Building new momentum for culturally diverse communities; walking toward an AIDS-free generation.

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/23/2013 -- For the sixth consecutive year, Transdiaspora Network (TDN) will host its Annual Benefit Cocktail on Friday, May 26th, 2013, 6:00pm, at Flatiron District's Studio XXI, located at 59 West 21st Street (at 6th Avenue).

This year, the organization's crew, along with the Host Committee members, is inviting residents from the tri-state area to support their social cause and celebrate TDN's recent achievements to build a new momentum for culturally diverse communities' new future. They also want to highlight the work of inspiring community leaders through TDN 2013 Changemaker Awards Ceremony.

The Changemaker Awards honor two community leaders who exemplify the spirit of TDN. The Awards recognize innovative individuals in the community who inspire us; they shine a light on visionaries who are taking the lead in capacity building and youth development in the HIV/AIDS prevention space and providing living examples of the power of dedication and hard work to change the world.

The winners of TDN 2013 Changemakers Awards are Simon Claire, from Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition, and Aida Leon, from Amethyst Women's Project. These two extraordinary leaders have brought the fight against HIV/AIDS to new frontiers and are paving the path to walk toward an AIDS-free generation. CONGRATULATIONS to the awardees!!!!

TDN provides easy access to critical information about health, STDs, and prevention. It has an especially strong focus on the individual and how each individual affects his or her community. It provides a judgment-free environment to allow teenagers and young adults from all races to speak freely about prevention; utilizing their language to communicate. It also utilizes others "forms of language" to communicate including dance mediation, storytelling, and social photography. "By using this approach, program participants develop the idea that health care and STD prevention is not just 'black and white', 'right or wrong', 'life or death;' but rather more lively, dynamic, and personable," said TDN Consultant Physician Anil Kabrawala.

To attend the cocktail and enjoy the award ceremony, you can buy tickets online at www.transdiasporanetwork.org. Attendees will enjoy a happy hour from 6:00pm to 7:00pm and DJ Velocity will be performing world music throughout the night. Benefit tickets also include raffle and a 5% discount dinner at Libertador Parrilla Argentina restaurant's Brooklyn location. Any donations made before, during, or after the concert are 100% tax-deductible.

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The special event commemorates National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/07/2012 -- Transdiaspora Network (TDN) will partner with the Brooklyn Public Library to create cutting-edge HIV education workshops for local high school students. This special event, which commemorates National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, will take place February 7th from 9:30am to 2:30pm in the Stevan Dweck Center Auditorium at Brooklyn Public Library's Central Branch, located at 10 Grand Army Plaza.

The educational workshop will bring TDN's groundbreaking curriculum to a diverse group of Brooklyn high school students. Based on TDN's trademark prevention approach, the workshop will include dance mediation, an innovative and holistic strategy that encourages youth to respect their bodies and develop a more nuanced relationship to others through improvisation of small dance duets on select themes, such as self-control and happiness. Workshop attendees will also have an opportunity to fine tune their verbal communication skills through the use of traditional Caribbean folktales. In this portion of the workshop, teens will discuss issues of self-esteem and develop the interpersonal problem-solving skills necessary for day-to-day communication and talking about sensitive topics around sexuality. In addition to the workshop, anonymous HIV/AIDS testing will be available on-site.

While only representing 14% of the U.S. population, Blacks account for 44% of all new HIV infections, according to the most recent information collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2009. At some point in their lifetimes, an estimated 1 in 16 black men and 1 in 32 black women will be diagnosed with HIV infection.

As our President and Founder Ariel Rojas says, "we bring a new social meaning to culture and tradition. Our programs reflect the intricacies of the many possible connections between the client's culture and the administered intervention." Transdiaspora Network (TDN) is a leading human-capacity building nonprofit organization conducting culturally oriented HIV prevention and awareness activities in Brooklyn, New York, since 2007.

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) is a national HIV testing and treatment community mobilization initiative to encourage blacks in the United States to educate themselves about he basics of HIV/AIDS, get tested and know their status, get treatment if they are living with HIV/AIDS, and get involved in their community fight against the epidemic.

