HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN NLAAD EVENT

Preparing for your NLAAD event is one of the most important steps in making National Latino AIDS Awareness Day successful.  Please find useful information here to make your event a success. If you require further assistance, please contact Melissa Faith Ramirez, Director of NLAAD, at mramirez@latinoaids.org or call (212) 584-9315.

1) Community Mapping

• Define key community members (Health care workers, community leaders, church/religious leaders, Hispanics/Latinos in the community)

• Visit and conduct interviews with key community members about the general health and HIV/AIDS status within the community (awareness, attitude, obstacles, available information, and current efforts)

• Meet with established groups

• Meet with local businesses that could potentially sponsor and support your event (local restaurants, chambers of commerce, business associations, retail stores)

2) Create HIV/AIDS awareness within Hispanic/Latino Communities in your   locality

• Discuss the impact of HIV/AIDS among Hispanics/Latinos in your specific community

• Distribute flyers and brochures about Hispanics/Latinos and HIV/AIDS

• Distribute and post NLAAD posters, pamphlets, condoms, etc
• Formulate relations with media outlets to expand exposure and message dissemination (radio, newspaper, television, PSAs)

• Write letters and/or encourage your community members to write letters to your local newspapers (about a personal HIV/AIDS story, etc)

• Write a letter and/or call your representatives in Congress

3) Create an atmosphere where the community feels they can create change

• Share information at local events

• Present on HIV/AIDS for existing groups in different community settings/events

• Conduct informal surveys about the perception of HIV/AIDS in your community

4) Preplan

• Prepare a budget and outline potential or planned expenses

• Attend NLAAD Network Conference Calls

• Register your event on the NLAAD website and remember to update it if anything changes, www.nlaad.org

• Partner with local resources such as Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and health departments, they may have access to more resources

• Train community members to disseminate the message within different pockets of the community

• Hold a fundraiser to benefit your NLAAD event; host a club night, inexpensive dinner and dance event, raffle, etc.

• Use in-kind donation letters to approach organizations and companies or approach them with specific donation pitches and projected expenses in mind.

• Meet with local, elected officials to promote or sponsor your event and discuss ways to publicize through different media channels.

• Establish a coalition to address health issues most specifically related to HIV/AIDS including health departments, CBOs, religious institutions, universities/colleges, business associations, community groups, media outlets, etc.

• Approach universities/college campuses and Hispanic/Latino sororities/fraternities to help with planning events, recruiting volunteers and printing materials

5) What do you want your awareness day to look like? Things to consider:

• What are your goals? What do you hope to accomplish on that date?

• What would it take to consider your event as being successful? What does it mean for your planning group? How would a successful NLAAD activity look like in your community?

• What day(s)/date(s) are you having your event(s)?

• Is it an HIV testing event? Health fair? HIV/AIDS awareness event?

• Is it a family event? Do you have activities in mind that are friendly for children?

• Are you going to have HIV positive individuals share their testimonials?

• Are you going to incorporate other health screenings and/or health topics into your event? If so, do you have a confidential location or a mobile van where testing can be provided? Are you CLIA certified?

• Are you going to have entertainment/music? Are you going to provide food?

• Are you going to reach out to and invite your elected officials?

• How many people will you expect?

• What resources do you have to work with?

• What partners/coalitions can you establish and incorporate into the process? What do they have to offer?

• How are you going to publicize for your event(s)?

• Who is going to assist you in publicizing?

• Do you have people that can speak Spanish?

• Take pictures at your event to capture the day and to post on your website or the NLAAD website, www.nlaad.org

6) Post-NLAAD activities: Actions and questions you should be considering:

• Revisit your goals for your awareness and/or testing activity. Did you meet your goals?

• Do you consider your event to have been a success?

• What would you do differently?

• What were some highlights of your event? What were some challenges?

• Have you completed the on-line NLAAD 2011 Activities Survey?

• Publicly recognize supporters and volunteers

• Send Thank You Letters/Diplomas to your sponsors, supporters, volunteers and event planning group

• Continue to talk about the impact of HIV/AIDS on Hispanics/Latinos in your community