The Rocket: HOPE and others bring safer sex block party

SOURCE: The Rocket

Healthy Outreach through Peer Education (HOPE) partnered with the Women’s Center and Pride Center to throw a Safer Sex Block Party in the Smith Student Center (SSC) Theatre during common hour on Feb. 7, 2023.

The event was centered around HIV and its disproportionate effect on communities of color. It featured lawn games, music and food, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad and other cookout-style cuisine.

Sophomore and Pride Center Student Worker Mercedes Nearhood described the party as “a way for people to connect but also learn about safe sex and how to prevent HIV.”

HOPE combined with Adagio Health Butler, a clinic, to provide HIV testing for SRU students. Tables at the Safer Sex Block Party displayed a card that read, “Free rapid HIV testing—Student Health Center…Just tell the front desk ‘I’m here for Adagio’ [and] no data will be on your student health record.”

Article by Annabelle Chipps, The Rocket