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Panel Discussion "HIV/AIDS and Latin@s: Dancing from Tradition to Prevention"

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/11/2011 -- For the second consecutive year, Transdiaspora Network (TDN) is commemorating the National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) on Thursday October 13th, 2011, 7:30pm, at Columbia University School of Social Work (CUSSW). Intending to proactively engage social work students and the academia as well as community residents and social service professionals, this leading non-profit organization has put together a panel discussion "HIV/AIDS and Latinos: Dancing from Tradition to Prevention" in partnership with CUSSW's Latino Caucus. The panel will explore how the Latino cultural tradition influences HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns (and viceversa). There will be also references to the Congressional Briefing that took place in Capitol Hill, Washington DC, last September.

While Latinos/Hispanics in the U.S. represent only 16% (U.S. Census Bureau) of the population, they make up 20% of new HIV infections in 2009 according to the Centers for Disease Control. Hispanic/Latino men are newly infected with HIV at a rate three times that of white men. Among women, Hispanic/Latino women are newly infected by HIV at a rate four times that of white women.

NLAAD was created in 2003 in response to the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on Hispanic/Latino Communities across the US and territories. October 15th, marks the ninth annual commemoration of NLAAD, which is held each year in commemoration of the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month.

As our Communication Associate Federica Rangel says, "our main message, promoting HIV prevention awareness, has reached new places, extending beyond our initial aim (…) we raised our bar, and we will continue to work hard and challenge ourselves in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and to reach more and more young people on a larger scale."

The night will be honored with high-profile panelists such as Melissa Faith Ramirez, Director of the NLAAD Network from the Latino Commission on AIDS, and Johnny Guaylupo, Housing Works' LGBT Program Coordinator. Other panel members are Dominique Dupont-Dubois, Program Manager from Transdiaspora Network, and a CUSSW Latino Caucus representative.

Marilucy Lopes, Transdiaspora Network's Communication Coordinator will serve as a moderator, along with a CUSSW Latino Caucus representative.

Free food will be provided from the tasty Latin-American/Caribbean cuisine!!!!

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Stellar jazz musician brings high notes to a social cause

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/04/2011 -- For the fourth consecutive year, Transdiaspora Network (TDN) will host its Annual Benefit Concert on Thursday, May 12th, 2011, 7:00pm, at TriBeCa's Canal Room, located at 285 West Broadway (at Canal Street).

This year, our special guest is the very talented Cyrille Aimee, finalist in the 2010 Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition and an undeniable talent praised for her unparalleled vocal abilities. Cyrille's vocal stylings are synonymous with musical genius. Her culturally rich background has supplied her with the driving force of Dominican rhythm and the incredible swing of the French Gypsies.

Since 2007, Transdiaspora Network (TDN) has been crafting inventive strategies to tackle the spread of HIV in Brooklyn, which has the highest number of adolescents diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in the country. We work mostly with teens of Caribbean descent in underserved parts of the New York metropolitan area, between the ages of 14 and 18. We aim to create a different dialogue about prevention by using arts and culture as vehicles to promote open communication through our unique programs rooted in Afro-Caribbean dance, music, storytelling and photography. In fact, MediaGlobal, a United Nations-based news agency, says, "Transdiaspora Network takes the lead in the HIV prevention revolution among transplanted Caribbean youth in New York City." Mobilizing youth-serving and youth-led organizations is at the core of developing efficient and sustainable HIV prevention programs. "Ultimately, the goal is for the youth themselves to be the promoters of a culture of prevention" said TDN Executive Director Ariel Rojas.

General Admission tickets are available now for $25 until May 11th. Benefit tickets include concert, raffle, and world music afterparty. Also, invitees can enjoy a $4 special hour of Proseco from 7:00pm to 8:00pm. Any donations made before, during, or after the concert are 100% tax-deductible.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

What the birds and the bees, love machines and male liquid all have to do with HIV prevention?

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/09/2010 -- Transdiaspora Network (TDN) just launched its "Where Do Babies Come From?" campaign, a humorous yet thought-provoking campaign to raise awareness about HIV prevention and collect much needed funds for its programs. By prompting people of all ages, not just teenagers, to reflect on how they learned about where babies come from, TDN sheds light on how communication and education play a key role in how people experience learning and the impact this has on their development. The campaign makes parallels between learning about babies (which in one case was explained via a diagram of a love machine connecting the male apparatus to the female heart! (see post at the organization's blog) and learning about HIV/AIDS. It also engages everyone to share their own stories about how they first found out about the birds and the bees, underscoring the universality of the experience.

