Conference Highlights How to Use New Media Tools

Last week, our Communications Director and New Media Strategist joined over 1,200 people from across the U.S. (and beyond) in New Orleans to talk about using new media to create social change and to share best practices. The occasion was the 2008 Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) conference, "Building Community: Connections Around the Globe and Around the Corner."

Although there were not any specific presentations on using new media in the fight against HIV/AIDS, we learned some important lessons about using and assessing new media tools that can help almost any HIV/AIDS program.

National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

March 20 is National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) are ranked third in the nation in the rate of AIDS diagnosis compared to all other races and ethnicities.

The National Native American AIDS Prevention Center (NNAAPC), Colorado State University's Center for Applied Studies in American Ethnicity (CASAE), and Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. (ITCA) organize and implement the Day.

To learn more about this day, please visit the IHS HIV Program website.

To locate a testing site near you, please visit www.hivtest.org.

Face Time with Facebook

This week, we're continuing our series about social networking sites . Today we're focusing on Facebook .

To learn more about how we might use Facebook in the fight against HIV/AIDS, we spoke to Shaun Whybark from the Columbus AIDS Task Force , and Dmitriy Kruglyak from TrustedMD .

What is Facebook?
Facebook, like most social networking sites, allows users to create online profiles (including photos, information about themselves, etc.) and then connect to other people with similar interests and experiences. Mark Zuckerberg developed Facebook in 2004, while he was a student at Harvard. He saw Facebook as a way for students to connect with each other. In 2006, he decided to open up registration so that anyone could join. Facebook is now the second-most popular social networking site (after MySpace ) in the U.S., with over 28 million monthly visitors, and its popularity is growing. The site's monthly traffic has increased 77% since last year.

Should MySpace be Your Space?

This week's post is the first of a series that will focus on social networking sites (SNS). We'll begin with MySpace .

What are Social Networking Sites?
SNSs are online communities that give you opportunities to connect with, or provide resources to, clients, colleagues, family and friends who share common interests. When you join an SNS, you usually start by creating a profile that describes you or your organization, and then invite people to join you as "friends" in your network. Most SNSs are free, and they range from general networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, to ones that are tailored for a specific demographic or interest area. With over 66 million monthly users , MySpace is the most popular social networking site in the U.S. Like many SNSs, it allows you to upload videos, photos, create a blog, post events, join groups, and send messages to other MySpace users.

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Today, March 10, is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.

What you can do:

• get tested for HIV - find a testing center near you by visiting www.hivtest.org or by texting your zip code to KNOWIT (566948)
• practice safe methods to prevent HIV
• decide not to engage in high-risk behaviors
• talk about HIV prevention with family, friends, and colleagues
• provide support to people living with HIV/AIDS
• get involved with - or host - an event for National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in your community

At AIDS.gov, our podcast this month is with Dr. Wanda Jones, Director of the Office on Women's Health.

Are you using new media to reach women and girls? If so, we'd love to hear about it! We may even feature your story in an upcoming blog post!