Acting on AIDS
New group brings awareness to campus
January 23, 2008
Gabby Labastida
After visiting the AIDS summit meeting at the end of November 2007, Alex Kirstiuk, Student Life outreach and evangelism coordinator, and Ashley Crozier, former president of the International Social Justice Club (ISJC), were compelled to act on this growing epidemic that affects millions of people globally by forming a group on campus focused specifically on outreach and awareness about AIDS.
Kirstiuk and Crozier came away from the meeting with a broader perspective of the AIDS epidemic in Africa, South East Asia, and Russia. Crozier said she realized that it is important to “do something to educate ourselves.” She also saw how necessary it is for the church to be involved in this epidemic in order to provide what she calls a “wider spread of arms.”
Universities can do the same thing by providing assistance for and awareness of AIDS and HIV on campus and around the world, said Crozier.
By forming this group, Kirstiuk hopes to “promote activism and advocate for people” with the deadly virus. “[We want to] get students that are passionate or interested in a wave on campus of awareness,” she said, adding that this group is “a calling on campus to act, [by becoming] advocates and activists for AIDS.”
The ISJC will also be helping to create awareness for AIDS and HIV. Plans for this include movie nights followed by discussion, an awareness night where time or money could be donated and having guest speakers come and speak on the problems caused by the AIDS epidemic.
The group will also participate in the familiar 30 Hour Famine this semester.
“[There] are lots of ways we can get involved; it’s just equipping people to figure out what they can contribute,” said Kirstiuk.
The ISJC has also been raising money for the cause through a year-round bottle drive on campus. All funds, according to Crozier, will go to clinics in Uganda and provide HIV and anti-malaria medications. Six pop cans are able to pay for malaria medication for one baby in Africa, she explained.
If you wish to get involved, email Alex or email Ashley for more information.
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