3rd Annual National A&PI HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Santa Clara County Event
On Friday, May 18, 2007 over 100 people gathered at the James P. McEntee Senior Plaza outside the Santa Clara County Administration Building to commemorate the 3rd Annual National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.  Festivities of the day included A&PI elected officials and legislators, cultural performances, musicians, a lavish spread of Thai food, an A&PI speaker living with HIV, and a number of community activists.  The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors presented a Proclamation declaring May 19th National A&PI HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Santa Clara County.  This event was hosted by Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center’s Project FLARE Santa Clara County Collaborative which includes members from HIV prevention and care agencies, the Public Health Department and A&PI community based organizations committed to strengthening HIV services and fighting HIV-related stigma in their county. This was a historic day, as we released the findings from our Community Needs Assessment titled “Filling the Gaps” conducted in Santa Clara County focusing on HIV in A&PI communities. 

For more information about the Santa Clara FLARE County Collaborative or the Community Needs Assessment please contact Bahar Kumar at bahar@apiwellness.org.

Members of the Santa Clara County Project FLARE County Collaborative who hosted an exciting community event as part of the Banyan Tree Project and National A&PI HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Supervisors Ken Yeager & Liz Kniss present a Proclamation to Lance Toma, Executive Director of A&PI Wellness Center and Dena Dickinson, Co-Chair of the Santa Clara HIV Planning Council, declaring May 19th National A&PI HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Santa Clara County.

The Chinese Cultural Club of St. James Senior Center presented a traditional Chinese drama with an orchestra of traditional Chinese instruments accompanying the act.

Students from Independence High School’s Mahubay Cultural Club performed two traditional Filipino dances exhibiting the rich and diverse influences that have contributed to their heritage.