i think every day should be World AIDS Day...

Today is the 20th anniversary of the first World AIDS Day. I celebrated my first World AIDS Day in 1999, where I helped organize a whole week of AIDS awareness activities at USC. While I may never have an opportunity to organize something that huge again, I'm quite satisfied to be fighting HIV here in the District every single day.

Are you wondering what you can do to 'celebrate' this day? Well, let me offer some suggestions on how you can fight AIDS anywhere...

• Buy coffee. Visit Starbucks all through December and 5 cents from designated coffee beverages will be donated to the Global AIDS Fund through Project RED

• Buy an iPod. Again, through Project RED, Apple will donate a portion of the sale of the RED Nano to the Global AIDS Fund (I'm a proud owner of a RED nano myself.)
  

• Buy some MAC make up! MAC has long been a supporter of AIDS causes with their VIVA Glam line of cool lip stuff. 100% of the proceeds from this line goes to the MAC AIDS Fund which funds anti-AIDS programs all over the world. Also, if you go to their website right now and order some VIVA Glam stuff, you can get free shipping with the discount code SUPPORT.
  

• Don't feel like shopping? Then just give! There are a number of awesome AIDS foundations and non-profits who do great work in HIV prevention and treatment. There's amFAR, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, National Minority AIDS Council, AIDS Project L.A., and AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County just to name a few. If you want to find who else needs your generosity, check out this google search I made just for you.
  

• Go to a vigil. There are several in the District today. Whitman-Walker Clinic will be holding a candlelit vigil tonight at 5:30 in Bethlehem Baptist Church. La Clínica Del Pueblo is holding a vigil and march tonight starting at 5 pm. In New York City? Check out the annual "Reading of the Names" at City Hall Park all day. In San Fran? Go to the Observance at the National AIDS Memorial.  Festivities start at 11:30 a.m. In the OC (or SoCal)? Check out the candlelit vigil at AIDS Services Foundation of OC (for info, call 949-809-5700).  For other events worldwide, check this out.
  

• Go to a rally. Does AIDS make you mad? Wanna let your anger be known to the powers that be? Then check out the rallies that are being held all over the place. DC is having its own rally at noon today at 825 N. Capitol Street.
  

• Get tested. Do you know your status? Was your last HIV test more than 6 months ago? It's time to get tested, peeps. It's SO EASY and painless. If you don't know where to go, check this site out.
  

• And last, but certainly not least, use a condom every time. I don't care if your partner looks clean, or if you've hook up with 'em before, or if you just hate condoms. Just use a condom. The only one who is looking out for you to make sure you don't get infected is YOU. If you're not sure what to use to maximize your between-the-sheets-fun, check out my condom guide.

So what am I doing for World AIDS Day? Well, I'm giving up my blog to the cause for the week. Everything you ever wanted to know about HIV and related issues (like gay rights) is coming up for your blog reading pleasure. Some of it will be sad. Some of it will make you mad. But hopefully the posts will just make you aware that there is still a fight to be fought and you can be a part of that in your own way.

image above courtesy of thebody.com