too many AIDS activists?

I was recently referred by a co-worker to do an HIV/AIDS prevention class for a well-known DC women's shelter. In order to do so, I had to first attend a volunteer orientation, which was last night. Excited about the possibility of sharing my knowledge, I went to the orientation and was already looking forward to setting up my first HIV/AIDS class since undergrad. After all, teaching about HIV prevention is how I ended up in public health. I needed to get back to my roots.

About 30 minutes after the start of orientation (in the middle of our tour of the facilities), a group of teens came in with an adult who said that they were from a prominent DC AIDS youth group organization and were late because they got lost. Instantly, my heart sank. I mean, if they're planning on doing some kind of AIDS awareness thing, then what do they need me for? To fill an unpopular teaching time slot? So while I was on the tour, I started to brainstorm. What can I do for these women? Maybe I could do a more science-based education. Or perhaps I could focus on female-controlled methods of HIV prevention. While walking through the facilities, I noticed fliers for an HIV prevention class presented by another well known AIDS advocacy group. And they were offering on-the-spot HIV testing. Well, crap, I thought. I can't compete with that.

At the end of the orientation, I decided to half-heartedly volunteer to do an STI prevention class. I use the word "half-hearted" only because my heart was totally into doing an AIDS awareness class and I feel forced to pick another topic because everyone wants to do AIDS awareness. Although it isn't a bad thing that so many peeps want to teach about AIDS...it's just that I wanted to do it too.