Monthly Archives: September 2008

Save Lives: Free the Condoms!

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For the 3rd year a coalition and dedicated students are determined to free the condoms from CVS’s that lock up condoms in to put it bluntly ONLY in poor, black neighborhoods in the District. If they don’t literally lock them up CVS makes it pretty difficult/annoying/embarrassing to purchase the condoms. A team of 11 women are set out to say “Mr. Tom Ryan, CEO of CVS unlock your condoms!!!!!” It is amoral for a company who preaches that they “give back” to their community:

CVS Caremark giving programs are widespread. They reach infants and the elderly. They help students and mothers, children and grandparents. They engage people from all walks of life in almost every community we serve. Our programs are developed and carefully focused in order to reflect the diversity of the communities in which our stores and facilities are located. With a primary focus on children with disabilities and healthcare for the uninsured, CVS Caremark has become an active participant in helping people live better lives through enhanced healthcare services, improved approaches to education, and healthier communities in which to live.

CVS Corporate Website


Interesting mission statement especially in regards to DC where the HIV/AIDS rate is at the very least alarming- DC Department of Health HIV/AIDS Statistics 2007 one would think CVS would at the very least make buying condoms as easy as possible. Store associates even told me that in their various stores they loose the most money in face creams/wash/body wash NOT condoms. .
Here is an example of a store on “U” Street in DC that is not locked up:

Walk down a few blocks to the CVS by Howard Univesity and this is what you will find:


What was interesting was that the Jumbo Condom pack of 36 was not in a “Click Box” which you will be able to watch below is loud, embarrassing and frankly if two educated grad students had a hard time figuring out (and to be honest- I still can’t- it was my friend that finally mastered it) how to use it- it seems like others might as well. It also got jammed up fairly easy! I love the image above

“SECURITY CAMERA-
RECORDING IN PROCESS”
Is that suppose to be some kind of threat? I didn’t see that over by where they had the febreeze wet jet pads locked up
(which leaves more questions than answers. . . )


MWPHA Community Outreach Day or as I call it "Condom Day"

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I always look forward to spending a Saturday in the area of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Malcolm X Avenue. I have to admit I meet the most wonderful people, some of the saddest of situations that people are in but I absolutely LOVE being on the “street” talking to people. I think the people that our group talks to enjoys seeing us. Jimmy- a master of advocacy in the area- typically leads a group of us ladies around the neighborhood. (Elena and I posed with the goods) I will say that it still makes me angry to the amount of liquor stores, marketing for Kools/Newports/Black and Milds (the picture was so ironic- it was a poopy diaper next to an empty box of blacks) and fast food establishments I see on every corner. The number one topic of conversation that came up during “Condom Day” as I refer to the outreach day from literally ever single man that we spoke to- when we asked “Would you like some free condoms?” Every man replied with “Are they Magnums?” For those readers that are not familiar with the Trojan Brand of condoms- Magnum size condoms are larger in size. Even though we were giving out Durex XXL condoms (which are the same thing) the choice preferred was Magnum.
(click on the images to get a better idea of the size)

Clearly Trojan has done a fabulous marketing job to the black community, but when I spoke to the DC Health Department they said that it was hard to get Magnums because they are simply more expensive. So with that said we are

CALLING FOR ALL MAGNUM CONDOM CONNECTIONS!
grocery stores, drug stores
(not CVS- due to conflict of interest because of stores locking up their condoms),
Walgreens, Rite Aids, or any connections to help us (MWPHA) be able to provide protection that no one can refuse! Feel free to leave any information in the comment section.

I think one of the hardest things for me is when I come back to the foggy bottom area- where there is basically no garbage on the streets, not too many liquor stores, no cigarette marketing flashing in my face and in general I have feelings of anger and sadness. When I talk to other students at GW, outside of the school of public health and try and promote awareness about disparities in DC- I hear statements like “if it is not affecting me then it does not concern me” or “if it does not have anything to do with my people that I am not concerned.” It is interesting how comments like the above affect me in a way like they may not have 4 years ago. We as public health practitioners/activists should always do our best to tell the stories of the people we meet and put a face and name to a statistic.

Save Lives: Free the Condoms!