Keeping in line with its a innovative approach to HIV prevention and education, which includes using Dance, Storytelling and Photography as vehicles for creating dialogues about prevention, the "Where Do Babies Come From?" year-end campaign can become a fun and creative forum for discussing memories about sex ed class, conversations with parents and your peers, and general thoughts about sexuality and its related issues.

How did YOU learn about where babies come from?
Share your story with us! Go to : http://www.transdiasporanetwork.org/contact.html
Read out blog post: http://blog.transdiasporanetwork.org/2010/12/05/where-do-babies-come-from/

Transdiaspora Network (TDN) is an independent human capacity building non-profit organization conducting culturally-oriented HIV prevention and awareness activities in Brooklyn, New York. We communicate with at-risk youth, mainly of Caribbean descent, and empower them to develop their sense of personal responsibility in their relationship with the community.

About Transdiaspora Network
Transdiaspora Network (TDN) is an independent 501(c)(3) human capacity building non-profit organization conducting culturally-oriented HIV prevention and awareness activities in Brooklyn, New York. We communicate with at-risk youth, mainly of Caribbean descent, and empower them to develop their sense of personal responsibility in their relationship with the community.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Community and Youth Leadership: portraying prevention through a different lens.

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/14/2010 -- Transdiaspora Network (TDN), a non-profit organization that promotes HIV prevention through Caribbean cultural expressions, is holding a Social Photography Exhibition and small gathering this October 15th, 2010, to celebrate the National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD). This invitation-only event will showcase 11 photographs taken by high school students in the Brooklyn community, allowing them to share their perspectives on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.

As part of our gathering, special guests include Melissa Ramirez, Director of NLAAD; Angela Stoehr, Country Program Coordinator for World Vision Deutschland's Latin America and Caribbean Section; and Jose "Catire" Torres, guitarist of the Venezuelan band Los Amigos Invisibles; among other invitees from the local community and the social service sector.

According to the U.S Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "while Hispanics represent approximately 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for an estimated 18 percent of people living with HIV in the U.S." Furthermore, over 85,000 Hispanics with AIDS have died since this epidemic began. In response to the devastating impact that HIV/AIDS has on Hispanics, October 15th was established as the National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, and TDN is hosting this event as a way of promoting HIV prevention through art and photography.

"Harnessing the full potential of our own very powerful cultural resources may well provide the more lasting, more comprehensive, and ultimately more sustainable approach to HIV prevention that we urgently need," said TDN Founder and Executive Director Ariel Rojas.

Drawing from the Caribbean culture, TDN creates a body of HIV prevention knowledge that is dynamic and transferable. Our interest in the issue stems from the desire to go beyond the current biomedical and individualist approach to HIV prevention, and to encompass a more holistic strategy through dance, music, storytelling and photography. According to a survey we conducted of Brooklyn residents in March 2008, 50% of those whose education had incorporated cultural heritage described their knowledge of HIV prevention as excellent compared to 27.7% of those whose education did not incorporate cultural heritage at all.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The first organization focusing on HIV prevention to ever participate in the event.

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/24/2010 -- Transdiapora Network (TDN), a non-profit organization that gives a new social meaning to culture and tradition, has been officially invited to participate in the Brazilian Day Festival in New York City, becoming the first organization focusing on HIV prevention to ever participate in the event. The Brazilian Day Festival, which will be held on September 5, 2010, is the largest multicultural street festival in New York City, spanning over 25 blocs. TDN will have a stand there from 11:00 am to 7:00pm, where people can obtain information about our mission and programs and speak with our organization's experts, members, and young advocates. Our team will distribute free condoms as well.

According to the United States Agency of International Development (USAID), Brazil "accounts for 57 percent of all AIDS cases in Latin America and the Caribbean." TDN's participation in the Brazilian Day Festival is a unique opportunity to raise awareness about HIV prevention in a new setting, and highlights the need for our work educating and empowering the next generation in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Through innovative programs, TDN engages youth in a different dialogue about prevention, and empowers them to develop their sense of personal responsibility in their relationship with the community.

