The T.R.U.T.H. Project Partners With University Of Houston LGBTQ Resource Center For World AIDS Day Performance

The T.R.U.T.H. Project (Telling Real Unapologetic Truth Through Healing) is partnering with the University of Houston (UH) LGBTQ Resource Center to commemorate World AIDS Day with the multi-disciplinary artistic performance entitled: I Am Life: An HIV/Stigma Narrative Expressed Through the Experiences of Women, Friday, November 30, 2018, 7:00p.m, at UH South Student Center Theater, 4455 University Dr. Houston, TX 77204.

"I wanted to use this year's World AIDS Day installment to amplify the voices of women affected by HIV and stigma," says The T.R.U.T.H. Project Founder Kevin Anderson. "Although the community doesn't hear as much about the impact HIV still has on them, African American and Hispanic women make up some of the leading cases of HIV following behind African American and Hispanic men who have sex with men."

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) women make up 19% of new HIV diagnosis in the United States, and although HIV diagnoses have declined in recent years, African American and Hispanic women are still disproportionately affected by HIV compared to women of other races. In 2016, 4,560 African American women received an HIV diagnosis, compared with 1,450 white women and 1,168 Hispanic/Latina women.

The T.R.U.T.H. Project has a growing list of local and state partnerships and collaborations including educational institutions. This year's partnership with the UH LGBTQ Resource Center will build awareness of the impact of HIV on women and other vulnerable populations and provide education about research, treatment, and prevention options.

"One of our priorities as the UH LGBTQ Resource Center is to create a campus of LGBTQIA+ inclusion, equity, and acceptance through education and engagement," says Jamie Gonzales, Program Coordinator, UH LGBTQ Resource Center. "Many of our students express a keen interest and enthusiasm around learning through spoken word, dance, song, and more which created a clear overlap in our organizations' missions and priorities to not only educate our audiences about HIV, but to empower and enrich the lives of LGBTQ people, especially communities of color and their allies."

I Am Life: An HIV/Stigma Narrative Expressed Through the Experiences of Women uses spoken word, dance, theatrical interpretation, and live musical performance to highlight the perspectives of women affected by HIV and stigma. I Am Life: An HIV/Stigma Narrative Expressed Through the Experiences of Women

Friday, November 30, 2018
Reception 6:00p.m. Doors Open 7:00p.m.
Performance begins 7:30p.m.

U of H South Student Center Theater
4455 University Dr.
Houston, TX 77204

Free to the Public - RSVP recommended at: https://thetruthprojectpresents.eventbrite.com

For additional information visit: www.TruthProjectHTX.org Featured artists include: Cristina Martinez, Rayla Crawford, Peace, Dutchesss PenDragon, Dee Dee Waters, Loren Holmes, Nick Muckleroy. The T.R.U.T.H. Project 2018 installments and community discussions are sponsored in part by The John Steven Kellett Foundation, The Hollyfield Foundation, and Bunnies on the Bayou. I Am Life: An HIV/Stigma Narrative Expressed Through the Experiences of Women is generously sponsored by the University of Houston LGBTQ Resource.

The T.R.U.T.H. Project was founded in 2011 by community advocate and spoken word artist Keven Anderson as an organization that educates and mobilizes LGBTQ communities of color and their allies through social arts that promote mental, emotional and sexual health.

Founder Kevin Anderson is a Houston poet and emcee who has worked as an HIV/ AIDS prevention specialist for more than 10 years. His avid appreciation for the arts led to him start HeART & Soul, a monthly open mic poetry and live music showcase serving LGBTQ artists and allies for the past eight years. His expanding audience led to the development of The T.R.U.T.H. Project where artists are commissioned to produce issue based works. Since its inception, The T.R.U.T.H. Project has reached more than 50,000 attendees and continues to grow. Performances are held quarterly and have addressed issues such as bullying and domestic violence, mental health, and HIV/AIDS awareness. Its programming has expanded to include a variety of community driven discussions and support groups. The Texas State Department of Health recognized the efforts of The T.R.U.T.H. Project and its founder, Kevin Anderson, to use the arts as a vehicle for information, awareness, and access to resources, and awarded a grant that allowed him to extend his outreach by partnering with national recording artists such as Marsha Ambrosius and Chrisette Michele. He has also served as a consultant in other cities interested in starting similar initiatives.

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