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Florida Department of Health Brings the Faces of HIV to Brevard, Jan. 19, 20

The Florida Department of Health is bringing its' Faces of HIV Mobile Art Exhibit to the Melbourne Auditorium and Eastern Florida State College on Monday and Tuesday, January 19th and 20th.  

The Faces of  HIV mobile art exhibit depicts the lives of Florida residents living with HIV and AIDS through portraits, video interviews, and journal writing. The exhibit evolved out of Florida Department of Health's initiative, We Make The Change.

The exhibit is a unique public health experience on and inside of a 34 foot trailer. You'll see larger than life portraits of the participants along with their journals and videos.

The Florida Department of Health estimates approximately 130,000 people are living with HIV in Florida. Of those persons living with HIV, 49% are black. Florida ranks third in the nation in the number of AIDS cases and second in the nation in the number of pediatric AIDS cases.       

On Monday, January 19th, the Faces of HIV will be part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace March Parade and Festivities. The exhibit will be parked at the Melbourne Auditorium from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. On Tuesday, January 20th, the exhibit will be on the Melbourne campus of Eastern Florida State College from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Both events are free and open to the public.        

Photo credit: Scott McIntyre, Naples Daily News

Faces of HIV provides visitors with an up close and personal look into the lives of those living with HIV. Launched in 1999 by the Florida Department of Health, We Make The Change is a statewide campaign designed to increase the awareness of HIV/AIDS and its impact on minority communities throughout Florida. The goal is to stem the AIDS epidemic by turning knowledge into power.

For more information, contact Tara Menendez by calling 407-629-9484, Extension 211 or by email, tara@anson-stoner.com or visit We Make The Change.