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For the 3rd year a coalition and dedicated students are determined to free the condoms from CVS’s that lock up condoms in to put it bluntly ONLY in poor, black neighborhoods in the District. If they don’t literally lock them up CVS makes it pretty difficult/annoying/embarrassing to purchase the condoms. A team of 11 women are set out to say “Mr. Tom Ryan, CEO of CVS unlock your condoms!!!!!” It is amoral for a company who preaches that they “give back” to their community:

CVS Caremark giving programs are widespread. They reach infants and the elderly. They help students and mothers, children and grandparents. They engage people from all walks of life in almost every community we serve. Our programs are developed and carefully focused in order to reflect the diversity of the communities in which our stores and facilities are located. With a primary focus on children with disabilities and healthcare for the uninsured, CVS Caremark has become an active participant in helping people live better lives through enhanced healthcare services, improved approaches to education, and healthier communities in which to live.

CVS Corporate Website


Interesting mission statement especially in regards to DC where the HIV/AIDS rate is at the very least alarming- DC Department of Health HIV/AIDS Statistics 2007 one would think CVS would at the very least make buying condoms as easy as possible. Store associates even told me that in their various stores they loose the most money in face creams/wash/body wash NOT condoms. .
Here is an example of a store on “U” Street in DC that is not locked up:

Walk down a few blocks to the CVS by Howard Univesity and this is what you will find:


What was interesting was that the Jumbo Condom pack of 36 was not in a “Click Box” which you will be able to watch below is loud, embarrassing and frankly if two educated grad students had a hard time figuring out (and to be honest- I still can’t- it was my friend that finally mastered it) how to use it- it seems like others might as well. It also got jammed up fairly easy! I love the image above

“SECURITY CAMERA-
RECORDING IN PROCESS”
Is that suppose to be some kind of threat? I didn’t see that over by where they had the febreeze wet jet pads locked up
(which leaves more questions than answers. . . )


MWPHA Community Outreach Day or as I call it "Condom Day"

Posted on by
Reply

I always look forward to spending a Saturday in the area of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Malcolm X Avenue. I have to admit I meet the most wonderful people, some of the saddest of situations that people are in but I absolutely LOVE being on the “street” talking to people. I think the people that our group talks to enjoys seeing us. Jimmy- a master of advocacy in the area- typically leads a group of us ladies around the neighborhood. (Elena and I posed with the goods) I will say that it still makes me angry to the amount of liquor stores, marketing for Kools/Newports/Black and Milds (the picture was so ironic- it was a poopy diaper next to an empty box of blacks) and fast food establishments I see on every corner. The number one topic of conversation that came up during “Condom Day” as I refer to the outreach day from literally ever single man that we spoke to- when we asked “Would you like some free condoms?” Every man replied with “Are they Magnums?” For those readers that are not familiar with the Trojan Brand of condoms- Magnum size condoms are larger in size. Even though we were giving out Durex XXL condoms (which are the same thing) the choice preferred was Magnum.
(click on the images to get a better idea of the size)

Clearly Trojan has done a fabulous marketing job to the black community, but when I spoke to the DC Health Department they said that it was hard to get Magnums because they are simply more expensive. So with that said we are

CALLING FOR ALL MAGNUM CONDOM CONNECTIONS!
grocery stores, drug stores
(not CVS- due to conflict of interest because of stores locking up their condoms),
Walgreens, Rite Aids, or any connections to help us (MWPHA) be able to provide protection that no one can refuse! Feel free to leave any information in the comment section.

I think one of the hardest things for me is when I come back to the foggy bottom area- where there is basically no garbage on the streets, not too many liquor stores, no cigarette marketing flashing in my face and in general I have feelings of anger and sadness. When I talk to other students at GW, outside of the school of public health and try and promote awareness about disparities in DC- I hear statements like “if it is not affecting me then it does not concern me” or “if it does not have anything to do with my people that I am not concerned.” It is interesting how comments like the above affect me in a way like they may not have 4 years ago. We as public health practitioners/activists should always do our best to tell the stories of the people we meet and put a face and name to a statistic.

"You Can have Whatever you Like"

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You never know where you will meet people that will inspire you in life and confirm that what you are doing in life is “worth it.” Chiron has been a constant reminder that good people exist in all situations of life.  I first met Chiron at my local Safeway where I was fortunate enough to experience his great customer service skills through the checkout line.  Whenever I meet someone new in life I ask them to to tell me what their life story is; I asked Chiron what his “story” was and I could have never imagined how one person would end up changing to course of my life.  It was not until we hung out a few times that Chiron shared with me stories about his childhood and youth growing up on the West Side of Chicago.  He described to me violence on the streets, violence in house, police violence as if it were an every day normal part of his life.  But that’s the thing for Chiron violence was normal in his life.  One day his mother moved him and his 9 brother and sisters to Washington, DC to get away from the violence in Chicago.

