ANTHC HIV/STD Prevention 
Program Newsletter
June 2019
Hello! Camai! Wáa sá iyatée! 
"Live in Peace and Harmony." -Southeast Traditional Tribal Value 
National HIV Testing Day, June 27
"Provide time to see how your life is going." -Cup'ik Cultural Value

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recognized #NHTD since 1995. NHTD is a day to encourage people to get tested for HIV, know their status, and get linked to care and treatment. Over 1 million people in the United States are living with HIV. Many of these individuals are receiving proper treatment and live healthy lives. However, 1 in 7 people are unaware that they have HIV. This means that they are not getting the care and treatment that they need and deserve and can transmit the infection. This is why NHTD is so important. ( For more information visit HIV).  There is also a medicine called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)  that people can take to help prevent HIV. Learn more about PrEP . 

Free HIV Testing, Anchorage
  • June 27: 11 - 2:30 PM, Mountain View Library 120 Bragaw St
  • June 29: 12 - 5 PM, PrideFest, Delaney Park Strip

National HIV Testing Day Resources:
Celebrating Pride and our LGBTQ2S+ Community

Pride is a celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,  Queer/
Questioning, and Two-Spirit (LGBTQ2S+) people across the globe and is rooted in a movement geared toward human rights, inclusion and understanding. Today, more communities than ever have and are celebrating Pride Month in Alaska. Teens Acting Against Violence (TAAV) organized the first Pride March in Bethel, AK; Soldotna celebrated the second annual Two-Spirit March ; Homer is hosted the  Pride Walk , honoring the Stonewall uprising in New York (read more) and chock full of weekend activities. Last year, Nome hosted their first ever Pride March, led by a group of passionate community volunteers. There is more recognition and visibility among Alaska Native LGBTQ and Two Spirit people. June is a time to celebrate, learn and show support for all community members in Alaska, and we must continue to work towards promoting health among all of our community members. Come see us at the Anchorage PrideFestival on Saturday, June 29. 

Alaska Native LGBTQ+ Project 
Starting in 2015, the ANTHC HIV/STD Prevention Program launched the Alaska Native LGBTQ Initiative as part of IKM outreach and education efforts.  In 2017, we launched a sexual health survey to inform the initiative. This was round 1! Last year, we launched round 2 of the survey. The Alaska Native LGBTQ Survey is live, for round 3! To take the survey participants must be ages 16 and older and have a valid mailing address in Alaska. Participants can choose to receive a Spawn Safely t-shirt as a thank you for taking the survey. Take the survey now (approx. 30 mins). Learn more from IKM. Download the flyer. 

New! "Celebrating Our Magic: Toolkit" 
Two-Spirit and LGBTQ Health Resource, NPAIHB

The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) has launched a Two Spirit and LGBTQ Health webpage, highlighting the Celebrating Our Magic Toolkit. The toolkit is a culturally-specific resource for American Indian/Alaska Native communities and aims to provide resources for transgender and Two-Spirit youth, their relatives, and their healthcare providers. 
June is Men's Health Month, Men's Health Week

June is also  Men's Health Month, and between June 10 - June 16 the United States observed Men's Health Week. The Men's Health Network has found that about 9 out of 10 men in the United States want to take charge of their own health. Around 30% (1 in 3) men have reported that sexual health is one of the most important elements of their overall health and wellness. It is important to try our best to make sure all community members have access to health care resources, and at this time we recognize that men must be involved and included in the conversation around healthy communities.  Learn more. 
Staff Spotlight: Sydney Resler, AmeriCorps VISTA

IKM Staff Member Sydney at the 2018 Anchorage PrideFestival. 
Sydney Resler joined the ANTHC HIV/STD Prevention Program as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in 2018, working on Substance Abuse Prevention, the IKM website, and many other outreach efforts. Sydney has traveled to various communities in Alaska for her work. Sydney has left the program to begin working on her graduate degree in Anthropology in Georgia. Congratulations, Sydney, and thank you for all that you have contributed to improving the health of Alaskans!




    • Order free condoms and at-home STD testing kits
    • Order free educational materials
    • Find answers to questions like: Can I catch an STD if I haven't had sex yet? My friend seems depressed--how can I help?

And find culturally and age appropriate sexual health curricula at www.healthynativeyouth.org.
For more information, contact Jaclynne Richards, ANTHC HIV/STD Prevention Program: (907) 729-2971, or  jkrichards@anthc.org.