Current Announcements

Plain Talk Week is less than one week away!!! Plain Talk sites nationally are gearing up to host outreach activities in commemoration of Plain Talk Week, which will take place from May 12-18, 2008. The purpose of this week is to raise awareness of Plain Talk’s vision and to encourage community members to take part in spreading our message of communication and healthy communities. We have heard from some sites regarding their plans to celebrate Plain Talk Week – here are some great examples to check out. If you are a site who has any questions on how to replicate these ideas in your community for Plain Talk Week, the Coordinators’ contact information is included below:

• Brawley/Westmoreland/Calipatria, CA: will distribute postcards at local businesses and will have informational tables at each of their clinics. Will host a day of Saturday sports, aiming to increase male involvement with fathers and sons and possibly targeting females as well. On this day, they’ll host a soccer tournament. Contact: Leticia Ibarra, LeticiaI@cdsdp.org

• Milwaukee, WI: on Monday, May 12, the Washington Park Library will have a display of topical books along with Askable Adult brochures and the booklist for parents and youth. On May 6th and 13th, the Plain Talk Milwaukee Initiative will provide a special “Askable Adult Training” for Safe and Sound Coordinators, outreach staff and volunteers. On Tuesday May 13th, the Plain Talk Milwaukee Initiative will engage youth in an intergenerational media project with youth and adults in their community, interviewing elders on how they had first conversations with their parents/guardians about sex and puberty. This project of the Plain Talk Youth Ambassadors will become part of a global youth exchange. On Tuesday May 13th, the Milwaukee Team will “Walk & Talk” to find 500 “Askable Adults. “On Wednesday, May 14th the Plain Talk Milwaukee Initiative and the New Concept Self Development Center Father’s Resource Center will host a Parent & Teen Dinner to mark the one year anniversary of the site’s Plain Talk Parties to train “Askable Adults.”
Contact: Adebisi Agoro, aagoro@milwaukee.gov, and Denise Crumble, dcrumble@milwaukee.gov

• Hatch, NM: they will be distributing Plain Talk outreach information at a carnival at the local elementary school, and at a health fair at the local community center. Contact: Serina Nevarez, snevarez@bahcnm.org

• Mesquite/Vado, NM: is coordinating a health fair in Del Cerro, New Mexico, and is possibly distributing cards to parents/guardians at local middle school. Contact: Ramon Arroyos, ra.nmtpc@sbcglobal.net

• Plainview, TX: will distribute postcards at busy traffic intersections that Tuesday during lunch hour. Also doing outreach at 3 on 3 basketball tournament and a walkathon. Contact: Lacie Flores, lflores@spcaa.org

• Brownfield, TX: will host “Family Game Night” at the Alamo, which will include sessions on communication skills, games, and more activities. Door prizes from local businesses will be available. On Saturday, a 3 on 3 basketball tournament will take place.
Contact: Becky Valenzuela, rvalenzuela@spcaa.org

• Vine City/Atlanta, GA: Outreach at “Ready-Set-Summer,” an event where youth can get free physicals. There will be different booths at this event, as well as a fitness activity, kickball, a health vision screening, and an appearance by the Atlanta Hawks dance team. This event will take place on May 17th.
Contact: Watrina Watson, watrina@cbww.org and Keri McDonald, kmcdonald@cbww.org

• Naranjito, Puerto Rico: On Friday, May 9, tune into radio program “Radio Oro” 92.5 FM “Buenos Día Familias” from 10:30 am- 11:00 am where Plain Talk week and events will be highlighted! On Monday, May 12, Mayor Manuel de J. Ortega will be addressing the community by reading the city-wide proclamation of Plain Talk week. Outreach materials will be distributed on May 13. On May 14 and 15, there will be parent workshops centered around pregnancy and STI prevention. On May 16, there will be a workshop on preventative health. On May 17, there will be a workshop on pregnancy prevention. Finally, on May 18, there will be a workshop on sexuality for the community (targeting adults and youth).
Contact: Sol M. Alicea, programa@icepr.com

• Toledo, OH: Taking part in a walk for women at area high school, entitled “Take Back the Night.” On the 15th, a men’s focused activity day will take place discussing teen pregnancy, violence and STI’s. “On The Block” will also take place, where postcards, fliers, and poems will be distributed to parents and staff at 6 local schools. The Latino Youth Summit is taking place at the University of Toledo, and there will be a 15 minute presentation on Plain Talk. On May 15th, there will be a reunion of the first group of people who were involved in Plain Talk trainings. On May 16th, it’s Girls Night Out with females ages 10-18 and their mothers taking part. On May 17th, there is a parent summit at the area high school from 12:00-3:00. There will be games, speakers, and a discussion on how to get through the summer with proposed activities for their young people. On May 21, there is an open house at the local junior high and the week will finish up with Movie Night targeting 3 different age groups.
Contact: James Colbert, jcolbert@northriverdevelopment.org

• Siler City, NC: hosting a walkathon with Plain Talk community members on Tuesday, May 13th. Walkathon will be police-escorted and will be marked by blue and white balloons and matching t-shirts that participants will wear.
Contact: Maria Sotos, hablandoclaro@chathamcountytogether.org, and Mano Gallegos, chxc11life@yahoo.com

Please make sure you have an up-to-date version of adobe acrobat for downloading PDFs. Follow this link to download version 8 for free: http://www.acrobat-center.com/

For an educational and fun game to play, please pass on to friends and collegues:

"Think you can tell if we have HIV?
Some of us are HIV positive and some are negative.All of us want to challenge your assumptions about HIV. Play the game and see if you can tell who is Pos or Not.

Check it out at: www.POSorNOT.com "