I told him I really wanted to meet his family and I asked him on a scale of 1 to 10 how safe is your neighborhood he said “honestly?” and I said “of course!” he said, “an 11″ and that he would never let me come there. Tears welded up and I just cried and said “friends should be able to visit friends without the fear of violence.”

He described to me his bus ride from DC to Nebraska when he left for his freshmen year of college and again the tears started to roll down my face because I thought about how the idea of coming from Utah to DC on a bus would have never even crossed my mind- ever. I have been trying to help Chiron find some options to be able to find fare back to Nebraska because as he knows Education is one of the ONLY ways “out.”

The other day I was riding the metro and a tourist shook the hand of a solider which I thought was kind, but again the tears started and I thought to myself who shakes the hands of women, kids, mothers, fathers and young men like Chiron that have defied ALL odds? I am grateful to have shaken his hand!

Thank you Chiron for your courage and example.

Teen Gets a New Life in Nebraska
by Melissa Lee/ Lincoln Journal Star
Monday, Sep 24, 2007

In this back-to-school story, there was no family car loaded up with dorm supplies.
No Dad to carry a few things up the stairs.
No promise from the new college student to come home for Labor Day.

Chiron Hunt, a UNL freshman from Washington D.C., plays basketball with friends at the student Rec Center.

In this week’s Long Story Short we are introduced to Chiron Hunt, a UNL freshman from Washington, D.C.
In this story, there was only an 18-year-old boy, his mother and all the bags they could carry.

Twenty-odd hours of bus rides from their home in Washington, D.C., to Nebraska. A delayed arrival in Omaha that left them stuck until a University of Nebraska-Lincoln journalism instructor came to get them.

Unusual journey to campus? No doubt.

Then again, little has come easy in Chiron Hunt’s life.

One of nine kids reared by a single mother, Chiron always knew success would be an uphill battle.

With no money around, home life was tough.

So was school. Guns took more than one of Chiron’s friends, including a female basketball coach who was like a mother to his team.

Chiron heard the guy who killed his coach thought she was somebody else.

“Gives you something to think about.”

He found refuge on the basketball court and in broadcasting class.

He hoped to play ball and study journalism in college, but doubted he could afford it. Then, he says, a broadcasting teacher helped get him a scholarship to UNL.

Chiron didn’t know much about Nebraska, 1,200 miles from home. But he knew this was his chance.

So he packed his bags and with his mother boarded a bus.

And you know what? He likes it here, likes the slower pace of life. He’s making friends even though it’s a funny feeling to look around your lecture hall and realize you’re the only black student around.

He’ll try for a walk-on spot on the NU basketball team this fall. Even dreams of playing in the NBA someday.

In fact, shooting hoops is one of his favorite things about Nebraska.

The weather’s nice.

You don’t hear gunshots at night.

And there is time, lots of time, for basketball.

The birth of this blog. . .

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After discussing the daily conversations that I encounter on the street, metro, church everywhere I go in DC a friend suggested that I should start a blog about these experiences. It will take some time to get all of the backlogged stories going, but I implore you to comment and add your 2 cents. I have made the comment section “moderated” because I will not stand for any foul language (I am sounding like my mother). I will however “keep it real” because the people that I speak to always tell me “you keep it real” you “tell it like it is” or “that’s whats up.”

DC is a place that people from all over the world look to as a powerful place, where laws are made and where elitists hob nob, and plan events on their yachts. It is the law to carry ID, you don’t feel violated when you empty your purse or get patted down in the name of “security.” The thing is that DC is not safe not even the slightest sense of the word. Most people in DC are living in a real life war zone where homicides are still constant. I personally have a very hard time turning on the local news- there is at the very least 2 to 3 murders per week. Most of these murders occur in specific areas in DC. There are really two worlds in DC’s- white DC and black DC- clearly that is a VERY GENERAL statement, so for all you folk (I can think of one in particular whom I love) it does not apply to everyone! It is unbelievable that in the very region where lawmakers are passing laws to help those that can’t help themselves that just miles away people are dealing, pimping, killing, dying, suffering in numbers that should make anyone sick. I ask myself daily. . . “have any of the Presidents ever been in SE DC?” For those of you that know me you know that I love talking to people, everyone and anyone that will listen or talk to me. Every person I meet I have a new story and new perspective. Hopefully these stories will create awareness and give “props” to those that are making it “out!”