PRESS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 12th, 2005
Contact: Joni Bishop - Director of Development and PR

BEBASHI commemorates National HIV Testing Day with Dancing in the Streets 3

Come out and join BEBASHI as we commemorate National HIV Testing Day with an outdoor celebration called Dancing in the Streets 3. For the last three years, Dancing in the Streets, in collaboration with Squarebiz, has been held under a starry summer night at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Taking place on Friday June 24th from 6:00pm-12 midnight this free event draws over 500 people! This year, in honor of our 20th Anniversary, we plan to make it a blockbuster night - below are a few highlights:

- Free and confidential 20 - minute rapid HIV counseling and testing at the top of the stairs in private tents
- Giveaways for everyone participating in HIV testing
- Free BBQ food and soda from 6:00pm-8:00pm
- Vendors
- Live Art by Joshua Mays
- Internationally acclaimed DJ Rich Medina
- Live dance and musical performances beginning at 7:15pm by Lady Alma, Ursula Rucker, Xande Cruz, Montazh and Ascab Capoiera

The statistics for HIV infection in the United States are staggering. At least half the people becoming infected with HIV are under 25 years old. However, African American teens (ages 13-19) accounted for 65% of new AIDS cases reported among teens in 2002, even though they were only 15% of U.S. teenagers. In addition, the impact of AIDS on women is growing rapidly. As a group, women were 30% of reported HIV infections in 2003, while African American women comprised 67% of new AIDS cases. And if these numbers aren’t startling enough, also in 2003, African Americans represented 13% of the population; however, they were 40% of the total AIDS cases and half of all newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases. It is estimated that in Philadelphia alone that over 17,000 individuals have AIDS. This means that as many as an additional one-third are infected with HIV and do not know it. Taking the HIV test and knowing your HIV status is an essential step in taking control of your life.

BEBASHI was founded in 1985, due to the alarming increase of HIV/AIDS in the African American community of Philadelphia. We are the first minority based AIDS service organization in the United States, commemorating 20 years of service in 2005! Our original efforts focused on street outreach to areas of the community most in need of prevention information and the least likely to receive it. Today, we continue to conduct street outreach, but have expanded to include a comprehensive prevention program, direct care services, and developed culturally-appropriate models of sexual health education, with particular regard for minority men, women, adolescents, and sexual minorities, all of which have been models for similar programs throughout the nation. We provide a continuum of care from outreach and education to HIV, STD, and pregnancy counseling and testing, to case management and support groups. All services of BEBASHI are offered free of charge. Our mission is to provide culturally sensitive health related information, direct service, research, and technical assistance to the urban community.

For more information on Squarebiz log onto www.squarebizdishes.org and for more information on Dancing in the Streets 3, please contact Joni Bishop at 215-769-3561x140 or log onto www.bebashi.org.