More than 100 people attended "Beyond Condoms 2: HIV Prevention and Social Justice" on Oct. 1 for a seminar which addressed the structural factors of HIV prevention including homophobia, poverty and economic injustice.

The event was presented by The Tennessee Association of People With AIDS, the Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project and the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health. Building on the first “Beyond Condoms” event’s discussion of prevention technologies, disparities, and domestic prevention research projects, panelists Dázon Dixon Diallo, Mark McLaurin, and Caitlin Ryan left the enthusiastic audience inspired, motivated and informed. 

Diallo outlined a human rights framework that would extend beyond human rights to include economic, health and sexual rights.  McLaurin debunked the top two lies about HIV prevention, reminding the audience that sometimes “who you are” does matter and that not all of a person's enemies are external. 

Ryan linked family rejection to negative outcomes for the youth –suicidal ideation, lack of belief in a positive future and HIV infection.  Her data showed that even a little movement towards acceptance by family members would make a remarkable difference.  Audience members engaged the panel with questions about their history of involvement in the field, working with faith communities and how to begin taking action.

The crowd was the largest in the history of this 8-year series of collaborative community events.  Health department officials, AIDS service organizations and other community based organization staff and volunteers attended along with persons living with HIV/AIDS.  Dozens of others from the broader Middle Tennessee community attended, including staff and students from Vanderbilt University and Meharry Medical College.