:

Reliable and aordable access to HIV/AIDS treatment and care. Even in the U.S., thousands of
people living with HIV can’t get lifesaving medications and health care. Local, state and federal government action can make a difference and save lives—but will only happen if we demand it.

Honest and medically accurate HIV-prevention and sexuality education information. To date the U.S. Government has spent over $1 billion on unproven abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that withhold information, say condoms don’t work, and stigmatize HIV-positive people, LGBTQ people, and many others. Work to keep these programs out of your community or state and instead provide young people with honest and accurate information.

Civic participation through candidate and voter education on AIDS issues. C2EA /AIDSVote is a
candidate education and voter education project to (1) make sure all candidates for public offce know what it takes to end AIDS and make sure their position on key issues are clear and public and (2) make sure all voters who care about ending AIDS know where the candidates stand.

Ensuring access to HIV care and prevention worldwide. Up to 50 million people world wide are living with HIV infection and hundreds of millions are at high risk—but only a small percentage of these people are getting the medication, health care and prevention tools they need to stay alive and healthy. Grassroots activism by young people is the engine behind national and international efforts to expand treatment and care.

Addressing stigma and demanding respect for people with HIV/AIDS. Even 25 years into the epidemic, people living with AIDS in the US and around the world and their families face a powerful burden of discrimination because of their HIV status. Work to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS and fight policies that continue to stigmatize the people it affects.

Institute Costs and Fundraising
Travel expenses, food, and lodging will be covered for the entire stay. The only cost is the $500 we are asking participants and their partnering organization work together to raise to defray the cost of the institute.

You and your partner organization will be expected to present a plan for a summer project by May 1 and fundraising by June 18th, when it will be confirmed that you are coming. By May 29th, all participants will have either raised the $500 or have an approved plan to have the funds raised in hand by the beginning of the institute.

There are many ways raise the money to attend the conference:

Ask your local place of worship to sponsor you to attend. Many religious groups are involved in the fight to end AIDS.

Ask local AIDS Service Organizations (ASO) to sponsor you to attend. Many ASOs are willing to
sponsor young people to attend the YAI if they commit to working with them over the summer, applying the skills learned at the training to help the local community.

Ask community groups, youth groups, LGBT groups or elected officials to help sponsor you to attend. Many such groups and individuals want to help young people make a difference in the fight against AIDS.

Hold a fundraising event. Host a party, clothing swap, concert, etc. and ask people to donate $10 each to attend.

Travel Info
After confirmation, participants travel arrangements will be coordinated by YAI staff.
.
Conference Agenda
The agenda will be finalized shortly before the conference, but will include 2-3 speakers per day,
comprehensive trainings on advocacy, including media and action trainings, and organizing. After each day of teach-ins there will be opportunities for direct ways to apply the days learning. Participants will also have time to work with their partnering organizations on their ongoing projects. In addition, there will be time to brainstorm ideas with people from your region.

Conference Facilities
The YAI will be held on the campus of University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Participants will have three catered meals each day, and will be housed in dorms with shared bathrooms. Please let us know on the application if you have any special accomodations we can help you with (vegetarian, refrigerator for meds, food allergies, etc).

Roommate Preference
We will do our best to accommodate roommate preferences, and the sooner you let us know, the
better. Please include a short note at the bottom of the application with the name of the person you would like to room with for your stay in Albuquerque.

Free Time
Conference participants are expected to attend all conference events. There will be free time in the
evenings for people to socialize.

Parents/Guardians (for youth under 18)
The conference is designed to be accommodating of young people of many ages. There will be staff on site at all times in the event of any problems or emergencies. Optional evening activities will be
provided for all conference participants.

If you have any questions, concerns or comments you can contact any of the people below. They can help you with finding links to agencies in your area to partner with, working on your application, and ideas for summer projects and just general questions about YAI 2008.

Kahlo Benavidez
Youth Caucus
kahlo@santafemc.org

Johnny Guaylupo
Youth Caucus
johnnyc2ea@yahoo.com
Office - (718)827-8700 ext.130
Cell – (347)539-6077

Lolisa Gibson
Youth Caucus
lolisade06@yahoo.com
Cell - (302)377-8263