Peer Presentation 2 on Dreamers and Believers, by: Melissa Moise @02644455

Dreamers and believers presentation was on HIV/AIDS and how is awareness being promoted today. Even though a few other groups discussed the topic of HIV including my group I think it is important that society is educated about it. They began their presentation with saying “HIV has no face” most people are uneducated about HIV and say it can’t happen to them or only gay men get it, but this is not the case anymore. In fact HIV cases are higher in heterosexual couples most likely because they believe it only happens to gay couples; so they do not protect themselves. Dreamers and believers first discussed the history of HIV before discussing ways awareness is being promoted. The first outbreak of HIV in New York was July 1981 and a year later scientist discovered that HIV caused AIDS. Most people believe that AIDS causes death but this is not true. When the HIV virus invades your body it commands your system to stop making cd4 cells which fight off viruses and infections, so you really die from things your immune system can’t fight off like the flu. In 1984 the first treatment was experimented on chimpanzees.
There are many ways that HIV awareness is being promoted; first there has been an increase in free HIV testing. It is offered in many places like school health centers, public clinics, and even in buses that come to you. Another way of promotion that has been popular for some years is giving out condoms whether it is at school or the clinic. A new way that HIV awareness is being promoted is through the fashion industry. The industry has came up with a few tactics like making clothing specifically to bring awareness, and even having models educate younger ones about safe sex.
I think Dreamers and believers did a great job explaining the different ways to bring awareness to HIV, and they all spoke about the topic passionately and even gave some places to get tested. I think that if the free testing continues and education about HIV increases in schools then there will be a decrease in the number of HIV victims.