"We advance HIV prevention through Caribbean cultural expressions, such as dance mediation, storytelling dynamics, and photography, without undermining the seriousness of the issue. The invitation from the organizing committee to participate in this festival is an affirmation of Transdiaspora Network's groundbreaking approach, and we are proud of the work we have done so far. We are committed to our youth, and we are dedicated to continue our efforts in HIV prevention and education in the community," explained TDN Founder and President Ariel Rojas.

Transdiaspora Network (TDN) has a unique vision, where communication plays a key role on our innovative way to reach and engage at-risk youth. Through our organization, young people can discuss and learn about not only HIV prevention, abstinence, and the use of condoms; but also about self-esteem, academic achievement, team work, and cultural patterns.

For more information, visit us at http://www.transdiasporanetwork.org.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Read our July issue and discover how much it can add to your awareness.

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/22/2010 -- With students out of school, many families heading out of town to escape the city heat, and a slow news cycle, the summer usually provides a chance to sit back and catch our breath. However, with a lingering economic crisis and dwindling health budgets, the fight against HIV/AIDS remains at a fever pitch. The most notable development came just last week with President Obama's announcement of the National HIV/AIDS strategy. The new strategy will focus on three main goals: reducing the number of new infections, increasing access to care and optimizing health outcomes for people living with HIV and AIDS, and reducing health-related disparities.

In his speech unveiling the plan to the public, the President emphasized that the federal government cannot accomplish these three goals alone. "Yes, government has to do its part," he said. "But our ability to combat HIV/AIDS doesn't rest on government alone. It requires companies to contribute funding and expertise to the fight. It requires us to use every source of information - from TV to film to the Internet - to promote AIDS awareness. It requires community leaders to embrace all - and not just some - who are affected by the disease. It requires each of us to act responsibly in our own lives, and it requires all of us to look inward - to ask not only how we can end this scourge, but also how we can root out the inequities and the attitudes on which this scourge thrives." It is with this knowledge in mind - that we need to look inward, dig deep, and harness all of our creativity, innovation, and resources to fight this disease - that Transdiaspora Network steadfastly continues its work empowering the next generation in the fight against HIV/AIDS. If you would like to make a donation to support our work, please go to http://www.transdiasporanetwork.org.

To read our July issue, click here http://newsletter.transdiasporanetwork.org/?p=104

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Cuban diva and world music legend Xiomara Laugart takes the stage for a good cause.

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/13/2010 -- Cuban diva and world music legend Xiomara Laugart will perform at Transdiaspora Network's 3rd Annual Benefit Concert on Saturday, May 15th at 7:30 p.m. at Tribeca's Lafayette Grill and Bar. Discounted online tickets are available in advance for $35 at http://www.transdiasporanetwork.org and standard tickets can be purchased at the door for $40. Columbia University students can purchase tickets at the door for a special student rate of $25, with valid ID. Proceeds will benefit Transdiaspora Network's Brooklyn-based youth development and HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness programs.

Xiomara Laugart, former lead vocalist for Grammy-nominated fusion band Yerba Buena, represents the essence of the old Cuba - with its rhythmic folk songs - fused with a blend of today's directness and clarity of voice. She takes on each style of music and embraces it with her own stamp and authentic flare.

"Our benefit concert is not just an opportunity to raise support for our HIV prevention programs, it is also a chance for us to come together and celebrate, to experience both great joy and deep reflection to the sounds of the Caribbean," said Ariel Rojas, TDN Founder and Executive Director.

Benefit tickets include concert, dinner, and drink specials. Prizes will be given away in a $5 raffle buy-in, including four dinners for 2 at Lafayette Grill and gift certificates from Body by Brooklyn spa, Brooklyn Wine Exchange, Gnarly Vines, Habana|Harlem CDs and concert tickets, and more. Over 100 guests are expected to show up at the benefit. The after-party will also be at Lafayette Grill (http://www.lafayettegrillandbar.net), which is located on 54 Franklin St, between Lafayette and Broadway.

Past benefit concert performances include jazz legend Yosvany Terry, avant-garde singer-songwriter Pavel Urkiza, talented vocalist Sofia Tosello, and acclaimed Colombian Billboard star Marta Gomez, and have attracted an ever-increasing following of music lovers and socially conscious New Yorkers.

Transdiaspora Network is an independent 501(c)(3) human capacity building non-profit organization conducting culturally oriented HIV prevention and awareness activities in Brooklyn, New York.

