Path to the Future

Hello!

I am Donald Lefeber, a recent graduate from the University of St. Thomas University in Houston, Texas in International Studies and Spanish. This week is the beginning of my tenure as a Global Health AID Political Analyst. My interests revolve around Health, International Development, Intercultural Studies and Medical Anthropology.

Currently, I am pursuing my interests of Health through my research on alternative medicines titled,”Comlimentary and Alternative Medicine in the Modern Healthcare System: Essential Aspect of Integrated Medical Practice or Just Quackery?”. This article I will report on in the near future in my blog.

Another project that I am preparing for this Satuday November 22, which was sparked by interests in International Development is a Philippines Poverty Basketball Fundraiser and Awareness Event here in Houston. We are seeking to help poverty in the Philippines, which is my mom’s native country by donating all our proceeds to the Pnoy Apparel’s “Shirt the Kids” Campaign and the Philippines Children’s Fund. The Pnoy Apparel is a Filipino Clothing company who’s mission is to inform and proclaim the Philippines culture, politics, history through their products. With the “Shirt the Kids” they are “putting a shirt on poverty” by donating a specifically designed t-shirt to children in the Philippines as a token of hope and care and also donating proceeds to the Philippines Children’s Fund. We have information on our event website, <HoopforKidsPI.com>

Why Are Women Crucial in the AIDS Epidemic? Just Ask Them!

Yesterday, December 1st, or the 20th annual World AIDS Day, 5 incredible women came together at Georgetown University Medical Center to talk about the Feminization of HIV/AIDS. Their discussion took the form of a panel sponsored by Americans for Informed Democracy (AID), American Medical Student Association (AMSA), University Coalitions for Global Health (UCGH), Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), and the Georgetown Medical AIDS Advocacy Network (GMAAN) to host a panel for World AIDS Day on the feminization of HIV. The Panel included experts Jacqui Patterson form Women of Color United, Paola Barahona of PreventionWorks and Physicians for Human Rights, Carolyn Massey of Massmer Associates, and Crystal Lander from the center for Developemnt and Population Activities (CEDPA). The panel was a great success, due in main part to the views and perspectives of these women. The panel was also webcasted, and had more than 80 online and in-person viewers.

Probably most compelling was each woman’s perspective on why this thought HIV rates among women were increasing so dramatically. Each woman had a unique perspective, be it as a woman or color, an HIV+ individual, a community organizer, a doctor, an international health worker, or a combination of these designations.

All in all, the event was a great success, and a video podcast of the event will be available shortly here.