Travis County Commissioners Court
February 28, 2006
Item 1
Number 1 on the resolutions and proclamations is approve proclamation recognizing "the national black church week of prayer for the healing of aids." and we have here to receive this -- Sam price, city of Austin, Travis County health and human services, mr. Price here?
>> yes.
>> all right. Martin harris. Beverly will burn. Somebody is not here because we have five names, don't we? Reverend ramon bryant, in the middle. And [indiscernible] must not be here.
>> she's here.
>> just being shy. All right. Should I read the operation? It reads whereas March 5th through 11th 2006 is designated as national black church week of prayer for the healing of aids, whereas aids is not and has not been openly discussed in the african-american community, but aids is exacting a devastating toll of death and human suffering throughout the world and especially in the african-american community. Whereas although african-americans make up less than 10% of the population in Austin, Travis County. They account for more than 50% of all reported h.i.v. Aids cases here. Whereas in the bible jesus' example of ministering to the sick teaches us that we should minister to all sick persons, including those suffering from the human immuno deficiency virus, h.i.v. And acquired immuno deficiency syndrome, aids, throughout our nation, african-american church ministries are responding with prayer, ongoing discussion, social analysis, imperical research, public education, deeply felt compassion and community based action; whereas the black faith based initiative of the Austin Travis County health and human services department has supported local african-american churches in raising awareness, increasing education and taking positive action to reduce the impact of h.i.v. Aids, in the african-american, whereas local african-american churches have made a long-term commitment to aids workshops, testing and referrals, health fairs and establishing education and resource centers in the black community to attack this devastating disease and whereas Austin Travis County and surrounding communities are invited to -- to an h.i.v. Aids observance as service on March 9th, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. At the grant worship center at 1701 kramer lane in Austin, Texas, excuse me, now therefore be it resolved that we the members of the Travis County Commissioners court do hereby proclaim March 5th through 11th 2006 as national church week of prayer for the healing of aids in Travis County, and encourage all Travis County residents to support this necessary initiative and it's signed by all of the members of the Travis County Commissioners court. Good morning?
>> good morning.
>> comments?
>> honorable sir, commissions, on behalf of the 17th annual national black church week of prayer for the healing of aids, and those who work so diligently here in Travis County to -- to help educate and empower people to deal with the issue of aids, we want to say thank you for the proclamation and on behalf of the churches who are participating in this event, we realize that there's a time and a season for everything. And the time of silence has been too long. And we realize that it is now time to speak. And because it's time to speak, we are -- we are looking forward to doing all that we can in this next week to speak out on the issue of aids, to educate people, to help empower people to do with the issue, to do the things necessary to overcome all of the challenges that we now face with aids spreading so rapidly in the african-american community. So -- so we -- we are having a service with all of -- all of the churches on the 9th of March at grant worship center, we are inviting all of you and all of Travis County and beyond to come and participate in the service. We think that it will be a time of healing, a time of help, and a time of hope for those who participate. But during the course of the week, we have multiple [indiscernible] throughout the county, that will be praying, that will have services, do workshops, testing to help people discover where they are with aids and to do whatever they need to do to move beyond the fear and get to the police where they can receive the necessary help to deal with the issue. So we want to say thank you for -- for this time and thank you for what you do to help get the word out and this is our time to speak. We look forward to being able to speak and to speak well to the issue. Thank you.
>> thank you all.
>> any or comments?
>> as a representative of the city --
>> state your name, millions of people in the audience will want to know who you are [laughter]
>> martin harris, I’m the division manager at Austin Travis County health and human services department, the community services and the public health division. And we have been partners in the black faith initiative for the last oh, I believe 10 years or so. But what we have been doing is working with community organizations. I just wanted to thank the county partner in this effort because we are now looking at prevention more so by using community organizations to spread the word than just having our own staff. So this is a successful effort. I know last -- maybe about two weeks ago that you were mentioning judge, about how do you evaluate, if the community programs are working. In this way we have been able to get the feedback from the community in terms of how successful we are and then go on and promote even further by having the aids resource centers right in the churches and being and the to speak directly to the people. I want to thank you for being partners in this effort.
>> I want to ask you a question real quick like. How many churches participating in this process? At -- right now? In other words, how many folks are --
>> well, we have formally.
>> approximately.
>> over 20 some churches that are active partners in each -- we have in nine of the churches we have h.i.v. Resource centers, then we have an organization that composes about 45 churches. So total, yes, sir.
>> okay. That's -- okay, that's substantial.
>> yeah.
>> okay. So the resource center disseminates information regarding the disease?
>> well, not only just aids. In fact we have been able to expand the conversation to include other health disparities once the report has been seen by members, there's other health initiatives that we have been able to start. But the pastors have been very courageous in starting with the -- with the hardest subject, if you will, and then have expanded into other subjects such as diabetes, cancer, what have you.
>> yeah. Diabetes is a killer, also. 20 years ago I think we thought that aids would visit a couple of years and go away. But actually it's a whole lot worse now than it was 20 years ago, especially in the black community. It amazes me how many young people, mostly young men, but it's really spreading among black women, also. But the spread of aids by way of intravenous drowg use is really kind of frightening. It amazes me, too. Most -- it's sort of at the last stages, when death is pretty much imminent whereas if we started early there are medications now that really can help you, maybe not make a magic johnson out of you, but certainly help prolong your life and deal with the suffering. So we appreciate your work on this, that's March 11th. March 9th?
>> 7:00 p.m. At grant worship center.
>> any other comments? We would move approval, we have numerous proclamations for you here. All in favor? That passes by unanimous vote and we have -- we have -- everything here except the proclamation signed by the -- by the clerk. Let me see. We may have -- sign that one. So we have a bundle of proclamations for you.
>> we would like to get a picture with you. They asked.
>> all right. Okay.
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Last Modified:
Wednesday, February 8, 2006 10:44 AM