Contact:
Ashley Villarreal, Local Health Reporter
avillarreal@transdiasporanetwork.org
http://www.transdiaporanetwork.org

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/15/2010 -- Transdiaspora Network has activated an emergency response in partnership with Dwa Fanm and Crown Heights Community Mediation Center. From January 15 through January 22, we will be conducting a medical supplies and clothing drive for Haiti's earthquake relief. The worst earthquake in 250 years struck Haiti, causing catastrophic destruction. The quake struck near the capital of Port-au-Prince, the most densely populated part of Haiti. According to Haitian president Rene Preval, 7,000 people have already been buried in a mass grave.

Remembering New Orleans, where people are still recovering from the unnatural disaster known as "Hurricane Katrina," rebuilding Haiti will be a long, lengthy, and arduous process, but it will be possible with continued global good graces. Please consider re-routing your donations to our emergency response partners (Dwa Fanm, Crown Heights Community Mediation Center) with whom we have personal relationships and have identified as trustworthy. The most urgent needs right now are bandages, broad-spectrum antibiotics and other medical supplies, as well as water tablets to prevent cholera outbreaks. The need for clothes, shelter and other types of relief is growing by the hour.

Here is what you can do:

1. We know how to get help to survivors, but we need your generosity to purchase emergency supplies. To give financial support, please make donations at www.transdiasporanetwork.org. You can also call us a call at 347-788-0261, or send us an email at info@transdiasporanetwork.org. Your donation will be 100% tax deductible.

2. For donations of clothes and medical supplies, please bring your items to our drop off point, located at Crown Heights Community Mediation Center (256 Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11213). They can be reached by calling 718-773-6886 or emailing chcmcblog@gmail.com. We will be accepting clothes and medical supplies Monday through Friday, from 9:00AM to 5:00PM.

3. Dwa Fanm will be accepting donations at an alternate location in Brooklyn: at 74A 4th Avenue, (near Bergen St), Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217. Hours: Friday 9:00AM to 5:00PM and Saturday 9:00AM to 5:00PM.

Make sure to write on your packages "FROM TRANSDIASPORA NETWORK." The situation is catastrophic, and immediate action is key to saving lives. We hope we can count on you to help get emergency supplies to the families who need them most. The most immediate and helpful thing you can do is forward this email along to anyone you think might be interested in helping or donating. And then forward it to everyone else.

Thank you!

Transdiaspora Network
http://www.transdiasporanetwork.org

About Transdiaspora Network
Transdiaspora Network is an independent 501(c)(3) human capacity building non-profit organization conducting culturally-oriented HIV prevention and awareness activities in Brooklyn, New York. We communicate with at-risk youth, mainly of Caribbean descent, and empower them to develop their sense of personal responsibility in their relationship with the community.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Brooklyn, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/05/2009 -- On October 29, Brooklyn-based non-profit organization Transdiaspora Network (TDN) will host a Halloween Carnival and Costume Contest at New York hot spot Boucarou Lounge from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Top prizes will be awarded for the best costumes in a variety of categories, and partiers can enjoy drink specials before 9 PM, including $6 caipirinhas. Throughout the night, TDN will be raffling off tons of prizes including yoga classes, beer from Brooklyn Brewery, bowling at Brooklyn Bowl, gift certificates from Book Court and other local business, and much more.

Admission to the party is "pay what you can" with a suggested minimum donation of $15. All proceeds collected at the door and from raffle tickets are tax deductible and will directly fund TDN's groundbreaking HIV prevention and youth leadership programs for at-risk youth in Brooklyn. Boucarou Lounge (http://www.boucaroulounge.com) is located at 64 E 1st Street in Manhattan.

"Halloween is about scary tricks," said TDN Founder and Executive Director Ariel Rojas. "But it's even scarier to think about how many teenagers get tricked yearly because of the lack of HIV prevention programs tailored to their needs. When infected, there is no candy that can make it better, but TDN is dedicated to preventing the spread of HIV and raising awareness about it."

Transdiaspora Network is an innovative non-profit organization dedicated to developing culturally relevant HIV education and prevention initiatives for Caribbean-American youth in Brooklyn, a population at high risk for infection but underserved by mainstream prevention initiatives.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm