Mount Vernon’s 15th Annual World AIDS Day Youth Event; Community Comes out Against AIDS/HIV

This past Monday, the Mount Vernon C.A.P.P. & Mount Vernon Community That Cares Program (MVCTC), through the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau, held their 15th Annual World AIDS Day Event at the Armory. The goal was to inform Mount Vernon residents, especially teenagers, about the dangers and the consequences of risky behaviors.

Members of the community, such as Family Services of Westchester, Hudson Valley Community Services Inc., Mount Vernon Community That Cares, Mount Vernon Neighborhood Health Center, Mount Vernon Planned Parenthood and several other local community organizations were present to support the message of a collaborative community effort and awareness for the reduction of HIV/AIDS within the City of Mount Vernon.

Approximately 100 youth, parents and community members came out to support this AIDS Awareness initiative. The students performed uplifting songs, raps, trivia and a question & answer session was held at the end of the event. Guest speakers Rob Vassilarakis, Niko Flowers, and Tierra Monroe shared their story of living with HIV, the challenges and emotions they faced when they first found out, overcoming obstacles, and the changes they had to implement in their lives for the advances in the treatment of HIV/AIDS to be effective.

Mayor Thomas said, “Young people sometimes make wrong choices due to being uninformed, but programs like the Mount Vernon CAPP Program and the MVCTC are here to inform the public and will continue to invest in providing our young people with the skills and information needed to make better choices.”

Executive Director, Debbie Burrell-Butler states, “The Youth Bureau greatly appreciates the community organizations, and guest speakers for providing a platform and an open door for our young people to ask questions and be informed. This celebration was just one of the many ways the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau educates our young people on how to refrain from risky behaviors, such as unsafe safe sex and unhealthy relationships, which impacts physical, social, and emotional health.”

Mount Vernon C.A.P.P. Program Director, Keisha Kendley, said, “The Mount Vernon Youth Bureau CAPP Program aims to reduce risky behaviors that transmit HIV among youth, demonstrate support for people living with and affected by HIV and commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. This is an important reminder that though we have made strides in the treatment of HIV, continuous effort is still imperative to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.”

This program has been made possible by funding through the New York State Department of Health and the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health Administration Unit.

For more information please contact Keisha Kendley, the Mount Vernon C.A.P.P. Program Director Bureau at (914) 665–3870 or log on to www.youth.cmvny.com. You are also encouraged to like and follow us of Facebook and Instagram.

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