COMPASS
Accerleration on Men (AOM)
THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, GRADUATE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK
What is Acceleration of Men?
THIS A PROVINCIAL PROGRAM THAT AIMS TO REDUCE HIV INFECTION AND EDUCATE ON THE TRANSMISSION AMONG SAME GENDER LOVING MEN OF COLOR BY SUPPORTING GRASSROOTS EFFORTS TO PROVIDE HIV PREVENTION, TRAUMA ENFORCED CARE, AND PSYCHO-SOCIAL THERAPY SESSIONS.
- 2 COHORTS OF 8 SAME-SEX LOVING MEN
- 03/20-12/20: ONE GRANT YEAR
- PEER-LED BIWEEKLY EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR MEN
- FIVE MONTHS PER COHORT
- WORKSHOPS INCLUDE: JOB READINESS/DRESS FOR SUCCESS HARM REDUCTION, BEING A MENTOR, SUCCESSFUL SPEECH, ASSERTIVENESS/SELF-EMPOWERMENT/LOVE, CLASSES/STORYTELLING, HIV 101/HIV CRIMINALIZATION TRAINING, COMBAT HOMELESS
TransAdvocacy Cohort/Transcend
The purpose of this grant is to advance the rights and well-being of African American Transwomen who face disproportionate structural inequities through peer-led advocacy and mobilization. The primary goal is to assist and support Transwomen through all aspects of life to help provide this community with similar opportunities as the cisgender community. This holistic approach should help to improve the lives of Transwomen by building self-esteem and cultivating leadership within the population. The HIV criminalization law is a big concern among the Transgender community due to not being educated about it and because most Transwomen participate in sex work being law enforcement's main targets. The threat of HIV criminalization laws, the realities of intimate partner violence, and the overwhelming possibility of being the victim of a hate crime usually result in the behaviors of survival for many Transwomen in Memphis.
Testimonials
“I'm Aeriel Grayer and I am a 24-year-old lesbian in the city of Memphis. Growing up in a very Christian household was one of the scariest things for me. I've always known I was different from my sisters because when they gossiped about boys, I thought about girls. I don't really have a coming up story because I don't see the point in "coming out." But in high school, it was a different story.”
“I was scared to come out because of rejection. My best friend came out to me in the 12th grade and thinking back on it, it was the perfect time to tell him. After graduating high school, I told him a week later and it was the start of a new journey. I haven't had any major homophobic moments in my life so far but the ones I have encountered I've politely responded to them that this is not a phase, if I could choose to change my life to please everyone, I wouldn't. I'm happy to be who I am and ever since I've been open about myself it's been the best thing to ever happen to me.”
Nugene Powell Jr, Age 24
“I really didn't know anything about the same-sex until I started high school but I always knew I was different. At the age of five, I was molested by a family member for a good min, I thought it was normal until he got caught and my parents sit me down and told me that wasn't right but after that, it stuck with me and I wanted more from guys than girls. My mother protected me until high school so I couldn’t act upon my urges until then.”
“My coming out story!!!!
I really don't have a coming out story I just told my family that I'm really not attracted to girls after i been molested and it just not in my system for them.
Because I carry myself as a man for nothing want happened is come about.
I hope that the African American Community can be more acceptable to the homosexual life styles and stop judging just get to know a person for who they are rather than who they are sleeping with.”