By Sarah Audelo,* Senior Domestic Policy Manager, Advocates for Youth

While the media often focus on the sheer size of the Latino population (the fastest-growing community—heeey!), what often is not mentioned is how young we are. The median age of Latinos in the United States is 27, which is incredibly young compared with other racial and ethnic groups. You’d think that governments and communities would notice this significant growth and make larger investments in young Latinos. Unfortunately, that hasn’t proven to be the case.  However, despite the lack of investment and engagement by “the powers that be,” young Latinos are taking their future in their own hands and have placed themselves at the forefront of many movements, including the fight against HIV and AIDS.

At Advocates for Youth, I’ve had the pleasure of advocating with fierce Latino youth from across the country who have been working to push their peers and their communities to be more involved in HIV and AIDS.

• In Oregon, Ernesto engages fellow young people on sexual health through technology and helps coordinate the Oregon Queer Youth Summit.
• In North Carolina, Emilio helped get a sex-education bill passed that promotes HIV education in the state’s public schools.
• In Illinois, Veronica is a bilingual health educator and HIV tester for a community-based organization.
• In Texas (yes, Texas), April, Olac, and Deborah are working to get comprehensive sex education implemented in their local school districts.

Many Latino youth serve as peer educators, distributing condoms and educating and informing their communities to break down stigma related to sexual health—especially HIV and AIDS.

Why do I mention these young people? Because, too often, adults discount the importance and effectiveness of engaging young people. They don’t see youth as experts, even when it comes to knowing their own communities. Others simply cannot acknowledge the capabilities of youth to engage their peers.

In December 2011, President Barack Obama called for an “AIDS-Free Generation.” In July, leaders from around the world will join together in Washington, D.C., for the first International AIDS Conference in the United States in more than 20 years—longer than many youth activists have been alive!

President Obama’s statement was momentous, and this conference is the perfect opportunity to engage Latino youth. In order to turn the tide in the epidemic, we have no choice but to involve youth. As a community, Latinos are disproportionately affected by HIV, accounting for 20 percent of all new HIV infections. If we really are to achieve an AIDS-free generation, we must invest in the next generation of Latino youth. I know it’s possible, because I have seen the amazing work of Ernesto, April, Veronica, and others. The question is, will others join us?

* Sarah Audelo works on youth health policy issues such as comprehensive sex education, GLBTQ rights, HIV prevention, contraceptive access, and abortion rights. Before joining Advocates for Youth (http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/), she was manager of the Youth Activist Network and a Teach for America high school special education teacher in La Joya, Texas. Having studied at Georgetown University, she is completing a master’s degree in public policy at The George Washington University. Ms. Audelo is from Bakersfield, California.

The Latino Caribbean Diaspora Collaborative (LCDC) is a diverse, multinational group of HIV professionals representing community-based organizations, research institutions, civil society, and the larger community of HIV stakeholders. As part of the AIDS 2012 Global Village, the LCDC members will establish the LCDC Community, a networking zone that is free of charge and open to the public, as is all the Global Village. Showcased in the LCDC Community will be HIV/AIDS programs from across the Caribbean, Central American, Mexico, South America, and the United States. As an interactive installation, the Community will provide educational, linguistic, cultural, social, scientific, and networking opportunities for attendees from around the world. For more information, go to LCDC Community at http://www.nlaan.org/aids2012.

The Latino/Hispanic HIV Community Research Forum: Creando Una Red Para Un Futuro Sin VIH/SIDA is planned as an AIDS 2012 satellite event on Sunday, July 22, 2012. The forum will be a vehicle for Latino-centered dialogue and networking by key representatives from domestic HIV-serving organizations, community-focused researchers, and representatives from local, national, and international entities. This satellite meeting will feature panel presentations and roundtable discussions addressing unique factors associated with Latinos at risk for HIV/AIDS. The latest details are available at Latino/Hispanic HIV Community Research Forum at http://www.nlaan.org/aids2012.

The United States is experiencing an unprecedented focus on the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic, with AIDS 2012 (http://aids2012.org/) being held in Washington, D.C., and the release of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/uploads/NHAS.pdf) and companion Implementation Plan (http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/nhas-implementation.pdf). Of special interest to Hispanic, Latino, and Caribbean readers is the San Juan Town Hall, which will take place in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, May 24, 2012, 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. For more information, go to ROAD TO AIDS 2012 at http://roadtoaids2012.org/index.htm.

The Black AIDS Institute—in partnership with the National Latino AIDS Action Network (NLAAN) and the Latino Commission on AIDS—invites Latinos from across the United States to participate in a special national conference call and to voice their priorities and concerns related to a plenary presentation on the U.S. epidemic to be given by Black AIDS Institute founder and executive director Phill Wilson at AIDS 2012. The call, which be conducted in English, will take place on Tuesday, May 15, at 4:00 p.m. EDT. To register for the call, visit AIDS 2012 Plenary Input at http://www.anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=ED59DE82894E.