Scott Blades
Executive Director
Quick Links to This Month’s Articles
- Message from Scott Blades
- Poz Café Moves to a New Home
- TIHAN Partnership with Lions Club and Petersen HIV Clinics leads to better eyesight for people living with HIV in Southern Arizona
- Did you know that Latinos are disproportionately impacted by HIV? Join us for an Information and Community Building Even
- Day of the Bread: A Benefit for TIHAN and Tu Nidito
- Requesting an Early Ballot, and Target Date to Mail It In So Your Voice Is Heard
- Congratulations to TIHAN Volunteer Jess Losoya, Named Tucson Pride Parade Grand Marshal
Message from Scott Blades
Friends,
This month marks the 30th anniversary of a small rag-tag group of caring folks gathering and coming up with a name for their fledgling organization. In October 1994, a steering committee that had been meeting decided on the new name: Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network, or TIHAN for short. Little did we think that we’d still be here 30 years later, because we had hoped there would be a cure for AIDS coming any day… We’re still waiting for that cure, but fortunately most people with HIV are living longer and better, and TIHAN continues to provide support services until that cure comes.
Have you heard the amazing story about a spark of love that happened one morning in 1990 with a young man dying of AIDS and his call for help? We filmed Scott Blades sharing about the moment that would start an organized response to HIV at St. Francis and—four years later—morph into an organization to be named TIHAN. Check out the 3-minute video below:
Our beginnings…
In a second short video, Scott shares about how TIHAN has grown and changed since 1994, and how we’ve adapted to changing needs as new treatments have become available. Watch this 4-minute video message about where we’ve been, and what volunteers and donors are doing to continue to provide love, advocacy, and support to help people with HIV live as well as possible.
As TIHAN commemorates our 30th anniversary this year, we’ve been sharing video stories from people throughout the organization: CarePartners living with HIV, volunteers, donors, faith community partners, and staff. We’re commemorating the past, but we’re also celebrating the present, and creating the future. We’re blazing forward and creating a better future, so keep an eye out for big news about our plans. Here are two of our new developments that we’re excited to share, and a few more announcements!
Poz Café Moves to a New Home
We are excited to announce that our Poz Café lunch and social program is moving to a new larger and more accessible location! We are grateful to St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church for providing space for us over the past two years, offering a warm welcome in their centrally located facility with a beautiful courtyard as we transitioned out of COVID-necessitated conditions. St. Mark’s was a godsend as we returned to in-person services and needed something more accessible. Now, we are moving to Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, located on Campbell Avenue, two blocks north of Speedway. Starting in October, Poz Café will take place at Our Saviour’s, which has a larger room and is closer to the bus lines for our CarePartners living with HIV who access public transportation. This month for our debut at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, we’ll be offering a resource fair with information from several community organizations, and another exciting surprise too, for all the CarePartners who attend our lunch and social event!
TIHAN Partnership with Lions Club and Petersen HIV Clinics leads to better eyesight for people living with HIV in Southern Arizona
When our colleagues at Petersen HIV Clinics shared the need facing some people living with HIV whose insurance doesn’t cover eye exams and prescription eyeglasses, TIHAN immediately thought of our volunteer John and his work with the Lions Club. We set up some meetings, and everything came together so that Petersen patients, and anyone registered with TIHAN, can now be eligible for a free eye exam and prescription glasses, courtesy of the Cyber Lions Club! And they’re also providing reading glasses as well! If you are a CarePartner needing this service, please reach out to a Link Specialist at (520) 299-6647 ext 205 or Link@tihan.org
Did you know that Latinos are disproportionately impacted by HIV? Join us for an Information and Community Building Event
In a recent article from CNN, Felix tested positive for HIV and sought to help create better systems for other Latinos with HIV. As noted in the article (Latinos represent nearly a third of new HIV diagnoses in the US, CDC data shows), “Latinos or Hispanic people represent less than 20% of the United States population but they made up nearly a third of new HIV diagnoses in 2022, according to the latest figures released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When compared to all racial and ethnic groups, Hispanic people have the second highest rate of new HIV diagnoses – there were about 19 new diagnoses for every 100,000 people, which is nearly double the national rate– and new diagnoses are rising quickly. Across the US, new HIV diagnoses overall held relatively steady between 2018 and 2022, but they increased 19% among Latinos or Hispanic people.”
Here in Tucson, local groups are gathering again this year to bring attention and resources with a free community event as part of National Latinx HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD). This year’s local event has a Dia de los Muertos theme, and is scheduled for Friday, November 1, from 5-9pm at the corner of 6th Avenue and Ajo. Free food, entertainment, and information and resource tables from TIHAN and several other organizations, and a costume contest! Help us raise awareness and build community. It’s free and open to all people, and it’s an all-ages event!
Day of the Bread: A Benefit for TIHAN and Tu Nidito
The Monica presents their 3rd annual benefit event Day of the Bread, and has included TIHAN as a beneficiary. Join us for a Day of the Dead-themed event featuring entertainment, face painting, raffles, prizes, and lots of breads and sweets from Tucson’s finest. Save the date—Tuesday, October 29 from 7-9pm downtown on the beautiful patio of The Monica restaurant, located at 40 E Congress. Link for event tickets will be available soon, and tickets will be available at the door! Mark your calendar for this fun community benefit event!
Requesting an Early Ballot, and Target Date to Mail It In So Your Voice Is Heard
After you register to vote, we encourage you to request to be on the Active Early Voter List (AEVL) so you can vote by mail. People who request to be on the Active Early Voter List (AEVL) will have their ballot mailed to them, and they can vote early and avoid the lines at the ballot box. And you can track your ballot online to make sure it is received and counted! October 25 is the last day you can request an early ballot-by-mail to be sent to you. In Pima County, you can request one online or call the Pima County Recorder at (520) 724-4330. Once you receive your early ballot in the mail, remember to complete your ballot (it’s two pages this year), and send it in right away. To be received in time, ballots should be sent back no later than 7-10 days before the Nov 5 election. So please make sure your early ballot is sent in by Oct 26, or by Oct 29 at the latest. We want to make sure your vote is counted, because your voice needs to be heard!
Congratulations to TIHAN Volunteer Jess Losoya, Named Tucson Pride Parade Grand Marshal
If you’ve been to a TIHAN event, including Poz Café, you’ve probably met Jess Losoya, who includes TIHAN among his many volunteer roles in the community. Jess was recently featured in an interview in Tucson Weekly about being selected as this year’s Pride Parade Grand Marshal. For a bit of Jess’s story, click here to read the article. Congratulations, Jess! Photo credit: Jimmer O’Rourke
