Educating the Metropolitan Area on HIV/AIDS

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington D.C. (PPMW), is an organization dedicated to providing affordable reproductive health care and promoting education on reproductive health issues and safe sex.

A statistic from the D.C. Appleseed Center states that, “one in every 20 D.C. residents is estimated to be infected with HIV.”
That is the highest rate of any city in the U.S. and ten times the national rate.

Sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) rates in the District among young adults and teenagers are three to seven times higher than the national average, according to PPMW.
African-American teens from ages 15-19 in the District experience the highest rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and primary or secondary syphilis.

“HIV is a real problem in our community. We face it all the time,” said director for outreach and HIV Services for PPMW Solomon Irwin Royster. Royster was speaking at a “Media Only Discussion Luncheon” on the record high rate of pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other issues that affect Washington, D.C.-area teens.

The luncheon, held on Friday, Oct. 12, was given by PPMW.
PPMW operates five health clinics in the District, Maryland and Virginia area, including a D.C. Teen Clinic and a Hispanic Teen Clinic.

The D.C. Teen Clinic, Ophelia Egypt Health Center, is located in the Benning Heights Community, which is east of the Anacostia River.

The number of teens serviced has increased from 508 in its first year to 781 in its third year. In 2005, PPMW’s street outreach and off-site HIV prevention education reached 2,228 teens and young adults.

With the recent aquisition of 5,000 sq. ft. of space, PPMW was able to create a Program Center in addition to the clinic four doors down. 

“It’s a fun place to be. It’s a family environment. It’s a relationship you development with coaches, leaders,” Royster said.

At the media luncheon, Royster also discussed the stereotypes that many of youth feed into growing up in the community.
Royster said, “this is what being masculine means-you’ve got to be tough, got to be ready for sex at the drop of a moment. Guys have to be a player, but still have a wifey on the side.”
Royster believes that a lot of these preconceived notions teens “actually get from the older people.”

The masculine and thug image often exhibited by the boys is just a façade, CEO of PPMW Jatrice Martel Galter observes.
“When I go in there, they want a hug. They are starved for nonsexual affection,” Galter said.

The program offers a male adolescent support group on Tuesday and one for females on Wednesday.

The Program Center also has a large selection of after-school and summer programs including writing classes, photography club, media arts classes and a weekly social justice discussion. It attracts over 1,200 youths and young adults per year.

The Program Center also services the parent’s and family members of the teens including a Tuesday male adult focus group for 25 ex-offenders.

“All of this is getting them to increase the use of condoms, get HIV tests, get in the clinic, and protect our community,” Royster said.

Royster strives to help motivate the teens that come to the Program Center to go to college.

“I love professional African-American men stopping by. I need African-American role models [for the kids],” Royster said.

Royster also noted that he has Howard students volunteering in the Program Center.

“I want some more volunteers from the various schools [at Howard],” he said.

“I’m open to working with different groups. Howard University can really help us [in] getting my kids in college. It’s one of the oldest historically black colleges, it’s in D.C. and it’s accessible.”